16 permits · verified 2026-10-07
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Lake County Il?
In short
A salon or barber in Lake County Il, IL has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Lake County Liquor Control Commission / County Board Office charges $100 per applicant per year; refunded if the application is denied for the massage establishment license (unincorporated). 8 of the 16 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 salon or barber in Lake County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massage Establishment License (Unincorporated)only if it applies to you | Lake County Liquor Control Commission / County Board Office | $100 per applicant per year; refunded if the application is denied | one year from the date of issuance (Code § 114.06) | 2026-10-07 |
| Salon or Shop Registration | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation | $40 application; $40 to renew | 2 years, expiring 30 November of even-numbered 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 salon or barber in Lake County Il?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a salon or barber in Lake County Il, IL, 4 apply to every business of this type and 12 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 4 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $260.00. That is a floor, not a total. 8 of the 16 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all.
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 salon or barber in Lake County Il, IL come from 8 separate offices: Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department, Lake County Division of Transportation, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center — Environmental Health, Lake County Liquor Control Commission / County Board Office, Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. 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 2 permits on this page: Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Site Plan Review and Construction Permit, Water Well Construction Permit500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048 · 847-377-8020www.lakecountyil.gov/2787/Environmental-Health
- Lake County Liquor Control Commission / County Board OfficeIssues 1 permit on this page: Massage Establishment License (Unincorporated)18 N. County Street, 10th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085 · 847-377-2300www.lakecountyil.gov/2408/Liquor-Commission
- 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 Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional RegulationIssues 1 permit on this page: Salon or Shop Registration320 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Springfield, IL 62786 · (888) 473-4858idfpr.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
What does a salon or barber need in Lake County Il that other businesses do not?
1 of the 2 permits particular to a salon or barber here applies to no other business type we cover in Lake County Il: Salon or Shop Registration.
Salon or Shop Registration
Illinois does not separate salons from barbershops. One registration class — salon or shop — covers a cosmetology salon, an esthetics salon, a hair braiding salon, a nail technology salon and a barber shop alike, all at $40, which makes this one of the cheapest premises licenses in the country. A separate application is needed for each location, and you may not operate without the certificate in hand. This is entirely distinct from the practitioner licenses, which cost $100 to $150 and renew on their own cycle. The registration expires on 30 November of even-numbered years with a renewal window opening on 1 September.
Shared with other businesses in Lake County Il
- Massage Establishment License (Unincorporated) — Lake County Liquor Control Commission / County Board Office, $100 per applicant per year; refunded if the application is denied, one year from the date of issuance (Code § 114.06). Also required for fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios 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 salon or barber compare with other businesses in Lake County Il?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Salon or Shop Registration. A fitness studio needs Food and Beverage Vending Machine Permit, Swimming Facility License and Amusement Device License (Unincorporated), which a salon or barber does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a salon or barber | Only a salon or barber needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Coffee shops | 10 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Restaurants | 13 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| Retail stores | 10 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 2 | 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 fitness studios 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.
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — salon or shop registration applicationIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — license renewal information and feesIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · 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.