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Illinois · 3 jurisdictions covered

Business licences and permits in Illinois

Illinois licenses no general contractors and no veterinary premises, and issues no statewide business licence — but most municipalities issue one of their own, and Chicago’s reaches almost every business.

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.

Requirements set by Illinois that apply in every jurisdiction in the state, with the issuing agency, the published fee and the date each was last checked against its source
Annual ReportIllinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesFee not established — no primary source could be reached, and no amount is published here rather than repeat an unverified oneOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Articles of IncorporationIllinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services$175 one-time — $150 filing fee plus $25 minimum initial franchise taxOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services$150 one-time filingOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1)Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection ManagerIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and DairiesNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
Day Care Centre LicenceIllinois Department of Early ChildhoodNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
Food Handler TrainingIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and DairiesNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
General Business Licence (city, not state)Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
General Contractor Licence (local, not state)Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional RegulationNo feeTo every business2026-09-03
Plumbing Contractor RegistrationIllinois Department of Public Health, Plumbing Program$150 a yearOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Retail Food Establishment PermitIllinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and DairiesNo state fee — the permit and its price are set by the local health departmentTo every business2026-09-03
Roofing Contractor LicenceIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation$125 application, plus a $226 examination fee paid to the testing providerOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Salon or Shop RegistrationIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation$40 application; $40 to renewTo every business2026-09-03
Veterinary Premises Registration (not required by Illinois)Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional RegulationNo feeOnly in some cases2026-09-03

Which Illinois city are you opening in?

Is there a single Illinois business licence?

No. Illinois has no single licence that covers every business. What you need depends on your industry, your city and your county, and most of the obligations that matter are issued locally rather than at state level.

The state-level registrations that do apply to nearly everyone are tax accounts rather than licences — which is why they are easy to miss.

Who issues permits in Illinois?

By industry

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.