Illinois LLC Name Search — Step 1 of 8
Illinois is stricter than most states about which abbreviations count — "Ltd." and "Co." won't work here. Here's how to pick a name that clears the Secretary of State's review the first time.
Your Illinois LLC name must include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." — Illinois specifically does not accept "Ltd." or "Co." as substitutes, unlike some states. Search for free using the Illinois Secretary of State's Corporate & LLC Name Search before filing. You can optionally reserve a name for 90 days for $25 (Form LLC-1.15) if you're not ready to file yet. Note: a dissolved Illinois LLC's name stays protected for a notably long 3 years after dissolution.
- Search tool
- Free
- Accepted designators
- LLC, L.L.C.
- "Ltd." / "Co." accepted?
- No
- Name reservation
- $25 / 90 days
- Dissolved-name hold
- 3 years
- Governing law
- 805 ILCS 180
- Next step
- Step 2 →
Illinois Naming Rules
Under 805 ILCS 180, every Illinois LLC name must follow a few clear rules:
- Include a designator — "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." must appear in the name.
- "Ltd." and "Co." are not accepted — a detail that catches people off guard, since several other states do allow these abbreviations.
- Be distinguishable — your name can't be identical, or confusingly similar, to any other business name on file with the Illinois Secretary of State, including corporations and limited partnerships.
- Avoid restricted words — terms like "Bank," "Trust," "Insurance," "Attorney," or "University" generally require additional approval or proof of licensing before you can use them.
- Can't imply another business structure — words like "Corporation," "Corp.," "Incorporated," "Inc.," or "LP" aren't allowed since they suggest your business is something other than an LLC.
Name Compliance Checker
Type your proposed name to check it against Illinois's core naming rules:
Reserving Your Name (Optional)
- Not required, but available — if you're not ready to file your Articles of Organization yet, you can reserve your chosen name for 90 days for $25 (Form LLC-1.15).
- Renewable — you can repeat the reservation process if you need more time, though each renewal costs another $25.
- Doesn't create your LLC — reservation only protects the name; you still need to file the Articles of Organization separately to legally form your company.
- Assumed name option — if you want to operate under a different public-facing name, Illinois lets you register an assumed name, though these run on fixed 5-year cycles ending in years divisible by 5, regardless of when you file.
A dissolved business's name stays locked up for 3 yearsIf you find a name that appears to belong to a dissolved LLC, don't assume it's available. Illinois protects a dissolved entity's name for a full 3 years after the dissolution notice — much longer than the 6-month windows common in other states — so it may still be reserved even though the business search shows it as inactive.
- ✓Confirms name availability before filing
- ✓Forms your Illinois LLC for $39 + the $150 state fee
- ✓Free Illinois registered agent the first year
- ✓No upsells · No data selling · Privacy by Default
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Illinois LLC Name Search — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. The guidance here — Illinois's naming rules under 805 ILCS 180, the exclusion of "Ltd." and "Co.," and the 3-year dissolved-name protection — reflects current Illinois Secretary of State guidance. This is educational information, not legal advice.
About Ahmad Adil → Illinois LLC Overview →