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How To Start A Cleaning Business In Illinois

Starting your cleaning business in Illinois can be accomplished through several methods. One of the most popular is forming a sole proprietorship. The State of Illinois does not require business licenses for a new sole proprietorship residential house cleaning company. Otherwise, most new residential cleaning businesses in Illinois must apply for a business license at the county clerk level.

First, many businesses may wonder how easy it is to begin their own small residential cleaning business in Illinois. However, this is a relatively simple process for any new entrepreneur seeking a profitable low startup-cost business.

Registering a Business Name for an Illinois Cleaning Business

For individuals who are sole proprietors, there are two options available for business name selection in Illinois. First, if a business plans to use its owner’s full legal name, they are not required to register its business name. So, for example, what if the owner of a business’s name is Reid Malcolm Green? Then the business name Reid Malcolm Green Residential Cleaning would not create a requirement for the company to register its business name.

A sole proprietorship residential cleaning business may not desire to use its owner’s full name in the business name. The business owner must file with a local county clerk in this case to register an “Assumed Name or DBA (‘doing business as’ name) certificate.” The Illinois County Clerk and Recorder reminds Illinois businesses that registering a business name with the local county does not automatically entitle that business to “sole rights” of the business name.

Where Can an Illinois Sole Proprietor Register their Business Name?

Since Illinois does not require registration for residential sole-proprietorship cleaning businesses with the state, registering a business name is done by the county. Therefore, each county may slightly vary the requirements for registering a business name.

The best method is for a new entrepreneur to begin by visiting the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Website at iaccr.net. Users may click “county directory” on the left-hand side to view a list of all counties. Upon selecting an individual county, a photograph of the county clerk & recorder is shown, including contact details such as the website address, phone number, and office hours.

Navigating the County Clerk & Recorder Websites for Illinois Counties

Navigating the county clerk & recorder websites for Illinois counties may seem to present an overwhelming amount of information, especially to users unfamiliar with the filing process. Many first-time users may feel intimidated by the online system. Still, it should be used to the new entrepreneur’s advantage.

For example, selecting “Adams County” from the IACCR County Directory page will take the user to a page that lists the official county website co.adams.il.us. Visiting this URL brings the new entrepreneur to the home page for the county. To further learn about the requirements of filing an assumed name or DBA certificate, users should hover their mouse over the top menu option titled “Government,” followed by clicking on the option “County Clerk.” On the left-hand side of the screen, a menu will be present with the first option under “County Clerk” stating “Assumed Name/DBA.”

Clicking the option “Assumed Name/DBA” will load the county info page, providing information on who needs to register under the assumed business name act. The Adams County website makes a note to readers that an assumed name has been created for anyone adding words to the owner’s name.

For those seeking an assumed name that does not include the owner’s full name, an assumed name certificate will need to be obtained from the Adams County Clerk. The instructions also notes a few stipulations to obtain an assumed name certificate. The first is that a fee of $20 is paid in advance. Additionally, there must be a notarized signature for each person doing business under the name.

The application process is quick and straightforward. An assumed name can be registered in person or by mail for Adams County. Once an entrepreneur submits their application and materials to the County Clerk’s Office, if accepted, the clerk will issue the business a certificate for the assumed name.

Notes to Remember When Registering an Assumed Name in an Illinois County

One of the critical things to remember when filing for a certificate for an assumed name in a county in Illinois is the publishing requirement that follows. Be sure that once the certificate is received, it is presented to any newspaper “within general circulation in Adams County for three weeks.” The first publication must occur no later than 15 days from the date of filing of the certificate.

Suppose that for some reason, after filing the assumed name and DBA certificate, a business realizes that a change is needed in the business information. In that case, changes can quickly be made with the clerk’s office. The change only costs a $1.50 filing fee. However, certain events will require another publication that advises the business assumed name certificate.

Each business owner should make it their priority to determine whether a publication is again needed with any changes. Some reasons publication would again be required are if there is an additional owner name added to the business, if the business is closing, or if there has simply been a change of business address.

Overall, starting a new sole proprietorship residential cleaning business in Illinois can be a straightforward process. Especially for those business owners who seek to utilize their full legal name in the business name, the process is simple. This is because Illinois does not require those kinds of businesses to register with the state of Illinois but instead requires registration with the county.

Once again, businesses operating under business names that include the owner’s full legal name are not required to apply for an assumed name certificate with the county. However, those businesses that are required to register should also search quickly before attempting to register to ensure their business name has not already been selected. Once this is confirmed, registration can take place by mail or in person, accompanied by the $20 filing fee.

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