How to search Illinois business entities online

Illinois business entity records are publicly searchable at apps.ilsos.gov/businessentitysearch, operated by the Illinois Secretary of State's Business Services Division. The search covers domestic and foreign corporations, not-for-profit corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships.

The database does not include sole proprietorships, general partnerships, or trade names (DBAs) registered at the county level — those records are held by individual county clerks or recorders.

Search options

The portal supports a broad range of searches:

• Business Name — supports partial and keyword matching
• File Number — the Illinois-assigned entity ID
• Registered Agent Name
• Officer names — President, Secretary (corporations); Manager (LLCs)
• Keyword — finds the term anywhere in the entity name
• Partial Word — useful when you only know part of a word in the name

Reading the File Detail Report

Each entity's record — the "File Detail Report" — shows the legal name, formation or registration date, jurisdiction, registered agent name and address, and current status. Corporation records include the names and addresses of the president and secretary from the most recent annual report. LLC records list the manager or managers. All of this is publicly accessible without an account.

Certificates of Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing can be purchased directly from the search results page. The cost is $25 for corporations and LLCs, $5 for not-for-profit corporations. Expedited service is available — but only in person at the Springfield or Chicago office, not by mail or online.

Bulk data restriction

Illinois law prohibits bulk data extraction from the business entity database. The portal is designed for individual lookups. Repeated automated searches can result in account suspension.

This guide is informational only and is not affiliated with the Illinois Secretary of State's office. Verify current procedures at ilsos.gov — Business Services. Source: Illinois Secretary of State Business Services Division, verified May 2026.