What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Mchenry County Il?

County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W)

County Code §5.08.080.A requires a county license to sell alcoholic liquor outside the corporate limits of any city, village or incorporated town, and the county's liquor page says the Law & Government/Liquor Committee issues licenses for use in unincorporated McHenry County. Per §5.08.090 the annual fees are $1,500 for Class A (on-premises or packaged), Class B (packaged), Class C (caterer) and Class W (brewpub, winemaker or distiller); $100 for Class D (consumption beyond the premises but within the property lines, available only to a current Class A holder); and $800 for Class E, which runs 150 consecutive days. Section 5.08.100.C adds a one-time, non-refundable $1,000 application fee for new applicants of every class except F and S, not charged on renewal by the same licensee. For Classes A, B, C and W, §5.08.090 states that new, full and complete applications received on or after December 5 of each year "may, in the discretion of the Liquor Commission, receive a reduced application fee of $800.00"; this does not apply to renewals. A $100 fee applies for each new corporate officer (§5.08.100.D.1). The county page lists the same figures. The State retailer license under 235 ILCS 5/5-3 is required as well.

County Video Gaming Terminal License

The County Board adopted the Video Gaming Regulation and Licensing Ordinance, Ordinance O-202602-18-017, on February 17, 2026; the county's Strategic Plan Report Card states that in February 2026 the Board approved an ordinance regulating and imposing fees for video gaming terminals in unincorporated areas. Under §5.20.030 a premises licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board may operate video gaming terminals in unincorporated McHenry County only after also obtaining a county license for each terminal. Except for truck stop establishments, the applicant must hold a county liquor license under Chapter 5.08 and a State liquor license (§5.20.040). Applications go to the Liquor Control Commissioner, terminals are registered annually, each licensed terminal carries a non-transferable county sticker, the license must be displayed on the premises, and fees are non-refundable and not prorated. The county's liquor license page states that any liquor license holder with video gaming terminals must also obtain a Video Gaming Terminal License.

Food Establishment Health Permit (Fixed Location – Foodservice/Commissary/Caterer)

Every food establishment in McHenry County needs a valid operator's permit from the Department of Health in the operator's name for that specific establishment (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.A). The Public Health Ordinance applies in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, so a restaurant or coffee shop inside a city or village still holds this county permit. The fee is set by risk classification at $410.00, $345.00 or $280.00 per permit year, 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. Article VII also provides that a non-seasonal establishment opening on or after November 1 pays half of the annual fee, and that an establishment closing before November 1 may request a refund of half the annual fee in writing. A conditional permit is available within five business days after April 30 for an additional fee (see the food program fees record). Plan review is a separate fee for new or extensively remodeled establishments.

Caterer Health Permit for Public Events

PHO Art. III §8.04.240.C states: "Catering food service operations, that cater events which are open to the public, must obtain a valid Health Permit from the McHenry County Department of Health prior to operating." This applies to every caterer serving public events in the county, wherever its kitchen is. Under §8.04.240.B a caterer whose base of operations is outside McHenry County must also hold a valid health permit from its home regulatory authority, or alternative documentation such as an inspection report where that authority issues no permits. Article VII prices caterers in the single "Fixed Location – Foodservice/Commissary/Caterer" row at $410.00, $345.00 or $280.00 by risk class, 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.

Supplemental Health Permit (Outdoor Cooking or Outdoor Bar)

PHO Article I defines a Supplemental Health Permit as a permit issued to a fixed food establishment, in addition to its annual or seasonal health permit, that allows outdoor grilling or cooking and/or operation of an outdoor bar. Section 8.04.140.I states that beer gardens, pig roasts, fish boils, outdoor grilling and outdoor bars are allowed only with a valid Supplemental Health Permit or a Temporary Food Permit. The fee is $105.00, 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. A restaurant planning a patio grill or outdoor bar needs this on top of its fixed-location permit.

Food Program Conditional, Replacement, Reinstatement and Re-inspection Fees

Article VII lists miscellaneous food program fees that apply to any permitted food establishment: $25.00 for a replacement permit, $65.00 for a conditional permit, $95.00 for reinstatement after a suspension or revocation, $95.00 for the second and each later re-inspection for the same violation, and $100.00 for an off-site food storage facility, 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. Under §8.04.140.B a permit not renewed within five business days after April 30 is delinquent; a single conditional permit can be issued in that window with the conditional permit fee, in addition to the full renewal fee, and a conditional permit lasts no more than 30 days.

Coin-Operated Amusement Device License

County Code §5.04.020.A imposes a privilege fee on every coin-in-slot amusement device operated outside the corporate limits of any city, village or incorporated town in McHenry County that returns no money or property to the player, such as arcade games or pinball machines. The fee is $75.00 per device for the one-year license period from May 1 through April 30, or $37.50 per device for the six-month period after October 30 to April 30. Section 5.04.020.B adds a one-time, non-refundable $100.00 application fee for each new application. A business that owns devices for public play, or leases them to a premises owner, applies to the Liquor Commissioner, who is the Chairman of the County Board (§5.04.020.C, §5.04.030). The figures are from the codified ordinance (Ord. O-9603-1200-32; Ord. 7471, passed March 19, 2019).

BYOB Corkage Permit

Under County Code §5.08.090.A.10 a restaurant in unincorporated McHenry County that has no liquor license may not allow customers to consume alcoholic beverages on the premises without a corkage permit. The permit authorises restaurants or banquet facilities without liquor licenses to let patrons bring their own wine or beer, and the fee is $50.00 annually, subject to the ordinance's application, renewal and eligibility requirements. Conditions include a limit of 750 ml of wine or 48 oz of beer per patron aged 21 or over, consumption only by seated patrons who are served a meal, uncorking only by restaurant staff between noon and 11:00 p.m., BASSET training and dram shop insurance.

Retail Food Establishment Permit

The Department of Public Health's Retail Food page states that retail food establishments in Illinois, 'including restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, and food trucks, are regulated by local health departments serving the jurisdiction where the establishment is located', and directs anyone starting a retail food business to the local health department, so the permit and its fee are set locally and depend on the county or city. The state reserves permitting to itself only for food processing plants, which it splits with the Department of Agriculture. The code itself is the 2022 FDA Food Code as adopted by Illinois, and inspection findings are graded as priority, priority foundation or core rather than by a numeric score.

Shared with other businesses in Mchenry County Il

• Temporary Food Establishment Permit — McHenry County Department of Health, $45–$70 per event: Risk Classification I $70.00, II $45.00; late fee $25.00 if the application is received less than 5 days before the event; festival permit $440.00 for up to 10 stands plus $35.00 per stand over 10, one event at a fixed location, not more than 14 consecutive days (PHO Art. I). Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• 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 coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
• Food Establishment Health Permit (Fixed Location – Seasonal) — McHenry County Department of Health, $80–$150 per permit year, by risk class: Risk Classification I $150.00, II $115.00, III $80.00, permit year May 1 – April 30; a seasonal establishment operates less than five months per permit year. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Seasonal Temporary Food Establishment Permit (Single Location) — McHenry County Department of Health, $180–$360 per permit year: Risk Classification I (5 months) $255.00; Risk Classification II (5 months) $180.00; Risk Classification II (8 months) $360.00, within one permit year (May 1 – April 30); not renewable in a permit year (PHO Art. III §8.04.230.B.4). Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Class S Special Event Liquor License — McHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee, $150 per 24-hour period, 24 hours; no more than 10 per license year. Also required for food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Food Handler Training — Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies, No fee, 3 years. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Certified Food Protection Manager — Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Food, Drugs and Dairies, No fee, 5 years. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.