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14 permits · verified 2026-10-07

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

In short

A retail store in Will County, IL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Will County Executive (Liquor Control Commissioner) charges $25 per license per year, for each location for the retail tobacco product license (unincorporated will county). 9 of the 14 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 Will County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Food Establishment Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youWill 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 feeone-time, per construction, remodeling or conversion project2026-10-07
Retail Food Store Permit and Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youWill County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health$264–$876 per calendar year, by floor area: under 250 sq ft (prepackaged time/temperature-controlled food only) $264; 250–5,000 sq ft $306; 5,001–10,000 sq ft $480; 10,001 sq ft and over $876; plan review $228 / $264 / $420 / $630 for the same four bandscalendar year (January 1 – December 31)2026-10-07
Retail Tobacco Product License (Unincorporated Will County)only if it applies to youWill County Executive (Liquor Control Commissioner)$25 per license per year, for each locationfrom the date of issuance, or for renewals January 1 through the business night of December 31 (Code §120.23(B))2026-10-07
County Retail Liquor License (Unincorporated Will County)only if it applies to youWill 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))2026-10-07
Vending Machine Permit (Time/Temperature-Controlled Food or Open-Cup Beverages)only if it applies to youWill County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health$50–$300 per calendar year, by number of machines: 1–3 $50; 4–6 $100; 7–10 $150; 11–14 $200; 15–20 $250; 21 or more $300calendar year (January 1 – December 31)2026-10-07
Peddler, Itinerant Merchant and Transient Vendor Registration and Licenseonly if it applies to youWill County Executive (Liquor Control Commissioner)Code §113.02(B): "No fee shall be required for the registration as required under this chapter." A fee for the license required by §113.04 is not stated in Chapter 113 or on the county's Solicitor Application (7/2020); contact the County Executive's Office (815-774-7485) for the current amount.not stated in County Code Chapter 1132026-10-07

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 Will County

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 youWill County Health Department — Division of Environmental HealthVaries — formula on the Will County pageper project2026-10-07
County Highway Access Permitonly if it applies to youWill County Division of TransportationVaries — formula on the Will County pageper access permit2026-10-07
Commercial Building Permit (Alteration, Tenant Build-out, New Commercial, Change of Use)only if it applies to youWill County Land Use Department — Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Will County pageper project2026-10-07

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 Will County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a retail store in Will County, IL, 2 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

9 of the 14 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:

Food Establishment Plan Review: $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

Retail Food Store Permit and Plan Review: $264–$876 per calendar year, by floor area: under 250 sq ft (prepackaged time/temperature-controlled food only) $264; 250–5,000 sq ft $306; 5,001–10,000 sq ft $480; 10,001 sq ft and over $876; plan review $228 / $264 / $420 / $630 for the same four bands

County Retail Liquor License (Unincorporated Will County): 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.

Vending Machine Permit (Time/Temperature-Controlled Food or Open-Cup Beverages): $50–$300 per calendar year, by number of machines: 1–3 $50; 4–6 $100; 7–10 $150; 11–14 $200; 15–20 $250; 21 or more $300

Peddler, Itinerant Merchant and Transient Vendor Registration and License: Code §113.02(B): "No fee shall be required for the registration as required under this chapter." A fee for the license required by §113.04 is not stated in Chapter 113 or on the county's Solicitor Application (7/2020); contact the County Executive's Office (815-774-7485) for the current amount.

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Will County permits page and the IL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Will County?

Permits for a retail store in Will County, IL come from 7 separate offices: Will County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health, Will County Executive (Liquor Control Commissioner), Will County Division of Transportation, Will County Land Use Department — Building Division, 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 Will County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 6 permits particular to a retail store here apply to no other business type we cover in Will County: Retail Food Store Permit and Plan Review, Retail Tobacco Product License (Unincorporated Will County) and Peddler, Itinerant Merchant and Transient Vendor Registration and License.

