Form Your Illinois C Corporation
Build the venture-ready structure investors require — issue stock, raise capital, and incorporate in the Prairie State with access to Chicago's global business ecosystem
Filed in Illinois
The Prairie State · IL
- State filing fee$150
- Processing time5-10 business days (online)
- Our formation feeFree (you pay $100 if you choose a paid plan)
- Annual report$75/yr + franchise tax ($25 min, $10K exempt) — due Before first day of incorporation anniversary month
- State tax rate9.5% corporate income tax
- Expedited option1 business day (24-hour service) (+$100)
Form your Illinois C-Corp — pay only the state filing fee, nothing more.
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Everything to launch your Illinois C-Corp
Free formation means you pay only the $150 state filing fee. All core services are included at no extra charge.
Articles of Incorporation filing
We prepare and submit your Articles of Incorporation to the Illinois Secretary of State.
Registered agent
Required in Illinois — we act as your agent for the first year.
EIN from the IRS
Your federal Tax ID — required to open a US business bank account and file taxes.
Corporate bylaws
Professionally drafted corporate bylaws — defines ownership, voting, and profit splits.
Benefits of forming an C-Corp in Illinois
Illinois pairs unmatched transportation infrastructure with Chicago's standing as a global financial and venture center, giving C Corporations direct access to institutional capital and a deep, university-fed talent pool. While the 9.5% combined corporate income tax is higher than some states, the central location, mature investor ecosystem, and the 2025 franchise tax exemption make incorporating here a strategic move for venture-backed companies.
The structure venture capitalists and institutional investors require to write a check
Issue stock and equity to founders, employees, and investors with a clean cap table
Perpetual existence — the corporation survives changes in ownership and management
Raise capital through priced rounds, SAFEs, and convertible notes
QSBS / Section 1202 benefits may apply to qualifying C Corporation stock
Central US location with world-class transportation and a deep, educated talent pool
Chicago provides a global business center at lower cost than NYC or the Bay Area
Illinois corporate franchise tax is largely $0 since the 2025 exemption on the first $10,000 of liability
Key features of a Illinois C-Corp
- Issue stock and equity — the structure investors and VCs require
- Board of directors and corporate bylaws for formal governance
- Perpetual existence independent of ownership changes
- Illinois franchise tax is mostly $0 since the 2025 $10,000 exemption
- Online filing through the Secretary of State's CyberDrive system
Major industries in Illinois
Form your Illinois C-Corp in 6 steps
We handle every step while you stay in the loop. Processing takes 5-10 business days (online).
- 01
Choose Your Corporation Name
Your name must include 'Corporation,' 'Incorporated,' 'Company,' 'Limited,' or an abbreviation. Search the Illinois Secretary of State's database to verify availability.
- 02
Appoint a Registered Agent
Illinois requires a registered agent with a physical address in the state to accept legal documents and service of process on behalf of your corporation.
- 03
File Articles of Incorporation
Submit your Articles of Incorporation to the Illinois Secretary of State. The filing fee is $150, and you'll authorize your shares of stock. Online filing is available through the CyberDrive system.
- 04
Adopt Bylaws & Appoint Directors
Hold an organizational meeting to adopt corporate bylaws, appoint your board of directors, and issue stock. Illinois requires at least one director.
- 05
Obtain an EIN & Issue Stock
Apply for a free EIN from the IRS, then issue founder stock and set up your cap table. Founders receiving restricted stock should consider filing an 83(b) election with the IRS within 30 days.
- 06
File Annual Report & Franchise Tax
Illinois corporations file an annual report before the first day of the incorporation anniversary month. The fee is $75 plus franchise tax, which is largely $0 under the 2025 exemption on the first $10,000 of liability.
Illinois C-Corp costs at a glance
Kicker formation is free — you pay only the required state fees. No hidden charges.
Illinois C-Corp requirements checklist
Everything you need to form and maintain a Illinois C-Corp in 2026.
- File Articles of Incorporation with the Illinois Secretary of State
- Authorize and issue shares of stock to establish your cap table
- Appoint at least one director to the board
- Adopt corporate bylaws to govern internal operations
- Appoint a registered agent with a physical Illinois address
- Obtain an EIN from the IRS
- File annual report and franchise tax before the anniversary month ($75 + franchise tax)
Filing information
- Formation document
- Articles of Incorporation
- Filing agency
- Illinois Secretary of State
- Registered agent
- Required
- Corporate bylaws
- Recommended
- EIN
- Required
- Name reservation fee
- $25 (90 days)
Free formation — pay only the state fee
Kicker formation is free. You pay the $150 Illinois state filing fee and nothing more for the Starter plan. Optional plans add registered agent, EIN, corporate bylaws, and compliance.
