Secretary of State IL Business Search

Official Illinois Secretary of State business search database. Access the IL SOS business entity database to verify corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and other business registrations in Illinois. Free government database with real-time information.

Illinois

About Illinois Secretary of State Business Search

What is the Illinois SOS Business Search?

The Illinois Secretary of State business search is the official government database that contains information about all business entities registered in Illinois. This includes corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and other business structures operating in IL.

When you search "secretary of state il business search," you're looking for this official database to verify business registrations, check entity status, and conduct due diligence on Illinois businesses.

What Information Can You Find?

•Business entity name and type (Corporation, LLC, etc.)
•Registration date and current status
•Registered agent information
•Principal office address
•Officers and directors (for corporations)
•Annual report filing status

Using Illinois Secretary of State business and UCC search (ilsos.gov)

The Illinois Secretary of State hosts the public business entity search and the UCC search on apps.ilsos.gov. Both tools use the same agency domain but different paths, so use the business entity search for corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities, and use the UCC search for financing statement index results.

SOS information

Illinois business entities & Secretary of State workflows

Look up a corporation, LLC, or other registered entity

Search by name or file number as the form allows and open the detail record for status, registered agent, and key dates. Illinois publishes what the index contains and any limitations on the search screens; treat free search output as a starting point for due diligence, not a substitute for certified copies when your deal requires them.

Certificates of good standing, certified copies, and some transactions may require separate steps or fees beyond the free search. Follow the division's current instructions on ilsos.gov.

File or manage my business online

Many corporate filings and annual reports route through Secretary of State online workflows linked from ilsos.gov. Create or sign in with the credentials the site requests and use published fee schedules before you submit payment.

Illinois Secretary of StateUse Business Services and filing links from the agency home for current online forms and credentials.

Search Illinois Businesses Now

UCC information

Financing statements & lien search

Illinois UCC lien search runs on apps.ilsos.gov under the UCC search path. Use that screen for debtor and file number style searches the index supports, not the business entity search.

UCC lien search (financing statements)

Enter the search criteria the Secretary of State's UCC index exposes and review results for file date, parties, and status fields shown online. If you need a certified search or filing, follow the options and fees the division describes rather than assuming the free search substitutes for official certificates.

Tips if the site feels confusing

Business entity search and UCC search are separate applications on apps.ilsos.gov. No hits in one does not prove the other is empty.
Match legal names and file numbers to prior Illinois filings when staff or forms ask for them.
Official fees, certified search rules, and filing requirements belong to the Illinois Secretary of State and your advisors, not third-party summaries.

Search Illinois UCC Filings Now

Educational overview only. Proof of Good Standing is not a government agency. Confirm fees, forms, and requirements on the Illinois Secretary of State before you file or rely on search results.

Form a business

Starting a business in Illinois

Entity search on this page helps you verify names and good standing. When you are ready to form a new LLC, corporation, or nonprofit, use the same next steps we link from Business Lookup: confirm the name on the official register, choose a structure with your CPA or attorney if needed, then file through the state agency (and plan for publication, registered agent, and any industry licenses that apply).

Typical state filing fees

These amounts can change when agencies update their fee schedules. Double-check the current fee list, forms, and deadlines on the official Illinois business filing site yourself before you pay or submit anything.

LLC filing (state): $150
Corporation filing (state): $175
Publication / notice: Not modeled as required for LLCs in this table.
Ongoing reports: Annual report (LLC): $75 included in our first-year calculator total.