Guide

Forming an Illinois LLC: registered agent, address and managers

The Illinois Articles of Organization ask for a few things that trip people up: a registered agent, an office address and the people who manage the company. Here is what each one means, with sources, so the form makes sense before you file it.

What the Articles of Organization ask for

Under the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act (805 ILCS 180/5-5), the articles must include:

• The company name and the address of its principal place of business, which does not have to be in Illinois.
• The company’s purpose, which can be broad.
• The name of the registered agent and the address of the registered office.
• A statement that the company has at least one member when it is filed, or will have one by the effective date.
• The name and business address of each manager, plus any member who has manager authority.
• How long the company lasts (forever, unless the articles say otherwise).
• The name and address of each organizer, the person filing the articles.

The fee is $150. See what an Illinois LLC costs for the full picture.

What is a registered agent?

A registered agent is the person or company that receives legal notices for the LLC, such as a lawsuit or official mail from the state, at the company’s registered office. Illinois law requires every LLC to keep a registered agent and registered office in Illinois at all times (805 ILCS 180/1-35).

Who can be one?

• An individual who lives in Illinois, or another person or business authorized to do business in Illinois. Illinois Legal Aid notes you can serve as your own registered agent if you qualify.
• The registered office must be in Illinois. Illinois Legal Aid says it cannot be a P.O. box.
• The agent’s name and address are part of the public record.

Does the agent have to be a person?

This trips people up because of how the form looks. A secondary source describing the Articles of Organization says the registered agent line is labeled “First Name, Middle Name, Last Name,” which makes it look like an individual is required. The law is wider than the form’s labels. The statute (805 ILCS 180/1-35) allows either an individual resident of Illinois or another person authorized to do business in Illinois, and Illinois Legal Aid describes the agent as a person or a company. For a company, the same source says you enter the company name on the name line. So:

• An individual must live in Illinois.
• A business must be authorized to do business in Illinois. Companies that offer registered agent service are an example.
• Either way, the registered office must be an Illinois street address, not a P.O. box.

Confirm how the current online form handles an agent that is a company before you file. The Secretary of State sets the form.

Things to know

• You can change the agent or the registered office later by filing with the Secretary of State (the statute provides for this in sections 1-36 and 1-37). If an agent resigns, the company must have a new agent on record within 60 days.
• Some businesses pay a company to act as their agent. Others use an Illinois resident they trust. Which fits you is your decision, and an attorney can talk through the trade-offs.

Where is your “headquarters” or office?

The articles ask for the address of the LLC’s principal place of business. That is where the company operates. Illinois Legal Aid says it can be an office or a home, in Illinois or elsewhere, and that it cannot be a P.O. box. Some resellers use their home address because that is where they work and get mail. Others use an office, a studio or a storefront if they have one.

• It becomes public. The articles are a public record, so the address you list can be looked up. Weigh that before using a home address.
• It is separate from the registered office, although the two can be the same place.
• Your city may care where you actually work. A business run from your home in Chicago may need a city license. See the Chicago home-based license guide.
• Your bank will ask for addresses too. See opening a business bank account.
• Illinois Legal Aid notes that certain records must be kept at the principal place of business, including a list of members’ names and addresses, a copy of the articles, the last three years of tax returns, and the last three years of operating agreements and amendments.

Who is a “manager”?

An LLC is run in one of two ways, and the articles ask who the managers are.

• Member-managed: the owners (members) run the business themselves. For a one-owner LLC, that is simply the owner. Members owe duties of loyalty and care to the company.
• Manager-managed: one or more managers run the business. A manager may be a member, or may be someone who is not an owner. Members who are not also managers generally owe no duties just because they are members.

The articles ask for the name and business address of each manager, plus any member who has manager authority (805 ILCS 180/5-5). Illinois Legal Aid says the people who manage the LLC must be listed with their business addresses.

A member is an owner. A manager is someone given authority to run the company. In a small one-owner business these are usually the same person. Choosing between member-managed and manager-managed, and who to list, affects how the company is run and who can act for it. That is a decision for you, with an attorney if you are unsure.

Other terms on the form

• Organizer: the person who signs and files the articles. The statute calls for each organizer’s name and address. Being the organizer does not by itself make someone an owner or manager.
• Operating agreement: not filed with the state. Illinois Legal Aid says every LLC should have one, even with one member. It covers things like how the company is managed and how profits are shared. An attorney can help write one.
• Purpose: may be broad, such as any lawful business.

A short checklist before you file

• A name you have checked for availability.
• Your registered agent: who it is, and an Illinois street address for the registered office.
• Your principal place of business address, knowing it will be public.
• Who is listed as manager, with a business address for each.
• The organizer’s name and address.
• The $150 state filing fee.

After you file, remember the annual report, and the other setup steps in the Chicago checklist.

Questions to ask an attorney

• Should my LLC be member-managed or manager-managed?
• Who should be the registered agent, and what are the trade-offs?
• What address should I list, given that it becomes public?
• Do I need an operating agreement, and what should it say?

I am not a CPA or an attorney

This page is general educational information drawn from the sources below. It is not legal or tax advice, and it does not tell you how to set up your company. Flipfiled helps you complete and submit registration paperwork from information you provide. Choices like who your agent is and how your LLC is managed are yours to make. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the Secretary of State or an attorney.

Sources: 805 ILCS 180/5-5, Articles of organization; 805 ILCS 180/1-35, Registered office and registered agent; 805 ILCS 180/15-3, Duties of members and managers; LLC University, Illinois Articles of Organization form walkthrough (secondary source); Illinois Legal Aid Online, Starting a limited liability company. Checked Oct 28, 2026.