Under the Mayor’s Chi Biz Strong Initiative, the Expedited Restaurant Licensing (ERL) pilot program went into effect July 31, 2021.  The ERL process helps fill empty restaurant spaces quickly and enables new restaurants to open up to 14 days sooner. If you have seen a vacant restaurant space and want to open a restaurant in the previous space, the ERL pilot program is for you.  

The pilot program allows for a retail food establishment license applicant to open a new restaurant at a location previously occupied and vacated by another properly licensed restaurant, assuming the previous restaurant passed a Chicago Department of Health inspection on or after July 1, 2018, and that no structural, plumbing, ventilation or electrical systems have been changed. 

Expedited Restaurant Licensing (ERL) Pilot Program Process
Self-Inspection Checklist for Expedited Restaurant Licensing