Part of our guide to the registered agent service in Illinois. More guides on this topic
This one surprises people. Forming an LLC registers your name with the state of Illinois so no other Illinois company can file under it. It does nothing to stop a business in another state, or on the internet, from using the same name. Protecting the name and logo your customers actually recognize is a separate step, called a trademark.
A federal trademark, registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, gives you the exclusive right to use your brand for your kind of product or service across the whole country, and the standing to stop a copycat. Illinois also has its own state trademark for businesses that operate only here. Which one fits depends on where you sell and how far you plan to grow.
A trademark is worth thinking about early, before you have printed signs and built a following around a name someone else can take. When you are ready to file, Lobi Business Compliance will connect you with a trademark attorney who handles the application. That referral service is opening soon.
In the meantime, look up whether a name is already in use in Illinois, or file your LLC first.
Part of Lobi Business Compliance, opening soon.