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DBA stands for ‘doing business as.’ It is a term for any registered name a business uses that is not their legal name.
A legal name differs depending on the business structure. For LLCs and corporations, the legal name is the name of the company. The legal name for sole proprietors defaults to the owner’s personal name.
A DBA is also referred to as a fictitious business name, trade name, and an assumed business name. Filing a DBA only changes the name of the business and nothing else. Illinois primary refers to a DBA as an assumed business name.
For instance, if you own a business, it defaults to your legal name (e.g., Lisa Smith). Lisa Smith wants to open a bodega in her neighborhood. She understands that she can’t use her legal name because no one would know what Lisa Smith sells or does. So, Lisa Smith registered a DBA to change the business name to Lisa’s Loaves, and that is now what her business is known as. It changes nothing else about the structure and makeup of Lisa’s Loaves.
The DBA allows Lisa Smith to operate using a different name. And, it no longer defaults to her own name.
Illinois requires all sole proprietorships and general partnerships to register a unique assumed business name that meets the state requirements.
You must make sure that an assumed business is not already in use in Illinois. You can search the Illinois Secretary of State name check database. For sole proprietors, you must refer to the county you intend to operate within.
You must have a DBA to legally do business in Illinois under any name that is not your legal name. It is best to have more than one name preference in case your first choices are not available.
The next step is to file a Certified of Assumed Name with the county clerk in the county in which you intend to do business. Every county in Illinois has its own specific requirements for filing the paperwork at the county clerk’s office. However, most counties do offer online filing options.
Example – Cook County: You will search the Cook County assumed name database. Once the name has been selected, you will complete the Assumed Business Name Application and submit it to the Cook County Clerk You can submit it online, by mail, or in person.
Illinois requires all sole proprietors, general partnerships, LLCs, and corporations to publish a Copy of Legal Notice of Assumed Business Name in an approved local newspaper in which they operate. It must happen within 15 days of DBA registration. And, it must be published once a week for three consecutive weeks.
You can get a list of approved publications and newspapers from your county clerk’s office.
The proof of publication must be submitted to your County Clerk’s office within 50 days of your DBA application. Your local newspaper will provide you with a notarized Certificate of Publication along with the clipping of the published legal notice.
You will return the certificate and the newspaper clipping to your county clerk’s office.
For sole proprietors, the DBA cost is $50 and is non-refundable. You can pay your fees using cash, money order, or credit card. If you are mailing your application and filing fees, you must send it to the county clerk’s office in which you intend to operate.
Cook County
Cook County Clerk
Vital Statistics P.O. Box 641070
Chicago IL, 60664-1070
ATTN: Assumed Name Unit
LLCs filing address
Department of Business Services
Limited Liability Division
501 S. Second St., Rm. 351
Springfield, IL 62756
Corporation filing address
Secretary of State
Department of Business Services
501 S. Second St., Rm. 350
Springfield, IL 62756
Illinois DBA requirements for LLCs and corporations differ slightly from those for sole proprietors. They apply to the following:
You need to check the Illinois Secretary of State name database to check to see if the name is already in use.
Illinois requires LLCs and corporations to set up a DBA with the Illinois Secretary of State. The forms and rules are different between LLCs and corporations.
There are different forms depending on if you are an LLC or corporation.
You can also file an Application to Adopt an Assumed name by mail or in person. The forms also differ depending on if it’s an LLC or corporation.
LLCs and corporations follow the same rules as sole proprietors when it comes to publishing a Copy of Legal Notice of Assumed Business Name.
The filing fees in Illinois for LLCs, corporations, and non-profits are a bit more complicated and vary from year to year.
Notarization: In Illinois, some counties require the notarization of paperwork and the notarized Certificate of Publication. You will need a notary public to officially sign your paperwork. The newspaper you published will provide you with a notarized Certificate of Publication and a clipping of your posted legal notice.
In Illinois, your assumed business name can’t contain any of the following:
The state of Illinois can reject an assumed business name for reasons that aren’t listed. It is at their discretion.
DBAs in Illinois only change the name of a business. It has no effect on the status of a business entity for tax purposes.
The filing fee for sole proprietorships in Illinois is $50 and is non-refundable.
DBAs for LLCs and corporations vary in pricing depending on the year.
You will have additional costs of publishing the Copy of Legal Notice of Assumed Business Name in your approved local news publication. It depends solely on what that newspaper charges for advertising.
Notarization comes with additional costs, too. And it varies from one notary public to another.
A DBA is most often referred to as an assumed business name in Illinois. It is how businesses operate under a specific name that is not the legal name. A DBA and an assumed business name are the same things.
Illinois law requires all companies and sole proprietors to register an assumed business name and include businesses in every industry. That includes sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, corporations, franchises, and non-profits.
In Illinois, the law requires all sole proprietors, LLCs, partnerships, and corporations to file a DBA if they want to operate and sign legal documents under any other name that is not their legal name.
A DBA benefits you and your business in a variety of ways. Also, it depends on your business entity and your personal preferences.
DBAs especially give small business owners and startups creative freedom when it comes to choosing their business’ new name. It also keeps small companies from taking on the burden of the heft fees and the complicated process of forming an LLC.
Illinois state law requires all businesses to file a DBA. It includes sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, corporations, franchises, and non-profits.
You don’t have to have a separate employer identification number (EIN). DBAs are not a separate business entity. The IRS does not require that you have a tax ID number.
A DBA name is the first thing a potential customer knows about you. You should choose one that suits your business and the message you want to get across. Then, you check to see if the name is available in the Illinois Secretary of State database. It must meet the requirements and not include restricted words. It is always good to check and see if a domain (URL) is available with the same DBA name. It makes branding and marketing easier.
In Illinois, you can have as many DBAs as you are willing to pay for, and that is approved. However, keep in mind that business name registration is required for every new business.