Business licenses and permits in Illinois

What applies everywhere in Illinois

14 requirements are set by Illinois itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.

Sources

Every statewide figure above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

1. Illinois Secretary of State form LLC-5.5 — the annual report obligation and dissolution warning printed on the accepted filingIllinois Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
2. Illinois Secretary of State form BCA 2.10, Articles of Incorporation, accepted 7 August 2018 — the filing fee and initial franchise tax are printed on the face of the documentIllinois Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
3. Illinois Public Act 103-0592 — full enrolled text, reprinting 805 ILCS 5/15.35(d)'s stepped annual franchise tax exemption reaching $10,000 on and after January 1, 2025, credited on the statute's own '(Source: ...)' line to P.A. 103-8 (eff. 6-7-23) atop 102-282 and 102-558Illinois General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
4. Illinois Secretary of State form LLC-5.5, Articles of Organization, accepted 17 April 2023 — the filing fee is printed on the face of the document (hosted by the Illinois Commerce Commission because ilsos.gov blocks all automated access)Illinois Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
5. Illinois Department of Revenue — business registrationIllinois Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
6. Illinois Department of Revenue publication PIO-117 — how to register a business, revised January 2026Illinois Department of Revenue · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
7. Illinois Department of Public Health — certified food protection manager certificationIllinois Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
8. 89 Illinois Administrative Code part 407 — licensing standards for day care centers, including the license term and the absence of a feeIllinois Department of Children and Family Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
9. Illinois Department of Early Childhood — child care licensure, and the transfer of licensing from DCFS on 1 July 2026Illinois Department of Early Childhood · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
10. Illinois Department of Public Health — food handler training frequently asked questionsIllinois Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
11. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity — Starting Your Business in Illinois handbook, 2026 editionIllinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
12. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — complete list of professions and industries regulated by IDFPRIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
13. Illinois Department of Public Health — plumbing contractor registration application and renewalIllinois Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
14. Illinois Department of Public Health — retail foodIllinois Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
15. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — roofing contractor license applicationIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
16. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — salon or shop registration applicationIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
17. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — license renewal information and feesIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Which Illinois city are you opening in?

