The first step in forming an LLC in Illinois is choosing a name for your company. Your business name is the first impression potential customers and investors will have of your brand. Make sure you choose a name that conveys the image you want to project and is one you’ll be happy with for the long haul.
Illinois LLC names must adhere to the state’s naming rules and requirements. Under Illinois state law, an LLC name must contain one of the following designators (set apart from any other word or abbreviation):
- L.L.C.
- LLC
- Limited Liability Company
Note that, unlike most states, Illinois does not allow LLC names to include the abbreviations “Ltd.” or “Co.”
Your LLC name also cannot be the same as, or deceptively similar to, the name of any other business already registered with the Illinois Secretary of State. Use the Illinois business search tool to check online whether your desired business name is available.
Your Illinois LLC name cannot contain any words or phrases that imply it is a government agency or is organized for the purposes of:
- Banking
- Insurance
Finally, any words that could be considered offensive are restricted from use in Illinois LLC names. For further naming guidance, check with the Secretary of State’s Department of Business Services.
If you want to do business under a different name than your official company name, you’ll need to register an assumed business name, also known as a “doing business as” (DBA) name in Illinois. Assumed business names must also be registered with the Secretary of State.
DBA names are often used when an LLC wants to do things like sell/launch a new product line or open a retail location without having to form an entirely new business entity.
Even if the Secretary of State’s database shows your desired LLC name is available, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear to use it. Business names can be trademarked at both the state and federal levels.
Therefore, you should also check with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. By using the website’s search tool, you can check to see if your desired name has been federally trademarked. For state-level trademarks and service marks, you can check with the Illinois Secretary of State.
