This page lists the Act's requirements, 2026 fees and dates, recent changes and IDFPR penalties. Start with the overview and finish with the checklist and FAQs. The Business Corporation Act guide covers the annual report and franchise tax; our physicians and healthcare professionals page covers tax planning. Citations are to 805 ILCS 15 unless another law is named.
What the law requires
| Requirement | In plain words | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Organize | Incorporate under the Business Corporation Act with the medical purpose, using form BCA 2.10(MCA); not filed online | 2, 3 |
| Name | Ends with "chartered," "limited," "Ltd.," "Service Corporation" or "S.C."; a name without a shareholder surname is recorded with the county recorder | 4 |
| Register | An IDFPR certificate before opening; one application per Illinois location and per assumed name with a different address | 5 |
| Keep licensing | Anyone who loses a license or commits unethical conduct is promptly removed, or the certificate is at risk | 10 |
| Buy-out default | The Act does not require a buy-out. If the articles or bylaws set no price or method for buying a deceased or disqualified shareholder's shares, the price is book value at the end of the prior month | 16 |
Key numbers and dates
| Item | Amount or date | Year in force | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of incorporation | $150, plus $100 if expedited in person | 2026 | Secretary of State fee table |
| Initial IDFPR registration | $50 per location | 2026 | 5 |
| Renewal | $40 | 2026 | 6 |
| Expiry cycle | January 1, 2019 and every third January 1 after: 2022, 2025, next 2028 | 2026 | 6 |
| Late registration | 30 days to answer or apply; $50 plus $100 per unregistered year, late fees capped at $500 | 2026 | 13.5 |
Source: 805 ILCS 15/5, 6 and 13.5
Recent and pending changes
- P.A. 104-796, effective August 7, 2026: extended the Medical Practice Act's repeal date to January 1, 2032. The Medical Corporation Act's text has no repeal date of its own.
- Sections 5 and 13.5 (per-location applications, late fees) come from P.A. 99-227 (2015), and the three-year cycle in Section 6 from P.A. 100-894 (2018). Apart from P.A. 104-764 below, no 2023 to 2026 change to this Act appears in the current text.
Penalties and enforcement
IDFPR enforces the Act. A case often starts when IDFPR has reason to believe a corporation operates without a certificate.
| Tier | What happens | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of violation | 30 days to answer or apply, with the $50 fee plus $100 per unregistered year (cap $500) | 13.5 |
| Civil penalty | Discipline proceedings and up to $1,000 after a hearing | 13.5 |
| Certificate discipline | Suspension or revocation for listed grounds; refusal to renew or suspension for unpaid Illinois taxes; hearing at least 10 days after notice | 10, 11 |
| Returned renewal check | $50 after two bounced checks; extra $100 if a bounced renewal check led to a lapse and the corporation keeps practicing without paying the renewal fee and the $50; the Director may waive fees | 6.1 |
Official sources
- Illinois General Assembly: Medical Corporation Act, 805 ILCS 15
- IDFPR: Medical Corporation, Registered
- IDFPR: Professional service corporation user guide
- Illinois General Assembly: Public Act 104-764
This page is a plain-language summary. The official source controls if there is any difference.