Illinois Registered Agent
Illinois corporations and LLCs need an in-state registered agent to maintain good standing with Illinois law. With a professional Illinois Registered Agent like Northwest, we can mind the procedural compliance stuff for you while you focus on running your business. Want more? Northwest is the only registered agent that can provide your business services from domains to DBAs easily, and all in-house. Our office in Springfield is just a short drive away from the Secretary of State’s office, providing your business with a local address—and we’ll forward your state legal mail to wherever you are. Keep reading to learn about why it just makes sense to hire a professional registered agent for your Illinois business.
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$125 a Year Every Year
Find out why professionals choose Northwest.
- Same-Day Scans, Instant Notifications
- Privacy by Default®
- Business Address & Free Mail Forwarding
- Free Domain, Website, Email & Business Phone
What Is a Registered Agent in Illinois?
A registered agent is a person or business that is designated to accept service of process (legal mail) on behalf of your Illinois business. Illinois law requires registered businesses to have a registered agent. You’ll also need to include your registered agent’s name and address on state formation documents you file with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Registered agents in Illinois must:
- Accept legal documents and official mail on behalf of your Illinois business and deliver them to you as fast as possible.
- Have a physical address (no P.O. Boxes) in the state of Illinois where they can accept legal documents (service of process) and official mail like tax notices. This location is called a registered office.
- Maintain normal business hours (9 AM to 5 PM).
These are just the minimum legal requirements for registered agents in Illinois. At Northwest, we believe in going above and beyond expectations to ensure top speed, security, privacy, and support for all of our clients.
Yes. Choose or hire an agent first, then form your LLC or corporation. The Secretary of State’s Corporations Division will reject your business registration filing if you don’t include your registered agent’s contact information when you submit your documents.
When you hire Northwest as your registered agent in Illinois, you’ll find all the forms and instructions you need to complete your filing instantly after you place an order.
There are a few reasons a registered agent is needed for your Illinois business:
- State law (Illinois Compiled Statutes 805 ILCS 180/1-35) requires all legitimate, registered businesses to appoint one.
- The Secretary of State will reject your business filing if you don’t appoint a registered agent.
- A registered agent requirement gives the public and the state a reliable way to contact your business.
You can be your own business’s registered agent in Illinois. However, the role’s requirements mean most business owners hire a registered agent service instead. Why? Because even though being your own registered agent is free, the name and address of your registered agent in Illinois becomes part of the public record. Additionally, a registered agent is required to be available to accept service of process during normal business hours.
Serving a registered agent is legal proof of notification. Whether you receive the documents your Illinois registered agent signs for or not, once they accept the documents, you’ve legally been notified. This is a serious responsibility and we don’t take it lightly. Here’s how it works:
- A process server, the county sheriff, or any third party will walk into our Springfield office and hands us the documents (service of process), then we sign for them.
- The process server then gives an affidavit (a receipt of service) to the court which states that they served us.
- If you’ve hired us, long before the server hands in their affidavit to the court, you’ve received your documents because we scanned them to your online account within minute of having been served.
- Perform an Illinois business name search.
- Type in the name of the company you’re searching for.
- Find the registered agent’s name and registered office street address in the search results.
If you want to legally notify an Illinois business through their registered agent, just send a certified letter directly to the registered agent at their registered office address.
How Do I Change a Registered Agent in Illinois?
Changing your registered agent in Illinois is pretty straightforward. Here’s how it works:
- File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent form with the Illinois Secretary of State.
- If you have a corporation, you file Form BCA 5.10/5.20, Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office.
- If you have an LLC, you file Form LLC-1.36/1.37, Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Office.
- If you place an order with us, the form will be available instantly.
- It’s a simple process, but for more information, see our page on changing your registered agent in Illinois.
Why Northwest Is the Best Registered Agent in Illinois
At Northwest, we do business the right way. We’re dedicated to getting you your docs fast, protecting your privacy and offering you support. Here’s how:
- Same-Day scans, instant notifications: We accept and scan your docs at our local office the same day. We notify you instantly and reach out to you if your essential mail goes unread.
- Privacy by Default®: We automatically minimize the exposure of and access to your personal data. We have tough privacy policies to keep your data safe and private. And we never sell your data.
- Free limited mail forwarding: Of course we’ll get you your state and legal mail. That’s our job. But what if we get some of your regular business mail? It happens a lot—clients and businesses trying to connect with you via your registered agent. We scan five documents per year for FREE. We can also scan additional mail at a per document rate of $15.
- Unlimited mail forwarding: Expecting much more business mail? For $20 a month, we also offer unlimited Illinois mail forwarding. Our unlimited option includes an Illinois business address with a unique suite number—great for listing on your website, establishing a business presence, or giving a home or online business a more professional appearance.
- Corporate Guides®: Have questions? We have answers. Our guides are business experts whose sole job is to provide phone and email support for all your toughest business questions.
As the nation’s top choice for starting businesses easily and affordably, we also offer in-house services to build your business’s online identity:
- Domain name: Pick a domain name for your business with your choice of extension (like .com and .net).
- Website: We provide a pre-built business website for you to customize using an open source platform, so it’s yours to own whether hosted by us or anyone you choose.
- Business email address: Create up to 10 business email addresses. For branding ease, they’ll all end in your chosen domain name.
- Phone number: Keep your personal line private by establishing a business phone number for client communications.
- Web hosting: Our web hosting service includes SSL security at no additional cost.
All of our Illinois clients’ documents are accepted and scanned on-site at our registered office in Springfield, IL.
- If you don’t have a lease at our address, the postal service might not deliver your mail.
- As your registered agent in Illinois, things come directly to us—Northwest Registered Agent Service Inc.—care of you.
- If we do receive any mail for you, though, we’ll scan it to you in real time, in minutes.
Definitely! If you own an LLC or corporation in Illinois, you’ll need to file your Illinois Annual Report each year. As part of our Registered Agent Service, we’ll not only send you a reminder, but we’ll give you the form you need to file and instructions on how to file it.
How to Order Illinois Registered Agent Service
You sign up online, clicking on one of the buttons or links that says HIRE US.
We collect the first year’s fee for Registered Agent Service up front.
For new businesses, once your business registration filing with the Illinois Secretary of State is complete, we’ll become your registered agent in Illinois.
About a year later, we’ll send an invoice for another year of Illinois Registered Agent Service. If you want to keep using us, great; if you don’t, you can easily cancel.
It’s easy to add registered agent services in other states if your business expands. We have offices in every state. We don’t farm out work (or your info) to other companies—wherever you are, WE are your registered agent.
We make your account a real go-to resource for you, not just for Registered Agent Service or paying a bill but for keeping up with corporate paperwork formalities like the Illinois Annual Report.
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