Business Licensing
All BACP offices are open to members of the public. Learn more about BACP’s operations.
As of September 15, 2022, late fees will be reinstated for license renewal applications filed after the expiration date of the current license. The license renewal late fee is 25% of the amount of the license fee, but in no event less than $25, per Municipal Code of CHICAGO 4-4-260.
The Small Business Center (SBC) issues business licenses and regulates the business activities of industries as diverse as retail, food and liquor establishments, entertainment venues and theaters, day care centers, manufacturing facilities and motor vehicle repair shops just to name a few. If you have not already registered your business with the appropriate county, state, and federal offices, please do so before applying for a business license.
How to Apply
To apply for a business license, you may APPLY ONLINE or visit the Chicago Small Business Center (SBC). For more information go to Visit Us.
Application Requirements
Standard application requirements and documentation may be found in our License Application Requirements Information page. License-specific requirements may be found by clicking on the business activity links in the Business License Guide below. Depending on your business activities, you may need more than one business license in order to be able to operate your business in Chicago. Please contact us, at 312-74-GOBIZ (744-6249), to help you determine which license(s) you need to obtain.
Business License Exemptions
There are business activities regulated by the State of Illinois that may be exempt from City licensing. Please review our Business License Exemptions page for a sample list of occupations/professions which do not require a Chicago Business License.
BUSINESS LICENSE GUIDE
A quick reference guide to specific licensing requirements:
|
BUSINESS SECTOR/Activity |
LICENSE TYPE |
LICENSE APPLICATION FEE / 2 YEARS |
APPLY ONLINE |
ZONING REVIEW |
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND |
ONSITE INSPECTIONS |
| ACCOMMODATIONS - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Bed & Breakfast | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Finance, Fire |
| Hotel | Regulated Business | $250 + $2.20 per room | √ | √ | √ | |
| Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Buildings (Electrical, Plumbing, SIP), Finance, Fire | |
| Vacation Rental | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP) Finance | |
| ANIMAL CARE AND SERVICES - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Animal Boarding | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Animal Exhibition | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Animal Exhibition – 30 day permit | Animal Exhibition | Permit issued and processed by the Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control (CACC) | ||||
| Animal Grooming | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Animal Training | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Guard Dog Service | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Humane Society | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Humane Society Cafe Permit (non profit only) | Animal Care | $250 | Health | |||
| Pet Shop | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| Veterinary Hospital | Animal Care | $275 | √ | √ | Animal Care and Control, Finance | |
| CHILDREN SERVICES - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Children’s Play Center | Children’s Services Facility | $165 | √ | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Finance, Fire |
| Day Care Facility | Children’s Services Facility | $165 | √ | √ | √ | Buildings (Electrical, Plumbing, Ventilation), Finance, Fire, Health (Food Protection & Health Surveillance) |
|
BUSINESS SECTOR/Activity |
LICENSE TYPE |
LICENSE APPLICATION FEE / 2 YEARS |
APPLY ONLINE |
ZONING REVIEW |
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND |
ONSITE INSPECTIONS |
| COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES |
||||||
| Short-Term Sales of General Merchandise (other than at a show) | Pop-Up Retail User | $25/5-days $50/50-days $75/90-days $100/180-days $125/1-year |
||||
| Host of an Exhibition or Trade Show (“Show”) | Pop-Up Retail Host | Per-vendor fee, based on duration of show | ||||
| Automatic Amusement Device Operator | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Private Booting Company | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Clothing Alterations | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Day Labor | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Debt Collections - Complete Requirements | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Dry Cleaner | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Expediter | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | |
| General Retail Sales and Services | Limited Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Health Club/Fitness Center | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Heliport | Regulated Business | $400 | √ | Aviation and Law | ||
| Junk Peddler | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Finance | |
