What "foreign LLC" means
"Foreign" here means out-of-state, not out-of-country. If your LLC is formed in Wyoming but you're physically doing business in Illinois, you generally need to register the Wyoming LLC as a "foreign LLC" with Illinois.
Illinois foreign LLC registration cost
- Certificate of authority filing fee: roughly the same as a new domestic LLC in Illinois — ~$150.
- Certificate of good standing from home state: $10-$50.
- Registered agent in Illinois: $50-$200/year (you need a separate one for each state).
- Annual report in Illinois: $75 per year.
- No franchise minimum.
When you must register
"Doing business" definitions vary, but typically include: having an office or employees in Illinois, owning property in Illinois, or executing repeated transactions with Illinois customers. Casual sales to Illinois customers usually don't trigger registration.
Penalties for not registering
- Loss of access to Illinois courts for collections.
- Back-payment of all years' annual fees with penalties.
- Personal liability exposure (the corporate veil weakens in some states).
The math: is it worth forming out-of-state?
If you operate in Illinois, forming in Wyoming or Delaware almost always costs more than just forming in Illinois, because you pay both states. Forming out-of-state pays off only for true holding companies and non-residents.