How to register your business name

Register your name

When you file your LLC application documents and create an LLC, the LLC name becomes officially registered

Register Your Name

Optionally, you can reserve your Illinois LLC name for up to 90 calendar days before you register it. This stops other businesses from using your name before you can register it.

You can file name reservations by mail at the Illinois Secretary Of State. The filing fee is $25.

Illinois Naming Requirements

Some key guidelines for Illinois LLC names include:

• Your name must contain the phrase “limited liability corporation” or one of its abbreviations, such as L.L.C. or L.L.C. It must include “L3C” if it is a low-profit LLC.
• If you do not register for an assumed title, your name must be the name that your LLC operates under.
• Your name must be distinct from all other businesses in the state. This includes Illinois reserved names.

Restricted words are something to be aware of. To keep your LLC’s sounding official, these words (e.g. “FBI” and “Treasury”) are often limited.

The following restrictions apply to LLC names in Illinois:

• You cannot use the following terms in your name: “Corporation,” “Corp.,” “Incorporated,” “Inc.,” “Inc.,” “Ltd.,” or “Limited Partnership.”
• No word or phrase can be included in your name (e.g. “trust,” trustee,” or “fiduciary” must not be used in your name. The name of an LLC that is formed to accept or execute trusts must include the word “trust”.
• Names may not contain words or phrases that are restricted by state statutes (e.g. LLCs are not allowed to act as banks or insurers in Illinois).

You can find more information in Illinois’ official state statutes.

Distinguishability

Your name must be distinct from any other business name. A distinguishable name in Illinois is substantively distinct from any other business or reserved business names within the state.

These differences make it possible to distinguish a name in Illinois from one another:

• Identifiers of business entities such as “limited”, or “liability”, or abbreviations of any of these words.
• Articles
• Conjunctions
• Contractions
• Abbreviations
• Different tenses and numbers of the same word

Your formation filing could be rejected if you do not use a distinct name.

Illinois Secretary of State (Contact)

Springfield office:

Limited Liability Division
501 S. Second St. Rm. 351
Springfield, IL 62756

Chicago office:

69 W. Washington St. Ste. 1240
Chicago, IL 60602

Springfield Phone: (217) 524-8008

Chicago Phone: (312) 793-3380

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT

Email: islinfo@ilsos.gov

Additional Steps

1. Trademark Search

When searching for a business name, it’s important to note that availability doesn’t necessarily mean the name is free to use if it’s already a registered trademark.

To avoid potential complications down the line, it’s wise to conduct a thorough trademark search using the Trademark Electronic Search System before finalizing a business name.

2. Choose a Registered Agent

After you have chosen an LLC name that is distinctive and unique, you can now choose your LLC’s Registered Agent.

3. Check if the Domain Name is Available

To check if a domain name is available, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to a domain registrar website, such as GoDaddy.com or Namecheap.com.
2. In the search bar on the homepage, type in the domain name you want to check.
3. Click on the search button to see if the domain name is available or not.
4. If the domain name is available, you will be prompted to purchase it. If it’s not available, the registrar will suggest some alternative options or you can try a different domain name.

4. Check if Social Media Name is Available

Check if a social media name is available for a new business name

5. Register Illinois Business Entity

When you complete the required documents for filing a new business entity, you then register your business and business name with the state. The state of Illinois will either approve your business name or reject it.

If you hire a good LLC service like Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness or Incfile, these LLC services have business name tools available for you to do a quick search.

6. Register an Employer ID Number (EIN) With the IRS

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify businesses and other entities for tax purposes.

7. Create a Brand Logo

Creating a business logo involves several steps. There are affordable online services that can design a logo for you and assist with the process.

Define your brand: Before you start creating a logo, you need to define your brand’s personality, values, and mission. This will help you create a logo that accurately represents your brand.

8. Write a Business Plan

Writing a business plan involves a comprehensive process that covers various aspects of your business, including the industry, market research, marketing and sales strategies, financial projections, and more.

9. Open a Business Bank Account in Illinois

A bank account is generally required for a new Limited Liability Company (LLC) or corporation to separate personal finances from business finances and to establish a clear record of business transactions.

How can I verify if an LLC is registered in Illinois?

You can use the Illinois LLC Search tool to check if your business name appears.

For a screening of your name, you can call the Illinois Secretary-of-State at (217-524-8088)

What words are prohibited in an Illinois LLC name?

It is not possible to include words in business names that suggest that the company is a bank or financial institution, or that it is affiliated with a local or state government agency.

The following terms are prohibited in Illinois LLC names:

• “Corporation,” “Corp.,” “Incorporated,” or “Inc.,” “Ltd.,” or “Co.,”
• Any phrase or word (e.g. Any word or phrase (e.g. trust, trustee, fiduciary), that implies or indicates that your LLC is in business as a corporate fiduciary
• Any word or phrase that is prohibited by any state statute (e.g. LLCs aren’t allowed to operate in Illinois as banks or insurance companies)