Starter
- Articles of Incorporation filing
- Name availability check
- Digital document delivery
- Formation status tracking
Booster
- Everything in Starter
- Registered agent (required in Illinois)
- EIN / Federal Tax ID
- Expedited processing (1–2 days)
- Corporate bylaws
- Priority support
- Kicker Voice — 3-day free trial
- Kicker Pay — free for 15 days
Founder
- Everything in Booster
- Business mailing address
- Bookkeeping — 3 months free
- Dedicated account manager
- Rush processing
- Kicker Voice — 6-day free trial
- Kicker Pay — free for 30 days
Kicker
- Everything in Founder
- ITIN filing & preparation
- Same-day priority processing
- 2nd year annual filing $0
- Kicker Voice 12-day + Kicker Pay 60 days free
Compare all plans on our pricing page.
Illinois C-Corp questions, answered
Common questions about forming an C-Corp in Illinois. Can't find an answer? Talk to our team.
How much does it cost to form a C Corporation in Illinois?
The state filing fee for Articles of Incorporation is $150, filed with the Illinois Secretary of State. Ongoing, corporations file a $75 annual report plus franchise tax, which is largely $0 under the 2025 exemption on the first $10,000 of paid-in capital liability.
How long does it take to incorporate in Illinois?
Standard online filing through the Secretary of State's CyberDrive system takes about 5-10 business days. Once approved, you can issue stock, adopt bylaws, and obtain your EIN.
Why choose a C Corporation over an LLC?
A C Corporation is the structure venture capitalists and institutional investors require. It lets you issue stock and equity, maintain a clean cap table, raise priced rounds and SAFEs, and operate under a board of directors with perpetual existence — features an LLC can't cleanly offer.
How are Illinois C Corporations taxed?
C Corporations pay the 21% flat federal corporate income tax on profits, and dividends distributed to shareholders are taxed again at the individual level — the 'double taxation' tradeoff. At the state level, Illinois imposes a combined 9.5% corporate income tax (7% income tax plus 2.5% replacement tax), and a 6.25% state sales tax applies to taxable sales.
Does Illinois have a franchise tax for corporations?
Illinois levies a corporate franchise tax of $1.50 per $1,000 of paid-in capital (a $25 minimum), but the first $10,000 of liability is exempt as of 2025 — so for most corporations the franchise tax is effectively $0. The main ongoing cost is the $75 annual report fee.
What is QSBS and the 83(b) election?
Qualified Small Business Stock (Section 1202) benefits may apply to qualifying C Corporation stock, potentially reducing federal tax on a later sale. Separately, founders who receive restricted stock should consider filing an 83(b) election with the IRS within 30 days of receiving the shares to lock in tax treatment at grant.
Do I need to file a BOI report for my Illinois corporation?
Under FinCEN's March 2025 interim final rule, US domestic entities and US persons are exempt from Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting. Only entities formed outside the US and registered to do business in a US state are still required to file.
How many directors does an Illinois corporation need?
Illinois requires at least one director on the board. The directors are appointed at the organizational meeting, where you also adopt bylaws and issue stock to establish your cap table.
Illinois government filing resources
Filing fees for common C-Corp services
Official Illinois state charges for the filings you may need after formation — our service fee is separate, and we confirm the current amount before filing.
$25 to reserve an available name for 90 days across all entity types (LLC 1.15, BCA 4.10, NFP 104.10 each $25).
Flat per-document fee, not per-page.
$2 per document, same fee for an Apostille or a Certificate of Authentication.
No registration fee - the Illinois Dept of Revenue issues the Certificate of Registration free (the official pages describe registration with no fee.
Learn more$25 routine filing fee for a domestic or foreign business corporation.
Learn moreEverything you need to run your Illinois C-Corp
Formation is the first step — stay compliant and operational with these services.
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Ready to form your Illinois C-Corp?
Formation is free — you pay only the $150 Illinois state filing fee. Personal-asset protection, pass-through taxation, and a complete document package, filed in 5-10 business days (online).
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