Direct farm business owners often adopt an "assumed name" for their business (e.g., Sunnyside Farm) when they do not wish to conduct the business in their real names (e.g., Jane and John Doe Farm). 

The Illinois Assumed Business Name Act requires sole proprietors and general partnerships¹ to file a certificate with the County Clerk in the county in which the business is being operated.  The filing costs $5.00, and must contain: (1) the assumed business name; (2) the real/actual names of persons conducting or transacting the business; and, (3) the postal address for each location of the business within the county.  The persons conducting or transacting the business must execute and acknowledge the certificate.

Once the certificate has been filed, notice of filing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of registration once a week for three consecutive weeks.  Publication of the first notice must begin within 15 days of the initial filing, and publication must be completed within 50 days of the initial filing.  The cost of publication is born by the applicant.  Once publication is complete, the newspaper will send the applicant proof that publication was made.  This proof is submitted to the County Clerk's Office, who issues a receipt and the certificate to the person(s) listed on the certificate.  Unless proof is submitted to the Clerk's Office, the certificate is assumed void.  A fee of $1.50 is charged to cancel the certificate.

Failure to obtain the certificate constitutes a Class C misdemeanor for each day of unregistered operation.

¹  For all other business entities with assumed names, an assumed name application must be filed with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Continue to Facility/Premises Registration