In Illinois, an LLC is permitted to use a DBA (Doing Business As). A DBA is a name used to do business that differs from the company’s legal name. A trade name, fictional name, or assumed name are other names for it. For marketing or branding reasons, an LLC may choose to operate under a name other than its legal name by using a DBA.
Although a DBA is not required by Illinois law for an LLC, it is standard practice for businesses to establish a DBA in order to operate under a name that is more catchy or appealing to customers than the LLC’s official name. To make sure that the DBA is not already in use by another company, it must be registered with the Illinois Secretary of State.
The LLC must first confirm that the name is available with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office before applying for a DBA in that state. To make sure the name is not already in use by another company, you can check the corporate name database maintained by the Illinois Secretary of State. The LLC must submit a DBA registration form to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office if the name is available.
– The legal name of the LLC
– The proposed DBA name
– The LLC’s address and contact information
– The LLC’s registered agent’s name and address
– The signature of an authorized member of the LLC
In conclusion, an LLC is permitted to use a DBA in Illinois, and using a DBA to conduct business under a name other than the company’s legal name is a typical practice. The LLC must confirm the name’s availability, submit a DBA registration form to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, and pay the filing fee in order to obtain a DBA in Illinois. To continue using the name, the DBA registration must be renewed once five years have passed.
A DBA (Doing Business As) registration in Illinois is good for five years from the registration date. It must be renewed after that.