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Illinois Secretary of State

Illinois Secretary of State

The Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) is one of the 6 elected executive state offices of the Illinois government. It is also one of the 47 state secretaries in the US. The Illinois Secretary of State holds the state records, archives, laws, and library and is Illinois’s corporation/vehicle registration and driver licensing authority.

All the duties mentioned above haven’t changed since the formation of Illinois as a US state.

First, it is important to know that Illinois does not give a statewide business license. Yet, for operating your company, you need at least a general business license from your current city or municipality.

So, when you are setting up any business, the next important step is a business entity search. The research will show the availability of preferred business names before you file any documentation.

Illinois SOS Search for a Corporation/LLC by Name

The business database search tool on the website of the Illinois Secretary of State allows one to look up registered LLCs and corporations. The simplest way to search for a valid business is by applying a business name. Also, you need to specify the business type; corporation or LLC, or both. Failure may occur when searching for both of them.

Nevertheless, your new business name must differ from all other LLC and corporation names on file. You can also lookup by keyword or partial word, which will help you sort out similar-sounding organizations and exact matches as well.

The search result shows the company name, file number, and entity type. However, if you click on the name, it will show more details like the status, address, name of the agent, and incorporation date.

Search for an Illinois Corporation/LLC by File Number

When an entity passes registration, the Illinois Secretary of State issues an 8-digit file number. If you have that number, you can search for a business name by it.

To conduct the name search, you must mention whether you want to search for LLCs or corporations. However, you cannot search for both business types at the same time if you do it by file number.

Visit the Illinois Secretary of State's Website

The Illinois Secretary of State's Office website has a Department of Business Services database where you can look up LLC and corporation names.

After you write your potential business name, the tool will provide all names that either resemble or are identical to it. If there aren’t any matches, then your desired entity name is likely to be available in the state.

Use a Company Naming Service

A few other websites offer free services that let you search for active businesses in Illinois. Those are not necessarily official government sites but are really useful. Usually, they check the available and registered LLC names, meaning they can tell if your chosen LLC is registered in Illinois or not.

Also, make sure to check whether the domain name is taken or not. If it is, you’ll have to choose a different name altogether.

Does LLC Have to Be in the Business Name in Illinois?

When naming your company, by law, you have to include “Limited Liability Company”, “LLC” OR “L.L.C.” in the name.

Yet, in Illinois, any company that provides professional services authorized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must include “Professional Limited Liability Company”, “PLLC” or “P.L.L.C.” in its name.

How Do I Reserve a Business Name in Illinois?

To reserve a business name, you must fill in the Form LLC-1.15 application. This form also allows you to cancel or transfer a name reservation. To apply for a business name, you are to pay a $25 filing fee, but if you want to cancel your reservation, it will cost $5.

This application will hold your preferred LLC name for up to 90 days. Yet, if you haven’t decided to file your business formation documents yet, this is an excellent way to ensure your desired name will be available to use after you establish your business entity.

This search is necessary to determine whether another company has registered your desired name or not. This is conducted by searching the Illinois Secretary of State trademark online data. You may also do a free trademark search in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

After your research shows that no other company has used the same conjunction mark with any services/goods, then you can apply for registration with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Search Social Media Platforms

Social media is an excellent place to conduct your LLC search in Illinois. Most accounts give information on the companies and their employees, some even provide details about the business’s operations and projects.

Filing For Certificates

A Certificate of Good standing is a valid paper that ensures that the LLC is in good standing with the Illinois state. It confirms that the company has filed all fees and annual records to stay active.

A Certificate of Existence presents that an LLC is legally recorded for business intentions. In addition, it enables the company to conduct activities in the state. This document is also called a Certificate of Status, and only the Secretary of State can offer it. Business owners can file for it at a $25 fee.

How Do I Look Up an EIN Number in Illinois?

EIN or an employer identification number is just like a Social Security Number (SSN). The Internal Revenue Service provides an EIN (also called a federal tax ID number) to any legal business. You may need to constantly look up the EINs of other companies, or you may want to search for another business’s EIN to verify their information.

In case the organization is publicly marketed and registered with the SEC (the Securities and Exchange Commission), you may use the SEC's EDGAR organization to search for such a company's EIN for free.

On the other hand, if the company is not documented with the SEC, it will be harder, as there will be no central EIN database. The following strategies may help in such cases:

  • Contact the company’s financing or accountant office and ask for the EIN
  • Look for the company on the Secretary of State’s website or find other federal or local online records
  • Use a paid database or hire a service to conduct the EIN search
Alla M.

Alla M.

Alla is a SEO specialist and a content writer with an experience of 10 years. She has written many articles for different websites and companies. Alla has been working with writing challenged clients for over four years. She provides ghost writing, coaching and ghost editing services. Her educational background in family science and linguistics has given her a broad base from which to approach many topics. Alla writes SEO articles for businesses that want to see their Google search rankings surge. Her articles have appeared in a number of websites, including ArticlesBase.com, HubPages.com and TRCB.com. She contributes articles about SEO techniques regularly. Her articles focus on balancing informative with SEO needs–but never at the expense of providing an entertaining read.

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