18 permits · verified 2026-10-07
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Lake County Il?
In short
A childcare centre in Lake County Il, IL has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 13 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department charges $220 per Use Permit (Land or Building), commercial or industrial; zoning review, building and other permit fees may also apply for the use permit (commercial or industrial). 11 of the 18 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-07 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Lake County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Community Water System Permitonly if it applies to you | Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health | Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given non-community water system permit | annual | 2026-10-07 |
| Food Service Establishment Permit | Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health | Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given food service permit. The amount depends on the facility's risk category and type | permit year January 1 – December 31 (Code § 173.04(B)) | 2026-10-07 |
| Food Establishment Plan Review, Opening Inspection and Ownership Consultationonly if it applies to you | Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health | Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given plan review, opening inspection or ownership consultation. The amount depends on whether the review is major or minor, or is an opening inspection or ownership consultation | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Day Care Centre License | Illinois Department of Early Childhood | No fee | 3 years | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Lake County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Building Permit, Plan Examination and Trade Permitsonly if it applies to you | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Zoning Review of Non-Residential Permitsonly if it applies to you | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per permit | 2026-10-07 |
| County Highway Access Permitonly if it applies to you | Lake County Division of Transportation | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per permit | 2026-10-07 |
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Site Plan Review and Construction Permitonly if it applies to you | Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Water Well Construction Permitonly if it applies to you | Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Use Permit (Commercial or Industrial) | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | $220 per Use Permit (Land or Building), commercial or industrial; zoning review, building and other permit fees may also apply | one-time, per new business or change of use | 2026-10-07 |
| Early Assistance Meeting (Nonresidential Projects)only if it applies to you | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | $291 per Early Assistance Meeting (nonresidential or subdivision projects); credited toward future permits for the presented project | one-time, per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Certificate of Occupancy (Commercial or Industrial)only if it applies to you | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | permanent for the permitted use; a temporary certificate lasts 90 days at most | 2026-10-07 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department | Varies — formula on the Lake County Il page | per sign | 2026-10-07 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
IL registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $150 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $175 one-time — $150 filing fee plus $25 minimum initial franchise tax | no expiry, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | Varies — formula on the IL page | annual — an LLC files before the first day of its anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1) | Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division | No fee | continuous — no renewal | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state) | Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity | No fee | set by the issuing municipality | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a childcare centre in Lake County Il?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 18 records listed for a childcare centre in Lake County Il, IL, 5 apply to every business of this type and 13 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 5 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $220.00. That is a floor, not a total. 11 of the 18 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Non-Community Water System Permit: Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given non-community water system permit
Food Service Establishment Permit: Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given food service permit. The amount depends on the facility's risk category and type
Food Establishment Plan Review, Opening Inspection and Ownership Consultation: Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given plan review, opening inspection or ownership consultation. The amount depends on whether the review is major or minor, or is an opening inspection or ownership consultation
The other 8 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Lake County Il permits page and the IL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Lake County Il?
Permits for a childcare centre in Lake County Il, IL come from 7 separate offices: Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department, Lake County Division of Transportation, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health, Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Lake County Planning, Building and Development DepartmentIssues 6 permits on this page, including Commercial Building Permit, Plan Examination and Trade Permits, Zoning Review of Non-Residential Permits, Use Permit (Commercial or Industrial)500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 · 847-377-2600www.lakecountyil.gov/2046/Permits-Approvals-and-Early-Assistance
- Lake County Division of TransportationIssues 1 permit on this page: County Highway Access Permitwww.lakecountyil.gov/659/Permits
- Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental HealthIssues 5 permits on this page, including Non-Community Water System Permit, Food Service Establishment Permit, Food Establishment Plan Review, Opening Inspection and Ownership Consultation500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 · 847-377-8020www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health
- Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report501 South Second Street, Room 351, Springfield, IL 62756 · (217) 524-8008www.ilsos.gov/departments/business_services
- Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1)Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Revenue, PO Box 19030, Springfield, IL 62794-9030 · (217) 785-3707mytax.illinois.gov
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state)(800) 252-2923dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/beginhere/stepbystepguide.html
- Illinois Department of Early ChildhoodIssues 1 permit on this page: Day Care Centre License(217) 785-9160idec.illinois.gov/forproviders/licensure.html
What does a childcare centre need in Lake County Il that other businesses do not?
1 of the 4 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Lake County Il: Day Care Centre License.
Day Care Centre License
Genuinely free, and the rule says so in terms — there shall be no fee or charge for the license — for a day care centre, a day care home and a group day care home alike, each valid for three years. Get the agency right: child care licensing moved from the Department of Children and Family Services to the new Department of Early Childhood on 1 July 2026, and almost every guide still names DCFS. The license is not transferable and is valid only for the name and address printed on it, so a move or a sale means a new one.
Shared with other businesses in Lake County Il
- Non-Community Water System Permit — Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health, Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given non-community water system permit, annual. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Service Establishment Permit — Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health, Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given food service permit. The amount depends on the facility's risk category and type, permit year January 1 – December 31 (Code § 173.04(B)). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Establishment Plan Review, Opening Inspection and Ownership Consultation — Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health, Set in the Lake County Health Department's fee schedule, which the Health Department's Environmental Health page states is effective December 1, 2025 and which adjusts on December 1 each year; the Environmental Health office (847-377-8020, www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health) states the amount for a given plan review, opening inspection or ownership consultation. The amount depends on whether the review is major or minor, or is an opening inspection or ownership consultation, per project. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 9 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Lake County Il, IL; what each one involves is set out on the Lake County Il permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across IL and are covered on the IL state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Lake County Il?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Day Care Centre License. A coffee shop needs Temporary Foodservice Permit (Single and Multiple Event), County Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, E, G, H, I), County Liquor License Application Fee and 4 more, which a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 10 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Retail stores | 10 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Restaurants | 13 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Lake County Il permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 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
- 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
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.