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18 permits · verified 2026-10-07

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

In short

A retail store in Mchenry County Il, IL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 16 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). 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 retail store in Mchenry County Il

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W)only if it applies to youMcHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee$100–$1,500 annual license fee by class: A $1,500, B $1,500, C (caterer) $1,500, D $100 (requires a current Class A), E $800 (150 consecutive days), W (brewpub/winemaker/distiller) $1,500; plus a one-time, non-refundable $1,000 application fee for new applicants (not charged on renewals by the same licensee)license year May 1 – April 30 (County Code §5.08.090.A); Class E runs 150 consecutive days2026-10-07
Retail Food Health Permitonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Health$175–$425 per permit year: no food preparation (Risk II and III) $175.00 for 1 check-out counter, $240.00 for 2, $300.00 for 3 or more; with food preparation $425.00 (Risk I), $355.00 (Risk II), $240.00 (Risk III); plus $50 for each additional food service department (deli, meat, coffee, etc.)permit year May 1 – April 30 (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.B)2026-10-07
Food Establishment Construction Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youMcHenry 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 approvalplan 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 fee2026-10-07
Food Program Conditional, Replacement, Reinstatement and Re-inspection Feesonly if it applies to youMcHenry 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 $100.00per occurrence; a conditional permit lasts up to 30 days (PHO Art. III §8.04.140.D)2026-10-07
Coin-Operated Amusement Device Licenseonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee$75 per device per license year (May 1 – April 30); $37.50 per device for the six-month period after October 30 to April 30; plus a one-time, non-refundable $100.00 application fee for each new applicationlicense year May 1 – April 30; half-year license available after October 302026-10-07

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Mchenry County Il

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Water Well Permitonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of HealthVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper project2026-10-07
Construction Impact Review (Health Review)only if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Health$200 per Construction Impact Reviewper project2026-10-07
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Planning and DevelopmentVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper sign2026-10-07
Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Planning and Development$300 per Temporary Certificate of Occupancytemporary, until the permitted work is completed2026-10-07
Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Permit — Non-Residentialonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of HealthVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper project2026-10-07
Commercial Alteration, Change of Use or Tenant Buildout Permitonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Planning and DevelopmentVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper project2026-10-07
New Commercial Structure or Commercial Addition Permitonly if it applies to youMcHenry County Department of Planning and DevelopmentVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper project2026-10-07
County Highway Access Permit (Major or Minor Access)only if it applies to youMcHenry County Division of TransportationVaries — formula on the Mchenry County Il pageper development2026-10-07

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

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youIllinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services$150 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youIllinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services$175 one-time — $150 filing fee plus $25 minimum initial franchise taxno expiry, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youIllinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesVaries — formula on the IL pageannual — an LLC files before the first day of its anniversary month2026-09-03
Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1)Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionNo feecontinuous — no renewal2026-09-03
General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state)Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityNo feeset by the issuing municipality2026-09-03

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 retail store in Mchenry 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 retail store in Mchenry County Il, IL, 2 apply to every business of this type and 16 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

11 of the 18 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W): $100–$1,500 annual license fee by class: A $1,500, B $1,500, C (caterer) $1,500, D $100 (requires a current Class A), E $800 (150 consecutive days), W (brewpub/winemaker/distiller) $1,500; plus a one-time, non-refundable $1,000 application fee for new applicants (not charged on renewals by the same licensee)

Retail Food Health Permit: $175–$425 per permit year: no food preparation (Risk II and III) $175.00 for 1 check-out counter, $240.00 for 2, $300.00 for 3 or more; with food preparation $425.00 (Risk I), $355.00 (Risk II), $240.00 (Risk III); plus $50 for each additional food service department (deli, meat, coffee, etc.)

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 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 retail store in Mchenry County Il, IL come from 7 separate offices: McHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee, 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. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a retail store need in Mchenry County Il that other businesses do not?

1 of the 5 permits particular to a retail store here applies to no other business type we cover in Mchenry County Il: Retail Food Health Permit.

Retail Food Health Permit

A retail store that sells food needs a Department of Health operating permit. Article VII sets two scales. A store with no food preparation (Risk Classification II or III) pays by number of check-out counters: $175.00 for one, $240.00 for two and $300.00 for three or more. A store with food preparation pays $425.00, $355.00 or $240.00 for Risk Classification I, II or III, plus $50 for each additional food service department such as a deli, meat counter or coffee bar. 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 in incorporated and unincorporated areas alike.

Food Establishment Construction Plan Review

Plans must be submitted to the Department of Health when a food establishment is built, extensively remodeled, or converted from an existing structure (§8.04.160.A), and the Department inspects before operations start. A major review (remodeled area over 250 square feet, or a new establishment) costs $400.00, $275.00 or $200.00 for Risk Classification I, II or III; a minor review (250 square feet or less) costs $125.00. A second or later resubmittal is $75.00 and a variance review is $100.00. All work that starts without written approval has the review fee doubled (§8.04.160.C). 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. Approval is valid for two years, and Article VII allows a six-month renewal for half the prevailing plan review fee.

Shared with other businesses in Mchenry County Il

  • County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W) — McHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee, $100–$1,500 annual license fee by class: A $1,500, B $1,500, C (caterer) $1,500, D $100 (requires a current Class A), E $800 (150 consecutive days), W (brewpub/winemaker/distiller) $1,500; plus a one-time, non-refundable $1,000 application fee for new applicants (not charged on renewals by the same licensee), license year May 1 – April 30 (County Code §5.08.090.A); Class E runs 150 consecutive days. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants 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 childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Coin-Operated Amusement Device License — McHenry County Liquor Control Commissioner and Law & Government/Liquor Committee, $75 per device per license year (May 1 – April 30); $37.50 per device for the six-month period after October 30 to April 30; plus a one-time, non-refundable $100.00 application fee for each new application, license year May 1 – April 30; half-year license available after October 30. Also required for restaurants and fitness studios; 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 retail store compare with other businesses in Mchenry County Il?

The closest match is a childcare centre, which shares 2 of these permits. A retail store also needs County Retail Liquor License (Classes A, B, C, D, E, W), Retail Food Health Permit and Coin-Operated Amusement Device License. A childcare centre needs Food Health Permit — Schools, Daycares, Churches and Day Care Centre License, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Mchenry County Il, IL, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Childcare centres4232
Restaurants164112
Coffee shops11328
Fitness studios1140
Food trucks9237
Auto repair shops0050
Contractors and trades4054
Salons and barbers1051
Veterinary clinics2052

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 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.

  1. 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
  2. Public Health Ordinance Article III – Food Sanitation (effective August 1, 2026)McHenry County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  3. Public Health Ordinance Article I – Definitions (effective August 1, 2026)McHenry County Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.