Search Illinois LLC & Corporation Records
The Illinois Secretary of State business entity search lets you look up corporations, LLCs and other registered organizations by business name, file number, registered agent and several officer or manager fields.
Use the official record to confirm the legal entity first. Then move to annual reports, assumed names, Good Standing certificates, certified copies or registered-agent changes only after you know you have the correct Illinois file number.
Fast answer: start with the official Illinois Business Entity Search. Use Business Name for a normal lookup or File Number when you already have the eight-digit Illinois identifier.
The search can also use: Registered Agent, President, Secretary, Manager, Keyword and Partial Word search methods.
Do not stop at the result list: open the File Detail Report to confirm status, jurisdiction, registered agent, registered office and the corporation or LLC management information shown by the state.
How to Search Illinois Business Records
Illinois offers more search methods than a basic name-only database. Start with the information you trust most and avoid entering unnecessary words.
- Open the official Illinois Business Entity Search.
- Select Business Name for a normal company search.
- Use Partial Word or fewer distinctive words when the exact legal name is uncertain.
- Use File Number when you already know the Illinois SOS identifier.
- Open the matching entity’s File Detail Report.
- Save the file number before ordering certificates, requesting copies or filing updates.
Image description: this visual reference helps users recognize the official Illinois business-search interface. It is not a claim that this informational website is an official Illinois government website.
Illinois Business Search Methods Explained
| Search method | Best use | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name | Normal LLC or corporation lookup. | Use the most distinctive words rather than a long punctuation-heavy phrase. |
| Registered Agent | Finding entities tied to a known Illinois agent. | A commercial agent may represent many unrelated businesses. |
| President | Corporation research when the officer is known. | Compare the final entity record before assuming a person is tied to the business you want. |
| Secretary | Corporation officer-based searching. | Use another identifying detail when the person’s name is common. |
| Manager | LLC research when a manager’s name is known. | Not every LLC is managed in the same way, so open the File Detail Report. |
| File Number | Exact record lookup. | Best option after you copy the eight-digit file number from a prior state record. |
| Keyword / Partial Word | Broad searching when the legal name is uncertain. | Useful for brands, shortened names and spelling uncertainty. |
What the Illinois File Detail Report Tells You
The Secretary of State says a File Detail Report can include the information most users need to identify a corporation or LLC.
Entity details
- Official business name
- Date of formation or registration
- Jurisdiction
- Active or inactive status
- Illinois file number
People & address information
- Registered agent name
- Registered office address
- President and secretary for corporations
- Managers listed for LLCs
Checking Illinois Business Name Availability
The same Secretary of State database can be used as a preliminary name check before forming an Illinois corporation or LLC.
Illinois says a proposed name may be available when a search returns “no records found,” but you should not treat a search result as final approval. The filing still has to be reviewed and accepted by Business Services.
For an Illinois LLC
Use the business search first. If you want to reserve the name before formation, Form LLC-1.15 currently carries a $25 reservation fee.
For a corporation
Search existing records, then use the corporation name-reservation process if needed. The current reservation fee is $25.
Open Illinois name-search and reservation guidance.
- Select the Corporation/LLC Entity Database.
- Search the proposed name.
- Try the distinctive words again using a broader search.
- Review similar active and inactive names.
- If you need a reservation, use the entity-specific reservation form listed by Business Services.
Illinois Annual Reports: Deadline, Fee & Late Consequences
Illinois LLCs and corporations file every year, but the due date is tied to the entity’s anniversary month, not one statewide calendar date.
| Entity type | Normal due date | Current filing fee |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois LLC | Before the first day of the LLC’s anniversary month each year | $75 |
| Domestic business corporation | Before the first day of the corporation’s anniversary month, unless an extended filing month applies | $75 plus any franchise tax due |
| Foreign corporation | Annual filing tied to its Illinois anniversary / filing month | $75 plus any franchise tax due |
| Not-for-profit corporation | Before the first day of the anniversary month each year | $10 |
LLC late-report timeline
Illinois states that an LLC becomes delinquent when the annual report is not filed by the deadline. If the report remains unfiled for 60 days after the due date, the LLC enters penalty status and receives a $100 late-filing penalty. Continued nonfiling can lead to administrative dissolution.
