Illinois: business records and regulators
Where to look a business up in Illinois, where to search the UCC filings against it, and the offices that regulate banks, lenders and securities there.
Each link opens the state's own site in a new tab, so what you type there goes to that site, not to us. Some state searches charge a fee or ask you to make an account. Privacy
Illinois records and regulators
Business search
Look a business up in the state's register of businesses.
Illinois Secretary of State: Corporation/LLC Entity Database search (opens in a new tab)
A File Detail Report gives the official name, formation date, registered agent, status and, for corporations, the president and secretary; a Certificate of Good Standing costs $25.
UCC search
Find the UCC filings against a business: the financing statements lenders file to record a lien on its assets, such as a blanket lien.
Banking and lending regulator
Oversees the banks the state charters. Check its site for the lender and broker licenses the state requires.
Securities regulator
The state office for securities offerings, brokers and investment advisers.
Illinois Secretary of State: Securities Department (opens in a new tab)
The Securities Department also registers loan brokers and business brokers.
Find a lender in Illinois
Official lists of the lenders that work in Illinois. Each opens on its own site, filtered to Illinois where the list allows it.
SBA 504 lenders (Certified Development Companies) (opens in a new tab)
The nonprofit lenders that make SBA 504 loans for property and big equipment, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA microloan lenders (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit lenders that make SBA microloans of up to $50,000, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA Lender Match (opens in a new tab)
The SBA's own matching tool: you answer a few questions about your business on its site, and two business days later it gives you a list of the lenders interested; some may contact you. It is not a loan application. What you type goes to the SBA and those lenders, not to us.
Certified CDFIs (community lenders) (opens in a new tab)
The CDFI Fund's list of every certified community development financial institution (CDFI): loan funds, banks and credit unions. Download the list and sort it by the State column.
The FDIC's BankFind: search for the banks with offices in the state.
Credit unions (opens in a new tab)
The NCUA's credit union locator. Credit unions lend to their members, so check who can join.
Before you sign with any lender, check it is licensed: see the banking and lending regulator above, and Check a lender or platform. A few national lenders and platforms are named, with how they were chosen, in the provider directory.
State rules for Illinois on our route pages
- Business line of credit: Illinois's general limit is 9% a year, but any rate is lawful on a loan to a corporation, or on a business loan to a partnership, sole proprietor or other business owner, unless it is secured by the borrower's wages or household goods. State banks, savings banks and savings associations can agree any rate. The 36% cap in the Predatory Loan Prevention Act does not cover commercial loans. A lender in the business of making loans above 9% a year needs a consumer installment loan license from the state, except as that Act allows. The license section names no loan purpose, though the Interest Act separately allows any rate on the business loans above. A loan broker, anyone paid to find or help you get a loan, or to consider whether to lend to you, must register with the Secretary of State and give you a disclosure document, and the contract must be in writing. A broker paid only once a lender has committed to the loan and you have accepted (apart from third-party fees such as credit reports and appraisals) does not have to register, and nor does the lender itself, banks and other regulated lenders, insurers, attorneys, accountants or securities firms. If a broker breaks the law, the contract is void and you can recover what you paid, with interest and attorney's fees; the Secretary of State can fine it up to $10,000 for each violation, and a willful violation is a felony. (Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 205/4: Interest Act, general interest rate; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 123/15-1-10 and 15-5-5: Predatory Loan Prevention Act, definitions and rate cap; Illinois Compiled Statutes 205 ILCS 670/1: Consumer Installment Loan Act, license required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-5.15: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, loan broker defined; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-10: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, registration required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-60: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, liability to damaged parties; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-80: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, persons exempt)
- Equipment loans and finance agreements: Illinois's general limit is 9% a year, but any rate is lawful on a loan to a corporation, or on a business loan to a partnership, sole proprietor or other business owner, unless it is secured by the borrower's wages or household goods. State banks, savings banks and savings associations can agree any rate. The 36% cap in the Predatory Loan Prevention Act does not cover commercial loans. A lender in the business of making loans above 9% a year needs a consumer installment loan license from the state, except as that Act allows. The license section names no loan purpose, though the Interest Act separately allows any rate on the business loans above. A loan broker, anyone paid to find or help you get a loan, or to consider whether to lend to you, must register with the Secretary of State and give you a disclosure document, and the contract must be in writing. A broker paid only once a lender has committed to the loan and you have accepted (apart from third-party fees such as credit reports and appraisals) does not have to register, and nor does the lender itself, banks and other regulated lenders, insurers, attorneys, accountants or securities firms. If a broker breaks the law, the contract is void and you can recover what you paid, with interest and attorney's fees; the Secretary of State can fine it up to $10,000 for each violation, and a willful violation is a felony. (Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 205/4: Interest Act, general interest rate; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 123/15-1-10 and 15-5-5: Predatory Loan Prevention Act, definitions and rate cap; Illinois Compiled Statutes 205 ILCS 670/1: Consumer Installment Loan Act, license required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-5.15: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, loan broker defined; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-10: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, registration required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-60: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, liability to damaged parties; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-80: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, persons exempt)
- Online business loans: Illinois's general limit is 9% a year, but any rate is lawful on a loan to a corporation, or on a business loan to a partnership, sole proprietor or other business owner, unless it is secured by the borrower's wages or household goods. State banks, savings banks and savings associations can agree any rate. The 36% cap in the Predatory Loan Prevention Act does not cover commercial loans. A lender in the business of making loans above 9% a year needs a consumer installment loan license from the state, except as that Act allows. The license section names no loan purpose, though the Interest Act separately allows any rate on the business loans above. A loan broker, anyone paid to find or help you get a loan, or to consider whether to lend to you, must register with the Secretary of State and give you a disclosure document, and the contract must be in writing. A broker paid only once a lender has committed to the loan and you have accepted (apart from third-party fees such as credit reports and appraisals) does not have to register, and nor does the lender itself, banks and other regulated lenders, insurers, attorneys, accountants or securities firms. If a broker breaks the law, the contract is void and you can recover what you paid, with interest and attorney's fees; the Secretary of State can fine it up to $10,000 for each violation, and a willful violation is a felony. (Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 205/4: Interest Act, general interest rate; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 123/15-1-10 and 15-5-5: Predatory Loan Prevention Act, definitions and rate cap; Illinois Compiled Statutes 205 ILCS 670/1: Consumer Installment Loan Act, license required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-5.15: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, loan broker defined; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-10: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, registration required; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-60: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, liability to damaged parties; Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 175/15-80: Loan Brokers Act of 1995, persons exempt)
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State: Business Search / Certificate of Good Standing · checked November 1, 2026
- Illinois Secretary of State: Uniform Commercial Code (online services) · checked November 1, 2026
- Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation: home page · checked October 20, 2026
- Illinois Secretary of State: Securities (about the department; Registration Search) · checked November 1, 2026