• Kane County, ILKane County, Illinois, seat Geneva, regulates businesses at two levels. The Kane County Health Department permits food establishments within Kane County (Code §11.5-26), inside cities and villages as well as in unincorporated areas, and also issues septic, well, non-community water and tanning program fees from its published 2026 schedule. The IDPH Local Health Department Directory gives the Kane County Health Department's area served as Kane County and lists no municipal health department inside the county. For premises in unincorporated Kane County only, the County Board Chairman, as local liquor control commissioner, issues county liquor and corkage licenses; the Building & Zoning Division issues building, Establishment of Use, sign and temporary-structure permits and handles zoning petitions; and the County Board's license committee issues coin-operated amusement device licenses. The Division of Transportation issues access permits for driveways onto county highways and administers the road improvement impact fee on new development. The county's Permits and Licenses page lists Building & Zoning, Food Handling, Liquor Licenses, Private Sewage/Water Well, Road Impact Fees, Special Events/Gatherings, Transportation Planning and Permits and Zoning Petitions among its programs, and that page lists no general business license. The county's Communities page lists 30 municipalities: the cities of Aurora, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva and St. Charles, and the villages of Algonquin, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, Big Rock, Burlington, Campton Hills, Carpentersville, East Dundee, Elburn, Gilberts, Hampshire, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Kaneville, Lily Lake, Maple Park, Montgomery, North Aurora, Pingree Grove, Sleepy Hollow, South Elgin, Sugar Grove, Virgil, Wayne and West Dundee. Each of them runs its own business licensing, building permits and zoning, which stack on the county's health permits. The State retailer liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (235 ILCS 5/5-3) is required in addition to any county or municipal liquor license, and IDPH's swimming facilities page states that the Department enforces the State's swimming facility rules through plan approvals and inspections and offers the Application for Swimming Facility License. The population figure of 520,997 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.26 published records
• McHenry County, ILMcHenry County, Illinois, seat Woodstock, regulates businesses at two levels. The McHenry County Department of Health applies its Public Health Ordinance across the whole county, inside cities and villages as well as in unincorporated areas, so food establishment permits, food plan review, septic and well permits and construction impact reviews come from the county wherever a business sits. Liquor, coin-operated amusement device and video gaming terminal licenses come from the county's Liquor Control Commissioner and its Law & Government/Liquor Committee for premises in unincorporated McHenry County, and Planning & Development issues building, sign and demolition permits in unincorporated areas only. The Division of Transportation issues access permits for driveways onto County highways. The county's Cities & Villages page lists 30 municipalities: the cities of Crystal Lake, Harvard, Marengo, McHenry and Woodstock, and the villages of Algonquin, Barrington Hills, Bull Valley, Cary, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Greenwood, Hebron, Holiday Hills, Huntley, Island Lake, Johnsburg, Lake in the Hills, Lakemoor, Lakewood, McCullom Lake, Oakwood Hills, Port Barrington, Prairie Grove, Richmond, Ringwood, Spring Grove, Trout Valley, Union and Wonder Lake. Each of them runs its own business licensing, building permits and zoning, which stack on the county's health permits; the P&D page tells applicants whose property is in a village or city to contact that municipality. The State retailer liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (235 ILCS 5/5-3) is required in addition to any county or municipal liquor license. The population figure of 315,959 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.26 published records
• Lake County, ILLake County, Illinois, seat Waukegan, regulates businesses at two levels. The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center (LCHD/CHC) issues food service, mobile and temporary food, vending machine, swimming facility, septic, well and non-community water system permits and septic-trade licenses; the Illinois Department of Public Health's Local Health Department Directory lists its jurisdiction as "Lake County" and lists no city health department inside the county, and its Food Safety program states that it permits and inspects over 3,000 food service facilities operating in Lake County. For premises in unincorporated Lake County, the Liquor Control Commission (headed by the County Board Chair) issues liquor licenses and video gaming terminal stickers, the County Board Chair issues amusement device and massage establishment licenses, the Health Department issues tobacco retailer licenses, and Planning, Building & Development (PB&D) issues use, building, zoning, sign and temporary use permits. The PB&D Use Permits page states: "The County does not require business licenses, however, a business may be required to obtain other licenses in order to operate." The Division of Transportation issues access permits onto county highways. The county's Cities, Townships & Villages directory states that in incorporated areas most government services are provided by the city, township or village; its city and village entries are Antioch, Arlington Heights, Bannockburn, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Beach Park, Buffalo Grove, Deer Park, Deerfield, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Grayslake, Green Oaks, Gurnee, Hainesville, Hawthorn Woods, Highland Park, Highwood, Indian Creek, Island Lake, Kildeer, Lake Barrington, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, Lakemoor, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lindenhurst, Long Grove, Mettawa, Mundelein, North Barrington, Northbrook, North Chicago, Old Mill Creek, Park City, Port Barrington, Riverwoods, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park, Third Lake, Tower Lakes, Vernon Hills, Volo, Wadsworth, Wauconda, Waukegan, Wheeling, Winthrop Harbor and Zion. Each municipality runs its own business licensing, liquor licensing, building permits and zoning, which stack on the county's health permits; the PB&D permits page tells owners whose property is in a village or city to contact that office. The State retailer liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (235 ILCS 5/5-3) is required in addition to any county or municipal liquor license. The population figure of 718,604 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.25 published records
