Illinois Business Entity Search (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you’re starting an Illinois-based business, you may want to start with a business name search first. This will help you determine whether or not the name is available for business registration.

If the name is taken, then you may need to go back to the drawing board and come up with further suggestions.

The search tool on the Illinois Secretary of State’s website helps users search for various business structures and business details of any entity registered in the state.

Irrespective of why you want to conduct a business search, the handy search tool on the Department of State’s website will help you get the information you are looking for.

The Illinois name search allows you to search for a corporation or LLC (limited liability company) by name.

Business search by entity name

To start your name search, refer to the Illinois Secretary of State website at https://apps.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/CorporateLlcController.

Select one of the following options:

Click on “Submit.”

Before entering your preferred name, choose a search method as follows:

Then enter the preferred name into the search bar and click on “Continue.”

Depending on the search options you’ve chosen, and if matching results are found, whether exact matches or partial matches, they will be displayed on this page.

The information that you will be able to access on this page includes:

Click on the corporation name of the business entity you want to review, and it will take you to the business summary page. Here, you’ll be able to view a number of details, including the type of corporation, incorporation date, duration date, assumed name, etc

Illinois search results

Irrespective of your search criteria, when there are matching results, the search tool will return the following business details:

Copies of documents and certificates

After conducting your name search on the Illinois Department of State’s site, you may want to get a hold of copies of business documents.

Copies may be certified or uncertified. Certified copies are correct and true copies of business filings and can only be obtained from the Secretary of State’s Business Services Department.

The most frequently requested business documents include:

For obtaining copies of business documents, use the following information to reach out to the Secretary of State:

Business name availability

Even if none of the names you search return any results, the name could still be registered as a trademark.

In order to determine whether or not you can still register a specific name, search the Illinois Trademark Database.

In the event the name you were considering is taken, you may need to go back to the drawing board and spark your creativity. However, the business search is a good place to look for inspiration.

Even if the name you want is taken, you can still use the results to think of variations of the name as long as the name you’re going to register is unique and distinguishable from any other registered business in Illinois. This rule applies to reserved names as well.

You must not use words or terms that imply that your company is affiliated with any banking, insurance, or fiduciary company unless you have authorization from the state Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate.

Do not include words that suggest your company is affiliated with a government agency like Treasury, FBI, or State Department.

You may conduct business under your legal entity name only unless you’ve registered a DBA.

In the event a business name is available, but you are not ready to complete the registration process, you should consider a name reservation.

To reserve a name in Illinois, complete the Application to Reserve a Name Form.

The form requires the following information:

After completing the form, you may send two copies via mail to:

You will also need to pay a filing fee of $25 to the Secretary of State for the name reservation.

Domain name availability

After checking the availability of your preferred legal entity name, it’s time to start thinking about a domain name as well. Domain names are more relevant now than ever before, and they are priceless when it comes to establishing your business’s brand and online presence.

Essentially, a domain is a great marketing tool, especially when it comes to pointing people in the direction of your products and services. So is imperative that every business have a domain name to establish their online presence in the age of the Internet.

The challenge begins with securing an available domain name. With millions of websites coming to the forefront each and every day, it’s becoming harder to find an available domain name.

This is why you should use a professional domain checking service like namechk.com. The service is highly recommended since it is professional and helps in a number of ways. For one, namechk.com is helpful when it comes to filtering results and offering suggestions and alternatives in the event that your desired domain name is already in use by another business.

It is advisable that once you come across a domain name that is available, you immediately register it to avoid it being scooped up by another business entity.

Fictitious business name search

The next part of the process is considering registering a DBA. Irrespective of whether you are a sole proprietor that’s come up with a catchy business name or you want to new alias for your limited liability company; you’ll still need to register DBA in Illinois.

Registering the DBA or fictitious name with the state ensures that you can legally transact within the state. The good news is that registering a DBA is affordable and simple. 

The process of registering your fictitious name depends on your business structure. If you are forming a corporation or LLC, you can register your DBA with the Secretary of State’s office.

Additionally, when registering a fictitious name in Illinois, it must be distinguishable from existing names in the state. So before completing the application, check that the desired name is indeed available by conducting a business search on the Secretary of State’s website.

The fictitious name registration can be completed online by filling in the relevant form and submitting it either in person or by mail. The assumed name is effective from the date of filing and expires on the first day of the anniversary month from the filing date.

It costs $150 for a DBA registration that is valid for five years.