Illinois state government lowered its fees for forming and maintaining limited liability companies (LLCs). Setting up an LLC now costs $150, down from $500. And maintaining one costs $75, down from $250 per year.
But even at their lower levels, LLC fees in Illinois rank among the highest in the U.S.
Illinois' LLC formation fees are 13th highest in the U.S., more than three times those charged in Kentucky ($40).
Illinois' LLC annual maintenance fees rank 17th; 21 states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky and Minnesota, charge $25 or less, and nine of those charge nothing.
LLCs, or business partnerships that protect partners' personal wealth, were first allowed in Illinois in 1994. The $500 filing fee was established that year.
There were 122,507 LLCs in Illinois in 2007 and 208,000 in 2013, according to the Illinois Secretary of State.
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Highest LLC formation fees
| Rank | State | LLC Formation Fee |
| 1 | Massachusetts | $500 |
| T2 | Tennessee | $300 |
| T2 | Texas | $300 |
| 4 | Alaska | $250 |
| 5 | Washington D.C. | $220 |
| 6 | New York | $200 |
| 7 | Alabama | $183 |
| 8 | Washington | $180 |
| 9 | Maine | $175 |
| 10 | Kansas | $165 |
| T11 | Connecticut | $160 |
| T11 | Minnesota | $160 |
| T13 | Illinois | $150 |
| T13 | Rhode Island | $150 |
| T13 | South Dakota | $150 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $135 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $130 |
| T18 | Florida | $125 |
| T18 | New Jersey | $125 |
| T18 | North Carolina | $125 |
| T18 | Pennsylvania | $125 |
| T18 | Vermont | $125 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $110 |
| T24 | Missouri | $105 |
| T24 | Nebraska | $105 |
| T26 | Georgia | $100 |
| T26 | Idaho | $100 |
| T26 | Louisiana | $100 |
| T26 | Maryland | $100 |
| T26 | New Hampshire | $100 |
| T26 | Oklahoma | $100 |
| T26 | Oregon | $100 |
| T26 | Virginia | $100 |
| T26 | West Virginia | $100 |
| T26 | Wyoming | $100 |
| 36 | Ohio | $99 |
| T37 | Delaware | $90 |
| T37 | Indiana | $90 |
| 39 | Nevada | $75 |
| T40 | California | $70 |
| T40 | Montana | $70 |
| T40 | Utah | $70 |
| T43 | Arizona | $50 |
| T43 | Arkansas | $50 |
| T43 | Colorado | $50 |
| T43 | Hawaii | $50 |
| T43 | Iowa | $50 |
| T43 | Michigan | $50 |
| T43 | Mississippi | $50 |
| T43 | New Mexico | $50 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $40 |
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Highest LLC annual fees
| Rank | State | LLC Annual Fee |
| 1 | California | $820 |
| T2 | Massachusetts | $500 |
| T2 | Nevada | $500 |
| T4 | Tennessee | $300 |
| T4 | Washington D.C. | $300 |
| T4 | Maryland | $300 |
| T4 | Delaware | $300 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $200 |
| 9 | Arkansas | $150 |
| 10 | Florida | $139 |
| T11 | Alaska | $100 |
| T11 | Alabama | $100 |
| T11 | New Hampshire | $100 |
| T11 | Oregon | $100 |
| 15 | Maine | $85 |
| 16 | Washington | $81 |
| 17 | Illinois | $75 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $70 |
| 19 | Kansas | $55 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $53 |
| T21 | Rhode Island | $50 |
| T21 | South Dakota | $50 |
| T21 | North Dakota | $50 |
| T21 | Georgia | $50 |
| T21 | Virginia | $50 |
| T21 | Wyoming | $50 |
| 27 | Iowa | $45 |
| T28 | Vermont | $35 |
| T28 | Louisiana | $35 |
| 30 | Indiana | $31 |
| T31 | Wisconsin | $25 |
| T31 | Oklahoma | $25 |
| T31 | West Virginia | $25 |
| T31 | Michigan | $25 |
| T35 | Connecticut | $20 |
| T35 | Montana | $20 |
| T37 | Utah | $15 |
| T37 | Hawaii | $15 |
| T37 | Kentucky | $15 |
| T40 | Nebraska | $10 |
| T40 | Colorado | $10 |
| 41 | New York | $9 |
| T42 | Texas | $0 |
| T42 | Minnesota | $0 |
| T42 | South Carolina | $0 |
| T42 | Missouri | $0 |
| T42 | Idaho | $0 |
| T42 | Ohio | $0 |
| T42 | Arizona | $0 |
| T42 | Mississippi | $0 |
| T42 | New Mexico | $0 |
*Source: LLCUniversity.com
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