• DuPage County, ILDuPage County, Illinois, seat Wheaton, regulates businesses at two levels. The DuPage County Health Department, a local health department certified by the Illinois Department of Public Health, issues food service, mobile vendor, temporary food, swimming facility, septic and well permits under County Code Chapter 18, which applies to food service establishments "within DuPage County in the State of Illinois" (Sec. 18-204); its fees adjust by CPI every December 1 (Sec. 18-111). County liquor licenses and video gaming terminal stickers come from the Local Liquor Commissioner, who is the Chair of the County Board, and under Sec. 3-5 the liquor ordinance applies outside the corporate limits of any municipality unless an intergovernmental agreement extends it. The County Clerk issues tobacco seller's licenses for unincorporated DuPage County (Sec. 20-143). Building & Zoning issues building, occupancy, sign, special event and zoning approvals for unincorporated areas: Illinois law confines county building rules to buildings outside cities, villages and incorporated towns (55 ILCS 5/5-1063) and county zoning to areas outside municipalities that have their own zoning ordinances (55 ILCS 5/5-12001), so a business inside a city or village gets building permits and zoning approval from that municipality and follows that municipality's own licensing rules on top of the county's health permits; the Health Department likewise tells mobile vendors to "check with the local/city authorities" before operating. The Division of Transportation permits work in and access onto County highway rights-of-way, and Animal Services receives veterinarians' rabies certificates. The State retailer liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (235 ILCS 5/5-3) is required in addition to any county or municipal liquor license. The population figure of 937,142 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.20 published records
• Cook County, ILCook County's licensing footprint depends entirely on where inside the county a business sits. The City of Chicago runs its own business-licensing department (BACP) and its own health department, and is outside almost every county requirement listed for Cook County. Roughly 130 other incorporated suburban municipalities can run their own local business licensing, but still sit inside the county's health and environmental jurisdiction: the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) reach every municipality in the county except Chicago. Unincorporated Cook County is the only place the county itself is the sole local regulator, and it is where the county's General Business License, Liquor License, building/zoning permits, Contractor Registration, Sign Permit, Alarm Permit, Home Occupation review and Retail Tobacco License all apply — each of those is absent inside Chicago and inside every other incorporated suburb, which run their own versions instead. Only the Cook County Clerk's Assumed Business Name registration, under the state Assumed Business Name Act, reaches the whole county including Chicago. Cook County's animal-control function (Animal and Rabies Control, or ARC) applies directly in unincorporated Cook County, and many but not necessarily all suburban municipalities have separately adopted the county's ordinance by reference. Several county functions that might be assumed to exist do not: the county wheel tax was repealed effective June 30, 2023; kennel, pet-shop and animal-breeder licensing is an Illinois Department of Agriculture function, not a county one; and weights-and-measures device inspection is likewise a state (or, inside Chicago, a city) function with no distinct Cook County program.16 published records
• Will County, ILWill County, Illinois, seat Joliet, regulates businesses at two levels. The Will County Health Department applies its Food Establishment Sanitation Ordinance and Public Swimming Facility Ordinance across the whole county, inside cities and villages as well as in unincorporated areas, so food establishment, retail food, mobile, temporary and vending permits, food plan review, public pool licenses and well permits come from the county wherever a business sits. The County Executive, who is the county's Liquor Control Commissioner, licenses liquor sales, video gaming terminals and tobacco retailers for premises in unincorporated Will County, and the Land Use Department issues building permits and contractor registrations for unincorporated areas. The Division of Transportation issues access permits for any site that takes access from a county highway, wherever the property sits. The County Executive's Licenses page states that the County Executive issues the Raffle, Poker Run, Liquor, Solicitor and Tobacco licenses. Joliet, the county seat, and every other city and village in the county runs its own business licensing, building permits and zoning, which stack on the county's health permits. The State retailer liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (235 ILCS 5/5-3) is required in addition to any county or municipal liquor license. The population figure of 708,583 is the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimate.16 published records
• Chicago, ILChicago splits business licensing between BACP (most trades) and the Department of Buildings (general contractors specifically), the latter on a one-year rather than two-year cycle. Retail food licensing runs by square footage rather than a flat fee.11 published records
• Aurora, ILBusiness registration itself is free, but Aurora spans Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall counties, and its food establishments are permitted through Kane County Health Department rather than the city.7 published records
• Naperville, ILNo general business license — a Business Occupancy Permit, priced by clerical and inspection charges, stands in its place. Food permitting runs through DuPage County Health Department for most of the city.7 published records

Is there a single Illinois business license?

Who issues permits in Illinois?

• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional RegulationSalon and shop registration · Roofing contractor licensing4 permits
• Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and DairiesIllinois Food Code · Food handler training approval · Certified food protection manager requirements3 permits
• Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesEntity registration · Annual reports · Franchise tax3 permits
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityBusiness start-up guidance · Licensing signposting1 permit
• Illinois Department of Early ChildhoodDay care centre licensing · Day care home licensing1 permit
• Illinois Department of Public Health, Plumbing ProgramPlumbing contractor registration1 permit
• Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionBusiness tax registration · Sales tax · Certificate of Registration1 permit

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