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

Food Establishment Permit

Section 114.015-A of the Food Establishment Sanitation Ordinance makes it unlawful to operate a food establishment "within Will County in the State of Illinois" without a valid permit from the Health Authority, so a restaurant or coffee shop inside a city or village holds this county permit as well. The annual fee is set by seating: $306 for carry-out up to 40 seats, $480 for 41 to 100 seats and $876 for 101 seats and over, with commissaries and caterers at $876 and a school milk cooler only at $60, per Appendix A of the Will County Food Establishment Sanitation Ordinance (County Code ch. 114), adopted June 16, 1988 and "Amended and Effective October 1, 2024", as linked from the Health Department's Ordinances page. Permits run January 1 through December 31; a permit issued after July 1 costs half the annual fee (§114.015-E), the renewal fee not received by December 31 carries a 25% late penalty (§114.015-F), and a new operator who opens before obtaining a permit pays the annual fee plus 25% (§114.015-G). Governments, schools and churches pay 50%, but §114.015-C states that the school discount does not apply to day care centers or preschools. The permit is not transferable and must be posted for public display.

Video Gaming License and Terminal Fee (Unincorporated Will County)

The county's Video Gaming page states that on July 18, 2024 the Will County Board repealed the prohibition of video gaming in unincorporated Will County, and that the Will County Video Gaming License "is available to existing Will County Liquor Licensees" with a Terminal Operator User Agreement eligible for an Illinois Video Gaming License under the Illinois Video Gaming Act (230 ILCS 40). Per the same page, "A fee of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) shall be imposed upon the operation of each video gaming terminal, within the geographical boundaries of unincorporated Will County", and the cost is shared equally between the terminal operator and the licensed establishment. Renewal applications are reviewed annually and the last day for payment is December 5 at 4:00 p.m.; payment is accepted by mail, in person or online at the County Executive's Office, 302 North Chicago Street, Joliet. The Illinois Gaming Board licenses are separate State requirements.

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 Will County

• Temporary and Multiple-Location Temporary Food Permit — Will County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health, $72–$550 single event (up to 14 days): low risk $72, medium risk $108, high risk $162; $50 late fee if not applied and paid at least 7 days before the event; fee doubled if not applied and paid at least 3 days before; multiple-location temporary permit (valid April 1 – October 31): low risk $350, medium risk $550, plus $50 late fee, one event of up to 14 days; multiple-location permit valid April 1 – October 31. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• Food Establishment Plan Review — Will County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health, $228–$684 per review: minor plan review $228; food establishment 0–40 seats $312, 41–100 seats $474, 101 seats and over $684; commissary and caterers $684; priority review (7 days) is 2 x the applicable plan review fee, one-time, per construction, remodeling or conversion project. Also required for coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
• County Retail Liquor License (Unincorporated Will County) — Will County Executive (Liquor Control Commissioner), The annual fee for each license class is set in Will County Code Chapter 110 (§110.022) and on the county's Liquor Commission Fees page; contact the Will County Liquor Control Commission (815-774-7485) for the current amount for your class., from the date of issuance, or for renewals from January 1 through the business night of December 31 (Code §110.022(B)). Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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.