Illinois. Where the Mother Road begins.

The character of the state

After the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago didn't simply rebuild, it built upwards: in 1885 the world's first skyscraper rose into the sky here, and the "City of Broad Shoulders" became the workshop and the exchange of the continent. Right on its doorstep, on Adams Street, stands the brown sign where every Americana longing begins: ROUTE 66 BEGIN, three thousand kilometres to Santa Monica. And over it all, the state of the man whose name is on every licence plate: the Land of Lincoln.

For your LLC, Illinois offers a world-class address with weight, at moderate cost and with an open register: your name appears in it. That gives you no cost advantage over our favourites, but depending on your industry, a real advantage in how you come across: the name on the paper is one of the best-known business addresses in the world.

Who Illinois makes sense for

For anyone whose business partners know the Chicago brand and take it seriously, for example in trade, logistics and finance. Your LLC's state name appears on every contract and every invoice, and Illinois reads there as exactly what it is: one of the world's great business addresses. If you're looking for discretion instead: our favourites.

There is also a structural advantage that only a handful of states offer: since 2005, Illinois has allowed the Series LLC. Under a single company you run several separate series, each with its own assets and its own liability shield. Ideal if you want to keep several projects, brands or properties cleanly apart without maintaining several companies. Ask us about it in a consultation (held in English only).

Do you really need an Illinois LLC?

The honest question before you order: if what draws you to Illinois is mainly the look of it, you don't need an Illinois LLC for that. Your business address is yours to choose, in any state, for any LLC. A Chicago address is available from any of the many virtual business address providers for around $20 to $150 a month; you book it yourself, directly with the provider, and it is not part of our package. Pair it with a Wyoming LLC and you get the same presence, plus anonymity in the register and the strongest statutory asset protection in the US.

There are two things an address cannot replace, though, and they belong to the full picture. First: your contracts and invoices show the company's state of formation. If they need to say "Illinois" in so many words, you really do need the Illinois LLC. Second: an address is appearance, not substance. If you actually keep premises, staff or ongoing business operations in Illinois, you create a real point of connection there, with reporting and tax consequences, regardless of where the LLC was formed. Situations like that belong in a consultation (held in English only) before you order.

And if your reason for Illinois is a personal or business connection: good choice. That is exactly what this page is for.

No hidden fees, no surprise invoices for extra work

Our flat fee covers every service you need to form your Illinois LLC and run it for the first 12 months. You'll find a detailed description of the services here. Bought separately, these services cost over $6,500. With us: one flat fee, $2,650, done.

Formation and taxes

Formation takes around 5 to 10 days. Structured correctly, your Illinois LLC pays no income tax in the US. Whether and to what extent the profits are taxed in your country of residence is a question for your tax adviser or for a consultation, held in English.

Transparency in the register

The Illinois register names the people behind your LLC. For discretion, look at Wyoming or New Mexico, for example. More under anonymity.