Starting a business in the Land of Lincoln is complicated enough. Getting your ready-to-file Certificate of Assumed Business Name (often called a DBA or "Doing Business As") shouldn't involve hours of forms and guesswork.
At assumedname.org, we eliminate the complex paperwork by providing Illinois Sole Proprietors with the certificate, accurately pre-filled with the precise information the County Clerk needs. Whether you are from Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Naperville, or somewhere else in Illinois, the Assumed Name Certificate will work in the county you are doing business in. Your accurate paperwork is ready in minutes.
If already you have an LLC or a corporation, you may have a different filing process for filing an assumed name at the state level. AssumedName.org focuses on helping Sole Proprietorships with local business name filings.
Our streamlined service is designed for the modern Illinois entrepreneur seeking speed, convenience, and guaranteed accuracy:
⚡️ Lightning Fast Preparation: Complete our simple online questionnaire and receive your complete, accurate Illinois DBA form ready-to-file in minutes.
✅ Guaranteed Accuracy for $5: For a low, one-time fee of only $5, we ensure the information on your certificate exactly reflects the details required by your county.
🛡️ Focus on Core Business: We handle the paperwork preparation so you can immediately focus on the next steps, like setting up your professional Illinois business bank account.
❓ Still have questions? Find out what a DBA is, why most states require them, and if you need one for your business.
🖹 A custom formatted PDF: Prefilled with your information making it fast and easy for your government office to file and satisfy your jurisdictions business name requirements. You will have the opportunity to view & download your certificate plus it will be emailed to you.
🚐 Less driving around to get the right form: Save time, gas money, and parking fees going from place to place.
😕 Less confusion: We have done the research and identified the right information to put on the right form for Illinois Sole Proprietors so you don't have to. No matter if you are doing business in Cook, Kane, Will, DuPage or any other county in Illinois, the information on your certificate will be accurate.
💲A low one-time charge: We charge $5 plus processing fees to complete your order. We use Stripe as our payment processor so you know it's secure and you can pay with many different types of credit cards or digital wallets like apple pay.
Illinois requires a sole proprietor to file an Assumed Name Certificate when using any business name that does not include their full legal name. You must file before doing business or advertising under that name in places like Aurora.
Sole proprietors file their Assumed Name Certificate with the County Clerk in the county where their business address is located, such as Cook, DuPage, Will, or Kane County. Sole proprietors do not file assumed names at the state level.
Yes. Illinois law requires a legal notice of your assumed name filing to be published in an approved local newspaper for three consecutive weeks after you file with the County Clerk.
No. An Illinois assumed name registration does not give you trademark rights or prevent others from using similar names. It is a public record and a legal compliance requirement only.
Steps:
Visit or contact the County Clerk’s office where you plan to file, such as McLean County for a business near Bloomington.
Use their in-office index or online search system to search for your exact proposed name and close variants.
Review the list of existing assumed names and look for any possible conflicts.
If another business is using a confusingly similar name in your county, consider revising your name to avoid confusion.
Print or save a copy of the search results for future reference.
Documents Required:
None
Estimated Time:
10–15 minutes
Steps:
Search the County Clerk’s assumed name records in the county where you will operate (for example, Will County for a business near Joliet) to make sure your name is not already in use.
Gather the required details: your legal name, home address, assumed business name, business address, and a brief description of your business.
Create your Assumed Name Certificate here at assumedname.org and get it notarized.
File the certificate with the County Clerk in person or by mail and pay the filing fee.
Publish a legal notice of your assumed name in an approved local newspaper for three consecutive weeks as required by Illinois law.
Keep proof of publication and your stamped certificate in your records.
Documents Required:
Completed Assumed Name Certificate
Filing fee payment
Proof of publication (after the notice runs)
Estimated Time:
Filing: same day
Publication requirement: 3 weeks
Steps:
File your Assumed Name Certificate with the appropriate County Clerk and wait for it to be accepted and stamped; then obtain certified copies.
Apply for an EIN from the IRS, which many banks in cities like Peoria prefer even for sole proprietors.
Gather your certified assumed name certificate, EIN letter (if you have one), personal ID, and proof of business address.
Contact a local bank and ask about business checking account options for sole proprietors using a DBA.
Submit your paperwork and complete the bank’s application; most banks will open the account within 1–3 business days.
Documents Required:
Certified Assumed Name Certificate
EIN (recommended)
Government-issued ID
Proof of business address
Estimated Time:
Preparation: 20–30 minutes
Bank approval: 1–3 hours