Illinois Business Entity Search makes it possible to see details on existing businesses in the state. You can use this business search for a variety of reasons.
These include finding information on any business, checking the details and filing of your own business, requesting a Certificate of Existence, or checking for name availability when considering to file for a new Illinois LLC, Corporation, or other business entities.
The business entity search in Illinois is the same as the Illinois Corporation Search or LLC search. Illinois entity search is broadly divided into two parts. One includes corporate and LLC search, while the other works with partnerships (LLPs or LPs).
Generally speaking, the Illinois secretary of state business search covers the following entities:
- Corporations
- Limited Liability Companies
- Not-for-Profit Corporations
- Limited Partnerships
- Limited Companies
Accessing And Using Illinois LLC Search And Corporate Search
As noted previously, the Illinois LLC Search and corporate search are grouped together for search. This is often a convenience as the available options are reduced and thus the page is simplified.
When accessing the Illinois search page for LLCs and Corporates, the following process will come into play. The page is divided into three “steps”. Simply put, these are three sections used to manage and refine the search. These are:
Step 1: The Search Type
The first step is the type of search. Here you choose the specific business entity you’d like to search. Choose one from the following available options:
- LLC
- Corporate
- Corporate And LLC
Step 2: The Search Method
This step (or section) plays a part in deciding how the search proceeds. On the search page, this shows as Step 2, “Please Choose A Search Method”. You define search parameters that will govern the nature of your search. It’s possible to choose one of the available options.
- By Name: This method does an exact search of the name, starting from the beginning. For best results, you should know (or have a good idea of) the exact name of the entity you intend to search.
- By Key Word: You can enter a specific word that appears in the name of a business entity. This word can appear anywhere in the name of a business entity. Results will appear as long as there’s an entity with the entered keyword in its name.
- By Partial Word: Enter the beginning of any word that may appear in the name of an entity. For example, entering the search term “Constr” will show entities that have the word “Construction”, “Construct”, or any other word that has the specific search term in it.
- By File Number: Enter the file number to see details of a specific business entity associated with the said file number. This is an exact search that shows the business entity associated with the file number.
Step 3: Entering The Search
The third step on the page is “Enter your search”. This is the last step. Here, you will enter the specific word(s) or file number you want to search. The results will be governed by the choices you make in the two previous steps.
Once you enter the search, you can click on the submit button to show the results page. A “clear” button is also available on the page. If you press this button, it will remove/reset all the choices entered in all the steps mentioned here.
Using Illinois Entity Search For Partnerships
Illinois uses a separate search page for partnerships. The process is the same as those mentioned for LLCs and corporations. However, this page will return results related to the following business entities (listed in Step 1):
- LP/LLLP
- LLP/RLLP
- LP/LLLP and LLP/RLLP
Working With The Illinois Secretary Of State Business Search
Once you submit the search, any relevant business entities will show up as results. Clicking on the name of the business entity will take you to a page with more detailed information on said entity. This includes:
- Entity name
- File number
- Entity status
- Entity type
- Qualification date
- Name and address of the Illinois Registered Agent
- President (officer) name and address
- Annual report filing date
How To Reserve A Business Name In Illinois
Having a recognizable and good name is key to any business operation. A name is how your customers and clients recognize your business. It is also the first impression a prospective customer/client gets about your business. So, having a good and impressive name is important.
Though as we know, most of the easily recognizable and impressive names are already taken. This means you’ll have to think good and hard to find a name for your Illinois LLC (or other business). If you do hit upon an attractive name, it’s worthwhile to try and reserve that name.
A name reservation locks the name for your use and is usually quicker than forming an LLC. It’s also useful if you have a name in mind but aren’t prepared to launch your business yet. By reserving a name, you can have it available (and ready) when you do choose to file the Articles of Organization for your LLC with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Is It Mandatory To Reserve A Business Name In Illinois?
No, the state doesn’t require you to reserve a business name. This part is entirely optional and should be used only if you feel a need to do so. As noted here, in case you have a business name that’s quite attractive and you worry that it won’t stay available for long, choosing a reservation might be a good idea.
On the other hand, if you’re not concerned about the name (or someone else taking the name), you can safely skip the reservation.
How Long Does A Name Reservation Last In Illinois And What Does It Cost?
Once a name reservation request is accepted, the state will reserve the chosen name for 90 days. The filing fee for the form is $25. This should give you enough time to consider what to do with the name. Using this time to properly form a plan for your business is a good idea.
Keep in mind, once the 90 days are up, there is no option for renewal of the name reservation. After this time, the name will be available to anyone who chooses to use it.
Filing A Name Reservation Request In Illinois
The first step for name reservation is to check its availability. You can narrow down the options by using the Illinois secretary of state business search as explained above. Once you have a name that is unique and distinguishable, you can go to the next step.
Keep in mind, it’s not just availability you have to consider. The chosen name should be up to the standards required by the statutes in Illinois.
When you’ve checked through the details, you can choose to file a Name Availability Inquiry Form with the secretary of state. The form allows checking three names for availability. While the IL LLC lookup and entity search will give you a good idea for name availability, this form gives the chosen name an official approval for availability.
Once you’re sure of the availability, you can file the Application to Reserve a Name (Form LLC-1.15). When you’re ready to file, remember to include the filing fee.
The request is usually processed in 7-10 business days. If you need it done sooner, you can request expedited processing for an additional $50 fee. This reduces the processing time to 24 hours.