Illinois puts UCC records with the Secretary of State. The unit that handles them is the Uniform Commercial Code Division, in the Howlett Building in Springfield. It sits inside the Department of Business Services.
Two numbers cover most needs: $20 to file a financing statement and $10 for an information request. The UCC search guide explains what a UCC search is in general, and the Illinois office guide covers the rest of the office.
What do you find in the Illinois UCC database?
The online tool is the UCC/Federal Tax Lien Database Search. The name is the point. Illinois lets you look at UCC filings and federal tax liens through one tool, so you do not need a separate search for each.
A search tells you whether a creditor has filed a claim on a debtor's assets. If you plan to lend, buy a business or take collateral, run one first.
| Who takes UCC filings | Illinois Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code Division, Springfield (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Search UCC records | apps.ilsos.gov/uccsearch (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Search fee | $10 for an information request (search report) (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| File a UCC-1 | $20 for a UCC financing statement (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Filing online | File online. Mail to the UCC Division in Springfield only if online filing fails (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| UCC forms | ilsos.gov/publications/business-services/ucc.html (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | An amendment costs $20, but a termination is free. (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
How do you request a search report?
The online database is the quick look. When you need the office to produce a report, you use the UCC 11 Information Request form. It costs $10. The form comes with a payment cover sheet, UCC 58, which you attach to it.
Check the form for the exact name to search and any copies you want. The office sets its own fees for copies, so read the current fee list on the publications and forms page before you order anything beyond the $10 request.
How do you file a UCC-1 in Illinois?
File electronically. The UCC Division's page for UCC filings points you to the online application, and it advises against using the browser's autofill tool or opening more than one tab while you fill it in. Both can cause errors.
The fee list shows:
- UCC 1 financing statement: $20
- UCC 3 amendment: $20, and a termination is free
- UCC 5 information statement: $20
- UCC 11 information request: $10
The addendum forms, 1AD and 1AP for the UCC-1 and 3AD and 3AP for the UCC-3, go with the main form when you have extra parties. Our UCC-1 filing guide shows what the form needs.
What if online filing fails?
Mail the filing to the Illinois Secretary of State, UCC Division, Howlett Building, Room 350 W, 501 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62756. The state says to do this if you have trouble filing online. For questions on electronic UCC filings, the Department of Business Services has a phone line on its UCC page.
Wrongful filings
If a filing against you looks fraudulent, the office has a form for that: UCC 57, Affidavit of Fraudulent Record. The office also states that it does not certify information that comes from third parties, so treat a printout as a lead and check the filing itself.
You can search and file at the state yourself, and state fees are separate from anything we do. If you want help, you can ask our private filing service.
Sources
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services.html: office name, division. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/publications/business-services/llc.html: phone, name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, report fee. Checked .
- apps.ilsos.gov/ContactFormsWeb/businessservices_contact.jsp: contact page. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services/business-searches.html: business search, search fields, name check, good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .
- apps.ilsos.gov/soar/: online filing. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services/uniform-commercial-code.html: who takes ucc filings, search ucc records. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/publications/business-services/ucc.html: file a ucc-1, search fee, ucc forms, worth knowing. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services/uniform-commercial-code/ucc-instructions.html: filing online. Checked .