Corporations have a similar limitation: registered-agent or registered-office changes require the separate BCA 5.10/5.20 process rather than being made solely on the annual report.
Open Illinois Annual Report filing options.
- Select Corporation, Not-for-Profit or LLC Annual Report.
- Review the eligibility instructions before beginning.
- Have the entity’s file number and current company information ready.
- Complete payment with an accepted card when filing electronically.
- Save the filing confirmation after submission.
Illinois Assumed Names: LLC & Corporation DBA Rules
Corporations and LLCs that are in good standing can adopt an assumed name through the Secretary of State. Illinois uses a five-year renewal cycle tied to the entity’s anniversary month.
| Year in which the current adoption period ends | Assumed-name adoption fee |
|---|---|
| Year ends in 0 or 5 | $150 |
| Year ends in 1 or 6 | $120 |
| Year ends in 2 or 7 | $90 |
| Year ends in 3 or 8 | $60 |
| Year ends in 4 or 9 | $30 |
Once renewed, an assumed name is renewed for five years. The current LLC renewal fee is $150, and Illinois applies a $100 late penalty when an LLC assumed-name renewal is not filed before the first day of the anniversary month.
Illinois Certificates of Good Standing & Certified Copies
A normal File Detail Report is useful for research. Use a Certificate of Good Standing only when a bank, lender, agency, vendor, marketplace, landlord or contract requires official state proof.
| Service | Current fee | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation / LLC Certificate of Good Standing | $25 | Official proof of Illinois Business Services compliance. |
| Not-for-Profit Good Standing | $5 | Status proof for qualifying Illinois nonprofits. |
| LLC expedited Good Standing | $45 | $25 certificate plus expedited processing. |
| LLC routine certified copy | $25 | Certified copy of Articles of Organization or another LLC filing. |
| LLC expedited certified copy | $75 | Expedited certified document request. |
Open Illinois Certificate of Good Standing guidance.
- Search the entity in the Corporation/LLC Entity Database.
- Open the correct File Detail Report.
- Select the Good Standing purchase option when available.
- Complete payment.
- Print the certificate from the receipt page or use the link returned by email.
Illinois Registered-Agent & Registered-Office Rules
Illinois corporations and LLCs must maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state.
Who can serve
For an LLC, the agent can be an Illinois resident or an entity authorized to transact business in Illinois.
Corporations also must maintain a qualifying registered agent in Illinois.
Registered-office address
The registered office must be in Illinois and must use a street/road address or qualifying rural-route address.
A P.O. box by itself is not acceptable.
The registered office must correspond to the registered agent’s business office address used for service of process and state correspondence.
| Change | Routine fee | Expedited fee |
|---|---|---|
| LLC registered agent / office change | $25 | Additional $50 |
| Business corporation registered agent / office change | $25 | Total $75 for expedited service |
If the Illinois Record Is Delinquent, Inactive or Dissolved
Status problems often point to an overdue annual report, unpaid required fees, registered-agent problems or a formal dissolution/revocation event.
- Open the current Illinois File Detail Report.
- Confirm whether the record is an LLC, corporation or another entity type.
- Check the annual-report requirement for that entity.
- Verify the registered agent and registered office.
- Review reinstatement requirements if the entity has been administratively dissolved or revoked.
The current LLC reinstatement filing fee is $200, before adding delinquent reports, penalties or other amounts that may be owed.
Common Illinois Filing Fees After Your Search
If the search confirms that you need a new entity rather than an update to an existing one, these are common Secretary of State filing costs.
| Filing | Routine fee | Faster service |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois LLC Articles of Organization | $150 | $250 total for 24-hour service |
| Illinois business corporation Articles of Incorporation | $150 | $250 total for 24-hour service |
| LLC name reservation | $25 | Additional $50 expedited fee |
| LLC annual report | $75 | Additional $50 where expedited service applies |
| Business corporation annual report | $75 plus applicable franchise tax | Additional $50 where available |
An Illinois SOS Record Is Not a Business License
Secretary of State registration answers a corporate-record question. It does not automatically prove that a company holds every license, tax registration or permit required for its activity.
