17 permits · verified 2026-10-07
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Mchenry County Il?
In short
A childcare centre in Mchenry County Il, IL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 14 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. McHenry County Department of Health charges $200 per Construction Impact Review for the construction impact review (health review). 10 of the 17 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 Mchenry County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Construction Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | $125–$400 per project: Major review Risk I $400.00, II $275.00, III $200.00; Minor review $125.00; 2nd and subsequent resubmittal $75.00; food establishment variance review $100.00; the review fee is doubled if work starts without written approval | plan approval valid two years from the date of approval (PHO Art. III §8.04.160.D); renewable for six months at half the prevailing plan review fee | 2026-10-07 |
| Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churchesonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | $35–$155 per permit year: Risk Classification I $155.00, II $125.00, III $105.00; Satellite Foodservice $80.00; Milk Machines Only $35.00 | permit year May 1 – April 30 (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.B) | 2026-10-07 |
| Food Program Conditional, Replacement, Reinstatement and Re-inspection Feesonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | $25–$100 per event: Replacement Permit $25.00; Conditional Permit $65.00; Reinstatement after suspension or revocation $95.00; 2nd and subsequent re-inspections for the same violation $95.00; Off Site Food Storage Facility $100.00 | per occurrence; a conditional permit lasts up to 30 days (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.D) | 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 Mchenry County Il
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Well Permitonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Construction Impact Review (Health Review)only if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | $200 per Construction Impact Review | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Planning and Development | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per sign | 2026-10-07 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Planning and Development | $300 per Temporary Certificate of Occupancy | temporary, until the permitted work is completed | 2026-10-07 |
| Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Permit — Non-Residentialonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Health | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Commercial Alteration, Change of Use or Tenant Buildout Permitonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Planning and Development | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| New Commercial Structure or Commercial Addition Permitonly if it applies to you | McHenry County Department of Planning and Development | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| County Highway Access Permit (Major or Minor Access)only if it applies to you | McHenry County Division of Transportation | Varies — formula on the Mchenry County Il page | per development | 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 Mchenry County Il?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 17 records listed for a childcare centre in Mchenry County Il, IL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 14 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
10 of the 17 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 Construction Plan Review: $125–$400 per project: Major review Risk I $400.00, II $275.00, III $200.00; Minor review $125.00; 2nd and subsequent resubmittal $75.00; food establishment variance review $100.00; the review fee is doubled if work starts without written approval
Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churches: $35–$155 per permit year: Risk Classification I $155.00, II $125.00, III $105.00; Satellite Foodservice $80.00; Milk Machines Only $35.00
Food Program Conditional, Replacement, Reinstatement and Re-inspection Fees: $25–$100 per event: Replacement Permit $25.00; Conditional Permit $65.00; Reinstatement after suspension or revocation $95.00; 2nd and subsequent re-inspections for the same violation $95.00; Off Site Food Storage Facility $100.00
The other 7 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Mchenry County Il permits page and the IL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Mchenry County Il?
Permits for a childcare centre in Mchenry County Il, IL come from 7 separate offices: McHenry County Department of Health, McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, McHenry County Division of Transportation, 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.
- McHenry County Department of HealthIssues 6 permits on this page, including Food Establishment Construction Plan Review, Water Well Permit, Construction Impact Review (Health Review)2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098 · 815-334-4000www.mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/health-department/environmental-health/fee-schedules
- McHenry County Department of Planning and DevelopmentIssues 4 permits on this page: Sign Permit, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial Alteration, Change of Use or Tenant Buildout Permit, New Commercial Structure or Commercial Addition Permit2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098 · 815-334-4000co-mchenry-il.smartgovcommunity.com/Public/Home
- McHenry County Division of TransportationIssues 1 permit on this page: County Highway Access Permit (Major or Minor Access)www.mchenrycountyil.gov/departments/transportation/apply-for/permits/access-development-permits
- 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 Mchenry County Il that other businesses do not?
2 of the 4 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in Mchenry County Il: Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churches and Day Care Centre License.
Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churches
Article VII has a separate food permit row for schools, daycares and churches. A daycare that prepares or serves food pays $155.00, $125.00 or $105.00 for Risk Classification I, II or III; a satellite foodservice (food prepared elsewhere and served on site) pays $80.00, and a site with milk machines only pays $35.00. All figures are per PHO Article VII §8.04.960 (Fees), approved by the County Board on July 21, 2026 and effective August 1, 2026; Article VII states that fees are in effect from December 1 through November 30 of the following year or until modified by the County Board. The permit year runs May 1 to April 30 and the permit applies countywide. Childcare facility licensing itself comes from the State, not from this county permit.
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 Mchenry County Il
- Food Establishment Construction Plan Review — McHenry County Department of Health, $125–$400 per project: Major review Risk I $400.00, II $275.00, III $200.00; Minor review $125.00; 2nd and subsequent resubmittal $75.00; food establishment variance review $100.00; the review fee is doubled if work starts without written approval, plan approval valid two years from the date of approval (PHO Art. III §8.04.160.D); renewable for six months at half the prevailing plan review fee. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Program Conditional, Replacement, Reinstatement and Re-inspection Fees — McHenry County Department of Health, $25–$100 per event: Replacement Permit $25.00; Conditional Permit $65.00; Reinstatement after suspension or revocation $95.00; 2nd and subsequent re-inspections for the same violation $95.00; Off Site Food Storage Facility $100.00, per occurrence; a conditional permit lasts up to 30 days (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.D). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Mchenry County Il, IL; what each one involves is set out on the Mchenry 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 Mchenry County Il?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 2 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churches and Day Care Centre License. A retail store needs County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W), Retail Food Health Permit and Coin-Operated Amusement Device License, 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 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Food trucks | 9 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Coffee shops | 11 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| Restaurants | 16 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
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 and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Mchenry County Il permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Public Health Ordinance Article VII – Fees, §8.04.960 (approved July 21, 2026; effective August 1, 2026)McHenry County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
- Public Health Ordinance Article III – Food Sanitation (effective August 1, 2026)McHenry County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
- 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.