11 permits · verified 2026-10-24
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Madison County Il?
In short
A childcare centre in Madison County Il, IL has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health charges $200 per plan review application for the food business plan review. 5 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-24 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Madison County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit (Annual) | Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health | The annual food establishment permit fee is set by category in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" of the Madison County Code; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase on odd-numbered years. Contact the Madison County Health Department (618-692-8954) for the current amount for your category. | 12 months from the date of issuance (Code §55.17) | 2026-10-24 |
| Food Business Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health | $200 per plan review application | per project; the application is void if construction has not commenced within one year after the date of issuance | 2026-10-24 |
| 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 Madison County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial/Industrial Building Permit (Unincorporated Madison County)only if it applies to you | Madison County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Madison County Il page | per project | 2026-10-24 |
| Sign Permit (Unincorporated Madison County)only if it applies to you | Madison County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Madison County Il page | null and void if the work has not been completed within 90 days (Code §93.161(C)) | 2026-10-24 |
| Certificate of Zoning Compliance (Unincorporated Madison County)only if it applies to you | Madison County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Madison County Il page | issued within five county working days after an approved final inspection (Code §93.164(A)) | 2026-10-24 |
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 Madison County Il?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a childcare centre in Madison County Il, IL, 4 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
5 of the 11 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:
Food Establishment Permit (Annual): The annual food establishment permit fee is set by category in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" of the Madison County Code; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase on odd-numbered years. Contact the Madison County Health Department (618-692-8954) for the current amount for your category.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Madison County Il permits page and the IL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Madison County Il?
Permits for a childcare centre in Madison County Il, IL come from 6 separate offices: Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health, Madison County Building & Zoning Department, 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.
- Madison County Health Department, Environmental HealthIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit (Annual), Food Business Plan Review101 E. Edwardsville Road, Wood River, IL 62095 · (618) 692-8954www.madisoncountyil.gov/departments/health/food_sanitation_program.php
- Madison County Building & Zoning DepartmentIssues 3 permits on this page: Commercial/Industrial Building Permit (Unincorporated Madison County), Sign Permit (Unincorporated Madison County), Certificate of Zoning Compliance (Unincorporated Madison County)Madison County Administration Building, 157 N. Main Street, Suite 254, Edwardsville, IL 62025 · (618) 296-4468www.madisoncountyil.gov/departments/planning_and_development/building_permits.php
- 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 Madison County Il that other businesses do not?
1 of the 3 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Madison County Il: Day Care Centre License.
Food Business Plan Review
The Health Department's Food Sanitation Program page states: "Before a health permit is issued, every new or extensively remodeled facility must undergo a plan review process." The plan review fee is $200.00, as listed in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" (effective December 1, 2018) and on the Health Department's current Food Business Plan Review Application ("Amount Paid: $200.00"). The application form states that a plan review application is void if construction has not commenced within one year after the date of issuance. The Plan Review page lists the applications by category and asks first-time applicants to call 618-692-8954 before starting; after processing, the applicant receives a letter, the permit application and payment instructions.
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 Madison County Il
- Food Establishment Permit (Annual) — Madison County Health Department, Environmental Health, The annual food establishment permit fee is set by category in Chapter 55 Schedule "A" of the Madison County Code; the county's posted Food Sanitation Ordinance states that fees increase on odd-numbered years. Contact the Madison County Health Department (618-692-8954) for the current amount for your category., 12 months from the date of issuance (Code §55.17). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Madison County Il, IL; what each one involves is set out on the Madison 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 Madison County Il?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 2 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Day Care Centre License. A retail store needs County Retail Liquor License (Unincorporated Madison County), which a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Restaurants | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Food trucks | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 3 | 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 Madison County Il permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Madison County Code Chapter 55, Schedule "A" Food Permit FeesMadison County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Food Business Plan Review ApplicationMadison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Food Sanitation ProgramMadison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- Plan ReviewMadison County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
- 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.