How to search Illinois records
- Choose whether to search corporations or LLCs, then search by name, keyword, partial word or file number.
- The record shows the managers or members listed on the last annual report.
- Use the certificate of good standing link on the same site if you need official proof.
Open the official Illinois search
Illinois SOS, corporation and LLC search
Illinois Secretary of State Business Search
The Illinois Secretary of State business search is run by the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services through its Business Entity Search. Related queries such as "Illinois SOS business search" reach the same free database. Search by name first, then reopen the record by its file number so you are reading one exact entity. The step-by-step instructions above walk through the screens.
Illinois Entity Search
An entity search of the Illinois business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Because Illinois expects an annual report yearly, a lapsed filing usually shows up as a status change before the entity is dissolved.
Illinois Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "Illinois company search" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
Illinois LLC Lookup
Run the Illinois LLC lookup with the exact name, then note the file number. Forming an Illinois LLC costs $150 and the annual report is $75. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Illinois Business Name Search
An Illinois business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Illinois lets you hold a name for 90 days for $25. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names. Illinois sole proprietors file assumed names with the county clerk; corporations and LLCs adopt assumed names through the Secretary of State.
Cyberdrive Business Search
Cyberdrive Illinois is the long-running web name of the Illinois Secretary of State, also shortened to ILSOS, so a Cyberdrive or ILSOS business search lands on the same Business Entity Search. For other checks, see the business verification checklist.
Illinois Tax ID Lookup
An Illinois tax ID can mean the federal EIN from the IRS or a state account number from the Illinois tax agency for sales or payroll tax. Neither appears in the business entity record. The EIN lookup covers the federal number; the state tax agency confirms its own accounts.
A deadline that comes before the anniversary
Illinois LLC annual reports are due before the first day of the anniversary month, not at the end of it. Owners who assume they have the whole month are already late. The fee is $75, and the report lists managers or members, which then appear on the public record.
Illinois filing facts
| Record number | File number |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $150. Articles of Organization. |
| Recurring filing | Annual report, $75, yearly |
| Due | Before the first day of the anniversary month |
| Name reservation | $25 for 90 days |
| Agency phone | 217-524-8008 |
What an Illinois LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $150 | $0 | $150 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $75 | $75 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $75 | $75 |
| Three-year state total | $300 | ||
Series LLCs and a ban on scraping
Illinois allows series LLCs, and each series can appear as its own record, so one company can show up several times with suffixes. Assumed names are filed with the Secretary of State for LLCs and corporations, but with the county clerk for sole proprietors; see DBA. Illinois also restricts bulk copying from its public search under its computer tampering statute and sells data instead, with the full LLC file priced at $1,500 in the administrative code; details are in data downloads by state. Use the search one record at a time.
Reading an Illinois LLC record
Choose LLC in the search form, because corporations and LLCs are searched separately. The record shows status, the managers or members from the last report, and whether the LLC is a series. If you are buying an Illinois business, ask for a certificate of good standing from the same site and check whether the annual report for this year was filed before the anniversary month began.
How Illinois compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $150 | $75 | Yearly | $25 |
| Indiana | $95 | $15.50 | Every 2 years | $10 |
| Wisconsin | $130 | $25 | Yearly | $15 |
| Missouri | $50 | $0 | None | $25 |
Before you rely on an Illinois result
- Illinois LLC assumed names are filed with the Secretary of State, while sole proprietor assumed names go to the county clerk.
- Series LLCs are allowed in Illinois and each series can appear as its own record.
Bulk Illinois business data
Sold by the state. $1,500 for the full LLC and assumed-name file; annual corporation list up to $200. Bulk downloading from the public search is prohibited by criminal statute (720 ILCS 5/16D-3, 16D-4). One vendor reports a daily bulk feed under P.A. 102-0049; not confirmed by the Secretary of State. Contact 217-782-6961. Official source
Searching beyond Illinois
Registries next to Illinois: Indiana business search, Wisconsin business search, Missouri business search.
Illinois business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois?
The state filing fee is $150. Articles of Organization. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $75 a year in state fees.
When is the Illinois annual report due?
Illinois calls it the annual report. It costs $75, it is filed yearly, and it is due Before the first day of the anniversary month.
Can I reserve a business name in Illinois?
Yes. A name reservation costs $25 and holds the name for 90 days.
When is an Illinois LLC annual report due?
Before the first day of the anniversary month. The fee is $75.
Is the Illinois business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the Business Entity Search costs nothing. The Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Illinois?
The Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services. Its business line is 217-524-8008, and its free search is the Business Entity Search.
What number identifies a business in Illinois?
Illinois assigns each entity a file number. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Illinois businesses?
Only by buying it. $1,500 for the full LLC and assumed-name file; annual corporation list up to $200. Bulk downloading from the public search is prohibited by criminal statute (720 ILCS 5/16D-3, 16D-4). One vendor reports a daily bulk feed under P.A. 102-0049; not confirmed by the Secretary of State. Contact 217-782-6961.
Sources
Data Updated Recently