Secretary of State record
Useful for legal entity name, file number, registered agent, status and corporate/LLC filing information.
Licenses & permits
May be handled by Illinois professional agencies, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Revenue, municipalities or counties depending on the business activity.
Common Illinois Business Search Problems
| Problem | Best next step |
|---|---|
| No result found | Use fewer words, remove legal suffixes and punctuation, then try Partial Word. |
| Too many names appear | Compare file number, status, registered agent and jurisdiction on each close match. |
| You know only the agent | Switch the search method to Registered Agent. |
| You know a manager or officer | Use Manager for LLC research or President/Secretary for corporation research. |
| Brand name differs from entity name | Check assumed-name records and, where applicable, local county DBA records. |
| Bank wants proof | Order a Certificate of Good Standing instead of sending only a screenshot. |
Illinois Business Services Phone, Offices & Map
Springfield office
Department of Business Services
501 S. Second Street
Room 350
Springfield, IL 62726
Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Chicago office
160 N. LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL 60601
Business Information Line:
312-793-3380
Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Open the official Illinois Business Services page.
- Search the entity first.
- Copy its exact legal name and file number.
- Identify whether it is a corporation, LLC, LP or another entity type.
- Explain the filing, annual-report, certificate or copy problem specifically.
Official Illinois Business Entity Resources
Search corporations, LLCs and other entity records by name, agent, officer/manager or file number.
File Detail Reports, company-name checking and official Good Standing certificate access.
Corporation, not-for-profit and LLC annual-report filing paths.
Articles, amendments, agent changes, annual reports, reinstatement, certificates and LLC fees.
Domestic and foreign corporation forms, annual reports, agent changes, certificates and filing fees.
Official contact path plus Springfield, Chicago and document-request phone numbers.
Illinois Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the Illinois business entity search free?
Yes. The Illinois Secretary of State provides the Corporation/LLC Entity Database for public individual searches. Fees apply to filings, certificates, copies and other paid services.
2. What can I search by in the Illinois business database?
The current search offers Business Name, Registered Agent, President, Secretary, Manager and File Number methods, with Keyword and Partial Word options for broader name searching.
3. What information appears in an Illinois File Detail Report?
It can include the official name, formation or registration date, jurisdiction, registered agent, registered office, active/inactive status and president/secretary information for corporations or manager information for LLCs.
4. When is an Illinois LLC annual report due?
An Illinois LLC annual report is due before the first day of the LLC’s anniversary month each year. The current filing fee is $75.
5. What happens if an Illinois LLC annual report is late?
The LLC becomes delinquent after missing the due date. If it remains unfiled for 60 days, Illinois assesses a $100 late-filing penalty, and continued nonfiling can lead to administrative dissolution.
6. How much is an Illinois corporation annual report?
The current corporation annual-report filing fee is $75, plus any applicable Illinois franchise tax. For 2025 and later filings, the published form applies a $10,000 franchise-tax liability exemption.
7. How much is an Illinois Certificate of Good Standing?
A Certificate of Good Standing currently costs $25 for a corporation or LLC and $5 for a not-for-profit corporation.
8. Can I change the registered agent on an Illinois annual report?
No. Illinois instructs LLCs and corporations to use the separate registered-agent/registered-office change process rather than changing the agent solely through the annual report.
9. How much does it cost to form an Illinois LLC or corporation?
The current routine filing fee is $150 for standard Illinois LLC Articles of Organization and $150 for standard business-corporation Articles of Incorporation. Current online instructions list a $250 total for 24-hour service.
10. Does an Illinois SOS record prove that a business is licensed?
No. The Secretary of State record confirms entity-registration information. Professional licenses, local business licenses, permits and tax registrations must be verified with the agency that administers that requirement.