| Laundry Service | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Private Scavenger | Regulated Business | $250 | ||||
| Residential Real Estate Developer | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Shooting Range Facility | Shooting Range Facility | $2,000 | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Fire, Health, Police | |
| Weapons Dealer (including stun gun, air rifles, and toy weapons) | Weapons Dealer | $1,100 | √ | √ | Police | |
| Firearms Dealer | Weapons Dealer - Firearms Dealer | $3,800 | √ | √ | BACP, Buildings (SIP), Fire, Police | |
| Professional Firearm Curators | Weapons Dealer - Professional Firearm Curators | $2,350 | √ | √ | Police | |
| Professional Theatrical Armorers | Weapons Dealer - Professional Theatrical Armorers | $2,350 | √ | √ | Police | |
| Towing | Tow Truck |
$250 per truck |
√ | Finance | ||
| Towing | Tow Storage Lot - with a Commercial Vehicle Relocator License (Issue by the ICC) | $250 | √ | √ | √ | |
| Valet Operator - More Information | Valet Operator |
$600/1-Yr. |
Finance | |||
| ENTERTAINMENT |
||||||
| Indoor Special Event, Class A | Indoor Special Events, Class A | $6,000 | √ | Buildings (SIP), Fire | ||
| Indoor Special Event, Class B Not-For-Profit | Indoor Special Events, Class B | $100/event | √ | Buildings (SIP), Fire | ||
| Public Place of Amusement (PPA) | Public Place of Amusement | $770 - $13,200 | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP, Ventilation, Electrical, Plumbing), Finace, Fire | |
| Raffle | Raffle | $100/1 year | √ | |||
|
BUSINESS SECTOR/Activity |
LICENSE TYPE |
LICENSE APPLICATION FEE / 2 YEARS |
APPLY ONLINE |
ZONING REVIEW |
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND |
ONSITE INSPECTIONS |
| FOOD |
||||||
| Mobile Food Dispenser (truck), Pre-packaged and Pre-cooked food - More Information | Mobile Food | $700 | √ | √ | Health, Finance, Fire (if applicable) | |
| Mobile Food Preparer (truck), Cooking or Preparing food on vehicle - More Information | Mobile Food | $1,000 | √ | √ | Health, Finance, Fire | |
| Mobile Frozen Desserts, Non-Motorized | Mobile Food | $275 | √ | √ | Heath, Finance | |
| Mobile Frozen Desserts, Motorized (2 or 3 wheels) | Mobile Food | $275 | √ | √ | Health, Finance | |
|
Mobile Prepared Food Vendor - Complete Requirements |
Mobile Food | $100 | √ | Health, Finance | ||
| Produce Merchant | Mobile Food | $100 | √ | Heal,th Finance | ||
| Restaurant, Grocery Store, Bakery Deli, Café, etc. | Retail Food | 0 – 1,000 square feet $660.00 1,001 – 2,500 square feet $940.00 2,501 – 4,500 square feet $1,110.00 4,501 – 10,000 square feet $1,320.00 Over 10,000 square feet $1,650.00 |
√ | √ | Health,Finance | |
| Shared Kitchen Operator | Shared Kitchen | $660 | √ | √ | Health, Finance | |
| Long-Term Shared Kitchen User (2 years) - Complete Requirements | Long-Term Shared Kitchen User | $330 | √ | Health, Finance | ||
| Short-Term Shared Kitchen User (90 calendar days) - Complete Requirements | Short-Term Shared Kitchen User | $75 | √ | Health,Finance | ||
| Shared Kitchen-Supplemental - Complete Requirements | Shared Kitchen-Supplemental | $330 | √ | √ | Health,Finance | |
| Short-Term Sales of Pre-packaged Food | Pop-Up Food Establishment User Tier I | $25/5-days $50/30-days $75/90-days $100/180-days $125/1-year |
||||
| Short-Term Sales of Food Prepared at a Shared Kitchen | Pop-Up Food Establishment User Tier II |
$50/5-days $100/30-days $150/90-days |
||||
| Short-Term Sales of Food Prepared Onsite |
Pop-Up Food Establishment User Tier III | $50/5-days $100/30-days $150/90-days |
||||
| Host of Short-Term Operators Selling Food Prepared at a Shared Kitchen | Pop-Up Food Establishment Host Tier II | $150/1 year | √ | |||
| Host of Short-Term Operators Selling Food Prepared Onsite | Pop-Up Food Establishment Host Tier III | $330/1-year | √ | Health | ||
| Wholesale Food Sales (Business to Business Sales) | Wholesale Food | $660 | √ | √ | Health, Finance | |
| HOME BASED BUSINESS - More Information | ||||||
| Home Office/Occupation | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | |||
| HOME REPAIR AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Board-Up Services | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Explosives | Explosives | $500 | √ | √ | Fire | |
| Explosives – Certificate of Fitness | Certificate of Fitness | $100 | √ | Fire | ||
| General Contractor | General Contractor | License issued and processed by the Department of Buildings. | ||||
| Home Repair | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Trades licensing | Trades License | License issued and processed by the Department of Buildings. | ||||
| HOSPITAL AND COMMERCIAL CARE FACILITIES | ||||||
| Adult Family Care Center | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Finance,Fire, Health |
| Adult Family Care Home | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Finance,Fire, Health | |
| Assisted Living Establishment | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Buildings (SIP), Finance,Fire, Health | |
| Hospital | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Finance, Fire | |
