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How to File Articles of Incorporation in Illinois

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Completing and filing your Illinois Articles of Incorporation is a necessary step for forming a corporation. It can be difficult, but you don’t have to worry. Before we get going, make sure you have a good overview of what it takes to form a corporation in Illinois.

Articles of Incorporation are submitted to the Business Service Department of the Illinois Secretary of State (SOS). The process of forming a corporation and filing Articles of Incorporation in Illinois falls under 805 ILCS §180.

Any information entered in your Articles of Incorporation will become part of the permanent public record.

How to Complete the Articles of Incorporation Form

In what follows, we’ll explain the requirements for filing Articles of Incorporation in Illinois and the sections of the form. We’ll discuss both domestic (in-state) and foreign (out-of-state) corporations.

You can either file online at the website of the Illinois SOS or by mail. If you’re filing for a medical corporation, a closed corporation, or a professional service corporation, you’ll instead select the relevant form from the website.

Articles of Incorporation: Illinois

Articles of Incorporation in Illinois ask for:

Name

Under state law, your corporation’s name must include one of the following words (or abbreviation): Corporation, Incorporated, Company, or Limited. The name must be unique in the state. You can check to see if yours is already in use at the Secretary of State’s name availability search engine. If you have a name but aren’t ready to file, you can reserve it for 120 days. Check out our name reservation service to learn more about this option.

Initial Registered Agent‘s Name, Address, and Mailing Address

A registered agent is the contact point between your corporation and the state and also receives legal notices, such as subpoenas. It can be either a person or a business, as long as they have a physical street address located in Illinois. The registered agent must consent to the designation and will need to be present at the designated address during regular business hours. If you’re unsure about whom to appoint, Zenbusiness is here to help! Discover our professional registered agent services for your Illinois corporation.

Purpose (optional)

Unless you’re a professional corporation, you can leave this blank.

Authorized shares

Here you’ll declare the number of shares that you’re creating. One share is the required minimum. You’ll also add the “consideration” of every share, that is to say, the price of the shares.

Directors (optional)

Stating the number of directors is optional. You can decide whether you want to share their name and address.

Estimated Values (optional)

This part of the form asks you to state the estimated value of the corporation’s: properties anywhere; properties in-state; amount of business; amount of business in the state.

Other Provisions (optional)

Other provisions may include choosing the duration of the corporation, or declaring how directors are elected. Like the two previous sections, there’s no need to be specific about this unless you want to be.

Name and address of incorporator(s)

The incorporator is the person or entity completing the Articles of Incorporation. They don’t need to be the same people who will own it. In this section, you’ll list the names and addresses of your incorporators.

Other Relevant Forms You Might Need

Foreign (out-of-state) corporations can use “A Guide to Qualifying Foreign Corporations” on the Illinois Secretary of State website to find out how to qualify for corporation status in Illinois. The necessary form, called “Application for Authority to Transact Business in Illinois,” can be downloaded. It asks for information that the Illinois SOS needs if a foreign entity wants to do business in Illinois.

Other relevant forms you may choose to add to your Illinois Articles of Incorporation are:

• A separate sheet for additional provisions
• An additional page describing the preferences, qualifications, limitations, restrictions, and special or relative rights of the classes of shares.

How to File Your Illinois Articles of Incorporation

You can file your Articles of Incorporation either online or via mail. The state charges a filing fee, but you can pay an optional fee to expedite the filing. However, if you file online the fee to expedite is no longer optional.

If you file online, your Articles of Incorporation will be processed in a day. If you file by mail without paying the expedite fee, it can take around two weeks. This is an estimate and varies according to the time of the year and the SOS’s workload.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a fast and professional way to incorporate in Illinois, we’re here to assist you. ZenBusiness will complete your Articles of Incorporation for you with our business formation plans. Don’t hesitate and get in touch today for a smooth and easy process.

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