1. What is an Illinois Business Tax ID (IBT) number and how do I obtain one?
2. Do I need a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)?
3. How do I apply for a FEIN?
4. How do I file for an Assumed Name?
5. How do I obtain a Reseller’s Certificate?
6. How do I make my business an LLC/Corporation?
7. How do I check to see if a LLC/Corporation name is available?
8. How can I become a certified minority or female owned business?
9. Who do I contact for sales tax chart information?
10. Are there grants available to start a small business?
11. Where do I get a Certificate of Good Standing?
12. How can I obtain health insurance for my employee?
13. Where do I go for government contracting with the state?
14. Do I need to register my business if I am from another state but would like to do business in the State of Illinois?
15. Do I need a professional license for my proposed business services?
If you don't find the answers to your questions here email us today at ienconnect@mailnj.custhelp.com.
1. What is an Illinois Business Tax ID (IBT) number and how do I obtain one?
The Illinois Business Tax (IBT) number is the identification number assigned by the Illinois Department of Revenue and is obtained by registering with the agency. To register your business you may choose one of the following options:
• Register electronically with the online Business Registration Application (fastest processing time).
• Complete and mail Form REG-1, Illinois Business Registration Application.
• Visit a regional office.
2. Do I need a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)?
Every partnership, corporation and S Corporation must have a FEIN to use as its taxpayer identification number. A sole proprietorship must also have a FEIN, if it:
1) Pays wages to one or more employees; or
2) Files any excise tax returns, including those for alcohol, tobacco or firearms.
Otherwise, sole proprietors can use their social security number as their business taxpayer identification number.
3. How do I apply for a FEIN?
APPLY BY EIN Toll-Free Telephone Service
Taxpayers can obtain an EIN immediately by calling 1-800-829-4933 (TDD 1-800-829-4059). The hours of operation are 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. An assistor takes the information, assigns the EIN, and provides the number to an authorized individual over the telephone.
APPLY BY EIN ONLINE
This Internet EIN (I-EIN) application is another avenue for customers to apply for and obtain an employer identification number. Once all the necessary fields are completed on the online form, preliminary validation is performed and the taxpayer will be alerted to information IRS needs that may not have been included. An EIN will be issued after the successful submission of the completed Form SS-4 online. More information is available on the IRS website.
4. How do I file for an Assumed Name?
If you are a sole proprietor or a general partnership and the business name is different from the owner(s) full legal name(s), the Illinois Assumed Name Act requires the business name to be registered with the local county clerk’s office. Notice of filing must be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published within the county in which the certificate is filed. Please contact your county clerk’s office for application information.
5. How do I obtain a Reseller’s Certificate?
You will be registered as a reseller – rather than a retailer – if all of your sales of tangible personal property, telecommunication, electricity, or natural gas are nontaxable (i.e., all sales are to exempt buyers or for resale) and you want to buy your merchandise tax-free from registered Illinois suppliers. To register as a reseller, you may choose one of the following options:
• Register electronically with the online Business Registration Application (fastest processing time).
• Complete and mail Form REG-1, Illinois Business Registration Application.
• Visit a regional office.
6. How do I make my business an LLC/Corporation?
To register your business as either a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) or a Corporation, please contact the following:
Limited Liability Company Section
Room 351, Howlett Building
Springfield, Illinois 62756
217/524-8008
TDD: 1-800-252-2904
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/business_services/home.html
Corporation Section Springfield
Room 328, Howlett Building
Springfield, Illinois 62756
217/782-6961
TDD: 1/800-252-2904
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/business_services/home.html
Corporation Section Chicago
69 W. Washington, 12th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60602
312/793-3380
TDD: 1/800-252-2904
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/business_services/home.html
7. How do I check to see if a LLC/Corporation name is available?
Go to the Corporate/LLC Information Search provided by the Illinois Secretary of State office. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Search the Corporate/LLC Database and follow through on the next page. To search for information on a corporation, you will need the exact name or a file number.
