Arizona vs Illinois: Legal Cost Comparison (2026)
Full side-by-side breakdown of legal fees in Arizona and Illinois — LLC formation, divorce filing, small claims limits, and notary fees.
LLC Formation Costs: Arizona vs Illinois
| Metric | Arizona | Illinois | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $50 | $150 | Arizona |
| Annual Report | $0 | $75 | Arizona |
| Publication Cost | $100 | $0 | Illinois |
| Franchise Tax | $0 | $0 | Tie |
| Est. Year-1 Total | $150 | $150 | Tie |
Filing Fee
Arizona is cheaper here
Annual Report
Arizona is cheaper here
Publication Cost
Illinois is cheaper here
Franchise Tax
It's a tie
Est. Year-1 Total
It's a tie
Arizona: Arizona requires three consecutive newspaper publications within 60 days of approval if your statutory agent is outside Maricopa or Pima county (A.R.S. § 29-3201).
Illinois: Illinois processing time can be slow — up to 10 business days for standard filing.
Arizona: No annual report fee — one of the lowest ongoing costs in the US.
Illinois: Chicago access — major market for B2B and professional services.
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Small Claims Court: Arizona vs Illinois
| Metric | Arizona | Illinois | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Claim Limit | $5,000 | $10,000 | Illinois |
| Min Filing Fee | $30 | $89 | Arizona |
| Contract SOL | 6 yrs | 5 yrs | Arizona |
Max Claim Limit
Illinois is cheaper here
Min Filing Fee
Arizona is cheaper here
Contract SOL
Arizona is cheaper here
Divorce Filing Costs: Arizona vs Illinois
| Metric | Arizona | Illinois | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $349 | $289 | Illinois |
| Sheriff Service | $25 | $60 | Arizona |
| Children Surcharge | $0 | $0 | Tie |
Filing Fee
Illinois is cheaper here
Sheriff Service
Arizona is cheaper here
Children Surcharge
It's a tie
Notary Fees: Arizona vs Illinois
| Metric | Arizona | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgment | $10 | $5 |
| Jurat | $10 | $5 |
| RON Fee | $10 | $25 |
Acknowledgment
Jurat
RON Fee
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