- [Narrator] A DBA, or Doing Business As,
is essentially a nickname for your company.
In Illinois, a DBA is also called an assumed name.
DBAs are a great way to rebrand your company name,
to add new brands to your company,
or to change your company name completely.
For sole proprietors and partnerships,
DBAs offer the ability to operate under a name
that isn't the business owner's surname.
For more information on the specifics
of what a DBA is and how it can be used,
check out our other video linked below.
In this video, we will go over the steps
you need to take in order to form a DBA in Illinois.
(gentle music)
There are two ways to form a DBA,
you can do it yourself
or you can hire a service to do it for you.
Let's take a look at both options
and help you decide how to go about forming your own DBA.
One, do it yourself.
If you want to save money,
you can form a DBA on your own.
Let's take a look at the steps
to forming a DBA in Illinois on your own.
One, complete name searches.
When determining what you want your DBA name to be,
you'll want to make sure
you follow Illinois naming requirements.
For more details, check out our video
How to Name Your Business in Illinois,
or our naming guides linked below.
Next, you'll want to make sure
the name is available in Illinois.
The first and most important search
is with Illinois's Secretary of State website.
If the name is not available,
you'll have to adjust your name or use a different one.
We provide instructions
to search your business name in Illinois
on howtostartanllc.com linked below.
Searching is free.
To learn more, visit Illinois Naming Guides
linked in the description below.
After confirming your name is available in Illinois,
we recommend doing a domain search
to see if your name is available as a URL.
Even if you don't plan on making a website today,
we recommend buying your domain
in order to prevent others from acquiring it.
Two, register your DBA.
After you've chosen an available name,
you'll want to register your DBA.
For sole proprietorships and general partnerships,
DBA registration is done through the county clerk,
and you must file in any county
where your business conducts or transacts business.
You'll have to get in touch with your county clerk
for specific filing instructions.
You can find your county's contact information linked below.
If your business is an LLC, LLP, or corporation,
you're required to file your DBA
with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Illinois offers both online
and mail-in DBA registrations.
The forms and rules vary between LLCs and corporations.
If you'd prefer to file online for an LLC,
you can follow our links below.
An LLC cannot register an assumed name online
in the following situations.
The LLC is not in good standing or is expired,
the LLC has been revoked or withdrawn,
terminated or dissolved;
or the LLC needs to sign the application
with multiple signatures or by the power of attorney.
To file by mail or in person,
print a copy of the application.
If your business is an LLC, use form LLC-1.20.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business,
such as your current legal name,
the state or county in which your LLC was organized,
and whether or not it is a series of the LLC that is filing.
If you'd prefer to file online for a corporation,
you can follow our links below.
To file by mail or in person,
first print a copy of the application.
If your business is a corporation,
use form BCA-4.15/4.20.
The application will ask for your new DBA name
and information about your business,
such as the corporation's state or county,
the date of incorporation
or the date authorized to conduct business in Illinois
if a foreign corporation,
the effective date of assumed name if adopting or changing,
and the old assumed name if changing or canceling.
Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below
for more detailed information.
And with that, you'll have a DBA in Illinois.
Keep in mind that all business structures
other than sole proprietorships and general partnerships
must renew their Illinois DBA every five years.
Sole proprietorships, general partnerships,
and professional corporations are also required
to publish a copy of legal notice of assumed business name
in a local weekly newspaper
after registering an assumed business name.
Publication must occur within 15 days of registration,
and the notice must be published once a week
for three consecutive weeks.
For more information on publication and approved newspapers,
contact your county clerk.
Option two, the second way to form a DBA
is to hire a professional service
to create your DBA for you.
Hiring a professional service
to file your forms and do name searches
will cost you an additional 50 to $150.
However, there are several benefits to working with a pro.
A hired professional files your DBA for you,
keeps you up to date with renewals,
and assists with publications,
DBAs, or Doing Business As,
are also known as trade names, assumed names,
or fictitious names of the business.
Informal business structures,
like sole proprietorships and partnerships,
can use DBAs as their business name
instead of their surnames.
Formal business structures,
like LLCs and corporations,
can use DBAs as a means to rebrand their name,
add new brands,
or change the name they are using as their business name.
DBAs are not a business structure,
and are not separate legal entities.
They also do not provide asset protection
or liability protection to informal business structures.
For state-specific guides
on how to form a DBA,
check out the pages linked below.
And for a more detailed guide, visit StartupSavant.com.
Give the video a like if you found it useful,
and subscribe if you'd like to see more.
And if you have questions or encounter any roadblocks,
leave a comment below.
Good luck in starting your small business.