8. How can I become a certified minority or female owned business?
One way that you can be registered as a minority/female owned company is by speaking with the Business Enterprise Program for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities (BEP). This program is through the Illinois Central Management Services agency and you can reach them at 1/800-356-9206.
There may also be other certification programs available for you to join. For more information, please contact our Small Business Development Center (SBDC). To find the nearest SBDC office, please visit http://www.ilsbdc.biz/
9. Who do I contact for sales tax chart information?
Sales Tax Rate Charts are available from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (http://www.irma.org/ ). There are two locations within Illinois. The addresses are:
216 Broadway
Springfield, IL 62701
217/544-1003
19 South LaSalle, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60603
312/726-4600
10. Are there grants available to start a small business?
Although the state of Illinois does not provide direct grants, we do provide small business financing programs that work in conjunction with banks throughout the state. To learn more, please contact the nearest SBDC office for more information.
11. Where do I get a Certificate of Good Standing?
You may order a Certificate of Good Standing by calling (217) 782-6875.
From the File Detail Report of a corporation or limited liability company, you
may purchase a Certificate of Good Standing--providing, of course, that the
entity has satisfied all requirements of the relevant Illinois statutes. You
may then immediately print out the certificate once the purchase has been
completed. For both a business corporation and a limited liability company
the fee for the certificate is $27.00. For a not-for-profit corporation, the
fee is $6.00. Payment of the required fee may be made by the following
credit card types: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.
Visit the Secretary of State's website for more information.
12. How can I obtain health insurance for my employee?
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce are developing an initiative to explore ways in which the Chicagoland Chamber and chambers across the state can serve as aggregators of health insurance for their members and affiliates. The goal is to create a suite of health insurance offerings for small businesses that would reduce health insurance costs while creating predictability to spur growth and success. Gov. Blagojevich highlighted skyrocketing health insurance costs in his State of the State address on the heels of yet another year in which the majority of Chamber members experienced double-digit health insurance premium hikes. The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is completing a survey to determine the insurance needs of small businesses. Click here to give us your input by filling out the survey. This survey is one component of a process - working with underwriters, the insurance community, small business owners and other associations across the state - to investigate feasible ways to provide small businesses the same access to health insurance enjoyed by their counterparts in large corporations.
The Governor and the Chicagoland Chamber will be working to create a suite of health insurance offerings for small businesses that would lower costs and promote multi-year predictability. This will help small businesses reduce their costs, while helping more people get the health insurance they deserve.
Click here to fill out the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce survey on small business health insurance. Your participation in this survey is a vital part of our overall initiative to lower health insurance costs for small businesses. If you are contacted in the future it will only be by Chamber staff members, and it will only be to provide you with additional information about this initiative and related opportunities.
13. Where do I go for government contracting with the state?
The State of Illinois purchases a vast number of commodities and equipment for use by state agencies and local governments. Businesses wishing to do business with the state are encouraged to apply for qualification as an approved vendor and to bid on the items they can supply. Please use the following link for more information: Selling2Illinois
14. Do I need to register my business if I am from another state but would like to do business in the State of Illinois?
Yes, the appropriate form must be submitted to the Secretary of State. A corporation must complete an Application for Authority to Transact Business in Illinois (form BCA-13.15) while a limited liability company must complete an Application for Admission to Transact Business (form LLC-45.5). They should be submitted in duplicate and accompanied by the appropriate certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation and any amendments thereto or Articles of Organization, also as amended, from the state where you are presently organized. All companies, no matter how they are organized must also register with the Illinois Department of Revenue.
15. Do I need a professional license for my proposed business services?
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) is the main licensing agency for the State of Illinois for most professions. Individuals must be licensed prior to conducting business as one of the listed professions. To view this listing, please visit http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/proflist.asp or contact the agency at:
Division of Professional Regulation
320 West Washington, 3rd Floor
Springfield, Illinois 62786
217/785-0800
TDD: 217/524-6735