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Promote:Illinois

Invest in Illinois

A short guide for companies expanding into Illinois: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.

1. Illinois at a glance

Currency and inflation: see the United States at a glance

2. Before you set up

The body that handles foreign investment, any one-stop route and the zones, as the guide found them.

This guide does not cover the activities reserved for nationals. Before you apply, ask the body named above that handles foreign investment which activities are reserved.

Investment rules across the United States: see Invest in the United States

3. Steps to set up

The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.

Setting up in Illinois

  1. Form your entity with the Secretary of State; corporations and limited liability companies file formation documents there.Illinois Secretary of StateOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: DCEO, Starting Your Business in Illinois Guide⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

  2. Register an assumed name with the county clerk if a sole proprietorship or general partnership uses a name other than its legal name.County clerkOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: DCEO, Step by Step Guide to starting a business⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

  3. Register with the Department of Revenue in MyTax Illinois (Form REG-1) before you buy, sell or hire.Illinois Department of RevenueAbout one to two business days onlineOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: IDOR, Business Registration page⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

  4. Register with IDES within 30 days of start-up if you pay wages in Illinois.Illinois Department of Employment SecurityOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: IDES, Are You a New Employer page⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

Show 3 more set-up steps
  1. Buy workers' compensation insurance for your employees.Illinois Workers' Compensation CommissionOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: DCEO, Step by Step Guide to starting a business⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

  2. Check professional and financial licenses with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Insurance.Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; Illinois Department of InsuranceOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: IDFPR, Hub page with 2025 licensing results⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

  3. Ask OTI or DCEO about incentives, sites and foreign-trade zones for your project.Office of Trade and Investment, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: DCEO, Foreign Direct Investment page⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026

Steps that apply across the United States: see Invest in the United States

4. Organizations that help investors

Start with DCEO. Each card links to the organization’s own site.

Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets

Investment and business setup

Customs and tax

Show 1 more organization

Chambers and industry associations

5. Worth knowing

Across the United States: see Worth knowing in Invest in the United States

6. How Promote:Global helps

  • Compare the United States with other countriesSet the United States beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
  • Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
  • Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.

Turn this guide into your Illinois project.

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Promote:Illinois is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.

Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 3, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.