Retail Food Store Permit and Plan Review

A retail store that sells food needs a Health Department permit wherever it sits in Will County. Appendix A prices retail food stores by floor area: $264 under 250 square feet (prepackaged time/temperature-controlled-for-safety food only, as a minor business component), $306 for 250 to 5,000 square feet, $480 for 5,001 to 10,000 square feet and $876 for 10,001 square feet and over. Plan review for a new or remodeled store costs $228, $264, $420 or $630 for the same four bands. Figures are 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. The permit runs January 1 through December 31 with the same half-year, late-penalty and 50% government/school/church rules as other annual food permits.

Retail Tobacco Product License (Unincorporated Will County)

County Code Chapter 120 requires a license to sell tobacco products in unincorporated Will County, for each location, place or premises where they are sold. Section 120.23(A) states: "The annual license fee for the license shall be $25." The county's renewal application, posted on the County Executive's Licenses page, lists an "Annual Application Fee: $25.00" payable to the Will County Treasurer. Licenses are valid from the date of issuance, or for renewals from January 1 through the business night of December 31, and a new or renewed license is needed to sell from January 1. Under §120.23 no fee is rebated, the license must be displayed prominently at the primary point of sale, and it is not transferable, except that a licensee who changes location receives a new license subject to the applicable fees. A store inside a city or village follows that municipality's tobacco rules instead.

Peddler, Itinerant Merchant and Transient Vendor Registration and License

County Code §113.02(A)(1) states that "All hawkers, peddlers, itinerant merchants and transient vendors of merchandise in any area not in the corporate limits of a municipality, which licenses and regulates them, must register their name and the name of any firm they represent with the County Clerk", and §113.02(A)(2) requires a letter from the County Land Use Department confirming zoning compliance before the registration is accepted. Section 113.02(B) states that no fee is required for the registration. Section 113.04 separately makes it unlawful to engage in the business of a hawker, peddler, itinerant merchant or transient vendor without a license; the County Executive's Licenses page lists the Solicitor License among the licenses the County Executive issues. Under §113.03 door-to-door solicitation is allowed only from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and §113.06 bars licenses for selling fireworks in unincorporated areas. Chapter 113 defines a transient vendor or itinerant merchant as one who sells commodities from private premises, generally for not more than six weeks.

Shared with other businesses in Will County

  • 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 restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks 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 restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Vending Machine Permit (Time/Temperature-Controlled Food or Open-Cup Beverages) — Will County Health Department — Division of Environmental Health, $50–$300 per calendar year, by number of machines: 1–3 $50; 4–6 $100; 7–10 $150; 11–14 $200; 15–20 $250; 21 or more $300, calendar year (January 1 – December 31). Also required for fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Will County, IL; what each one involves is set out on the Will County 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 Will County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 2 of these permits. A retail store also needs Retail Food Store Permit and Plan Review, Retail Tobacco Product License (Unincorporated Will County), Vending Machine Permit (Time/Temperature-Controlled Food or Open-Cup Beverages) and Peddler, Itinerant Merchant and Transient Vendor Registration and License. A coffee shop needs Temporary and Multiple-Location Temporary Food Permit, Food Establishment Permit, Retail Food Establishment Permit and 2 more, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Will County, IL, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops7245
Restaurants8246
Fitness studios2151
Childcare centres4153
Food trucks6155
Auto repair shops0060
Contractors and trades4064
Salons and barbers1061
Veterinary clinics2062

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 food trucks page, coffee shops page and fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Will County permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Will County Food Establishment Sanitation Ordinance (Amended and Effective October 1, 2024), Appendix A fee scheduleWill County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  2. Will County Code §120.23 (retail tobacco product license fees; terms)Will County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  3. Retail Tobacco Product License ApplicationWill County Executive's Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  4. LicensesWill County Executive's Office · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  5. Will County Code Chapter 113: Peddlers, Solicitors and Itinerant MerchantsWill County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  6. Solicitor Application (7/2020)Will County Executive's Office · 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.