| Long Term Care Facility | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Buildings, Finance, Fire, Health | |
|
BUSINESS SECTOR/Activity |
LICENSE TYPE |
LICENSE APPLICATION FEE / 2 YEARS |
APPLY ONLINE |
ZONING REVIEW |
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND |
ONSITE INSPECTIONS |
| LIQUOR - More Information |
||||||
| Caterer’s Liquor – Establishments located within the City of Chicago | Caterer’s Liquor | $4,400 | √ | √ | √ | Finace, Local Liquor Control Commission and Health |
| Caterer’s Liquor with a Consumption on Premises | Caterer’s Liquor with a COP | $2,200 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission and Health |
| Caterer’s Registration – Establishments located outside the City of Chicago | Caterer’s Registration | $6,600 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Onsite Inspection Details |
| Incidental liquor sales - Restaurant serving liquor incidental to food | Consumption on Premises (COP) | $4,400 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Buildings (SIP), Fire and Health |
| Late Hour - Two extra hours for the serving of liquor | Late Hour | $6,000 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission |
| Not-For-Profit Social Club, Liquor - Private club for members only | Not-For-Profit Social Club, Liquor | $1,100 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Buildings (SIP, Plumbing, Ventilation), Fire and Health |
| Serving of liquor outdoors on private property | Outdoor Patio | $1,760 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Buildings (SIP) |
| Liquor store or retail sales of unopened liquor | Packaged Goods | $4,400 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Fire and Health |
| Early Sunday Liquor Sales – Sales of Package Goods liquor three hours earlier on Sundays | Package Goods with Early Sunday Liquor Sales - Complete Requirements | $250 to add Early Sunday Liquor Sales to an existing Packaged Goods license | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission | ||
| Pushcart – Midway Airport | Liquor – Airport Pushcart | $600 | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission | |
| Pushcart – O’Hare Airport | Liquor – Airport Pushcart | $600 | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission | |
| Tavern | Tavern | $4,400 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Buildings (SIP, Plumbing, Ventilation), Fire and Health |
| Wrigley Field | Wrigley Field | $1,000 | √ | √ | √ | Finance, Local Liquor Control Commission, Buildings (Electrical, Plumbing, Ventilation, and SIP), Fire & Health |
|
BUSINESS SECTOR/Activity |
LICENSE TYPE |
LICENSE APPLICATION FEE / 2 YEARS |
APPLY ONLINE |
ZONING REVIEW |
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND |
ONSITE INSPECTIONS |
| MANUFACTURING | ||||||
| Hazardous Materials | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Finance, Fire | |
| Manufacturing – mechanical and/or chemical processing | Manufacturing | $275 | √ | √ | Finance, Fire | |
| MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICES | ||||||
| Filling Station | Filling Station | $220 | √ | √ | Fire | |
| Motor Vehicle Repair | Motor Vehicle Services | $240 | √ | √ | ||
| Tire Facility | Motor Vehicle Services | $240 | √ | √ | Finance, Fire | |
| OUTDOOR VENDING | ||||||
| Street Peddler - More Information | Street Peddler/Street Performer | $100, or $50 for seniors, veterans or disabled | ||||
| Street Performer - More Information | Street Peddler/Street Performer | $100, or $50 for seniors, veterans or disabled | ||||
| Outdoor or indoor sales from a kiosk at Navy Pier | Navy Pier Kiosk - More Information | $125 | Health (for food items) | |||
| PARKING LOT / PARKING GARAGE - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Commercial Garage | Public Garage | $19.80/300 sq. ft. | √ | √ | Finance, Fire | |
| PAWNSHOP / SECONDHAND DEALER | ||||||
| Secondhand Dealer - Valuable Objects | Secondhand Dealer | $1,100 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Secondhand Dealer - Non-Valuable Objects | Secondhand Dealer | $1,100 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| Secondhand Dealer – Children’s Products | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Finance | |
| Pawnbroker | Pawnbroker | $5,280 | √ | √ | √ | Finance |
| PERSONAL SERVICES | ||||||
| Immigration Services - More Information | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Massage Establishment - More Information |
Massage Establishment | $550 | √ | √ | √ | BACP, Finance |
| Nail Salon | Limited Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Salon/Spa Services | Limited Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| Tattooing, Body Piercing, Tanning | Regulated Business | $250 | √ | √ | Health Surveilance, Finance | |
| Tax Preparation - More Information |
Limited Business | $250 | √ | √ | ||
| TOBACCO - Complete Requirements |
||||||
| Retail Sales of Tobacco products and accessories | Retail Tobacco | $500 + $330/register 1 Year |
√ | √ | √ | BACP, Finance, |
| Business to business sales of Tobacco products and accessories | Wholesale Sales of Tobacco | $550 / 1 Year |
√ | √ | √ | BACP, Finance, Fire |