The appointment and maintenance of an in-state registered agent is required

Illinois is a haven for startup activity much of it due to its low property prices and low individual income tax rates -- the 13th friendliest in the nation. Another indicator of business success is the state's high business survival rate -- 80%, way above the national average. Despite this, doing business in Illinois requires compliance with many federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

You’re required to designate an in-state Registered Agent when you form your company and in each additional state in which you do business. The Registered Agent receives state communications regarding important filings and changes in organizational requirements and is also responsible for receiving notice of a lawsuit (“service of process”) on behalf of your business. With CT Corporation’s experience and expertise, you won’t miss a critical filing and endanger your business’ good standing.

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What to look for when choosing an Illinois registered agent

A registered agent should be reliable, accurate and consistent.  They must always be available and physically present at the registered office during normal business hours. This ensures any hand-delivered legal documents get proper attention. 

 

They must also know all business entity and compliance rules, have professionally trained staff with expert knowledge on how to properly handle and forward SOP papers, have state-of-the-art processes in place to deliver crucial documents to you, and to follow-up with you regarding delivery. 

 

It is also important to have a registered agent that has the coverage and expertise to support your business as it expands into other states where additional registration is often necessary.  

The importance of having an Illinois registered agent

Having a professional registered agent ensures that things such as personal emergencies, vacations, business trips, and meetings never leave your company without this physical presence. Keep in mind, a lawsuit can proceed against you, even if your registered agent is not available to receive service. You may lose the opportunity to defend yourself in court or incur extra legal fees.

 

In addition to the registered agent’s statutory responsibilities of receiving and forwarding documents, professional service companies often provide a full range of services for LLCs, corporations and other types of business entities to help them with their compliance needs. The right professional services company can help you stay in compliance and make sure all of your documents are handled correctly.

You can rely on CT Corporation to:
  • Record your registered agent information with the state—essential to keep your business in good standing
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  • Receive state documents and legal notices, including Service of Process and wage garnishment notices, and promptly relay them to your designated contacts—so nothing gets overlooked
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  • Monitor laws and regulations—to make sure you aren’t caught off guard by changes
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  • Designate a specific team to serve as your go-to resource for answers to your questions—you won’t get the round around
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  • Customize your registered agent services if you wish to include alerts of upcoming deadlines and forwarding of business documents—so you’ll have less to manage

Safeguard your business with America's most reliable registered agent service

Registered Agent package options:

Products

Registered agent services

Easily appoint your registered agent online within 10 minutes

Order Online - $374*

  • Registered agent services - includes a registered agent location within the state to receive legal and critical business communications and a dedicated team to receive and route all service of process legal notifications

  • Online portal - compliance portal to keep your business compliant 24/7

  • Name availability check - verification and reservation of desired business name within the state

    Not included

  • Incorporation services - completion and filing of all legal documents and Articles of Incorporation with the state

    Not included

  • Qualification services - preparation and filing of all qualification documents with the state

    Not included
Registered agent and incorporation filing

Our incorporation experts are here to help you start your business with a solid and smart foundation

Order Online - $884 +state fees*

  • Registered agent services - includes a registered agent location within the state to receive legal and critical business communications and a dedicated team to receive and route all service of process legal notifications

  • Online portal - compliance portal to keep your business compliant 24/7

  • Name availability check - verification and reservation of desired business name within the state

  • Incorporation services - completion and filing of all legal documents and Articles of Incorporation with the state

  • Qualification services - preparation and filing of all qualification documents with the state

    Not included
Registered agent and qualification filing

Legally register an existing business in another state

Order Online - $907 +state fees*

  • Registered agent services - includes a registered agent location within the state to receive legal and critical business communications and a dedicated team to receive and route all service of process legal notifications

  • Online portal - compliance portal to keep your business compliant 24/7

  • Name availability check - verification and reservation of desired business name within the state

  • Incorporation services - completion and filing of all legal documents and Articles of Incorporation with the state

    Not included

  • Qualification services - preparation and filing of all qualification documents with the state

Registered Agent FAQs for Illinois
  • Why do I need a Registered Agent in Illinois?
    All LLCs, S-Corporations, and C-Corporations must appoint a Registered Agent, also known as a Resident Agent or Statutory Agent.
  • How do I appoint CT Corporation as my Registered Agent?
    You can easily appoint CT Corporation as your Registered Agent. The checkout process takes less than 10 minutes and you will immediately receive the agent address. Our compliance specialists are also available on the phone to answer your questions and assist with your registered agent needs.
  • What happens to my business if I don't have a Registered Agent in Illinois?
    Because a Registered Agent is required by law, failing to have one can cost your company its good standing in that state. This means you could lose the ability to secure loans and initiate lawsuits in your state of business. It might even endanger your limited liability protection.
  • What exactly will my Registered Agent do for my business?
    Your Registered Agent receives essential state mailings (annual reports, tax forms, etc.) and legal mandates (like lawsuits), promptly relaying them to the correct individuals within your business. Beyond alerting you to deadlines and court proceedings, our Registered Agents can also manage other documents for you at an incremental cost.
  • Why does Illinois require companies to have a Registered Agent?
    Almost every state requires you to designate a Registered Agent to serve as an official contact for your business. State agencies and courts send your company important compliance information and official correspondence through your Registered Agent. For most businesses, this correspondence consists of annual report and tax filing correspondence. Your Registered Agent is also responsible for receiving Service of Process and legal mandates for your company and promptly relaying them to the correct individuals within your business.
  • If I don't have a Registered Agent, can I still be sued in Illinois?
    Not having a registered agent to accept service of process does not mean that the business cannot be sued. What it does mean is that the court can obtain jurisdiction in another manner, but the business may not have timely notice of the lawsuit and will not be able to mount a defense.
  • Can you serve as your own registered agent in Illinois?
    Although individuals can serve as a registered agent in some states, there are significant responsibilities. Failure to perform the duties of a Registered Agent successfully can have serious adverse consequences for the business. For example, the improper handling of a service of process may eventually result in a default judgment.
  • What is wage garnishment?
    If you have employees, this is the type of Service of Process you’re most likely to receive. Federal law allows federal agencies to garnish the wages of individuals, for child support, tax liens, student loans, and consumer debt. Employers can be penalized for failing to comply with wage garnishment orders. For this reason, it’s very important to ensure you have a professional registered agent handling your Service of Process. 7% of US employees have their wages garnished, and if you receive a garnishment and fail to take action in time, your business can be liable for the amount your employees owe.
  • What is Service of Process?

    Service of Process is time-sensitive legal paperwork that gives your company official notice of a lawsuit. When an individual is sued it is easy to figure out who to give the legal papers to— that individual. But what about when it is a business entity such as a corporation, LLC, or LP? You cannot just go into a business and leave the papers with anyone who might work for the company. Service of Process can only be served on someone the rules and statutes say can be served. And, in general, that is only a responsible person who is likely to make sure those documents end up in the hands of someone who can file a timely legal response for the defendant.

    In addition to receiving service of process in connection with a lawsuit against the business directly, the registered agent receives other mission-critical documents, such as:

    • notice of garnishment proceedings against an employee
    • litigation documents once the lawsuit is underway, including motions or requests to produce documents
    • legal notices
    • government correspondence, such as notices of annual report deadlines and tax notification other compliance-related documents

    Although these documents might be very different, they all have one common element. Each one contains vital, time-sensitive information.

Business compliance requires global expertise. Expect more.
Trust CT Corporation to navigate compliance anywhere you do business.
Contact CT Corporation Today
*State fees are mandatory fees imposed by the state. Price includes online discount automatically applied at checkout. Discount is for new customers only.
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