A City of Chicago business license is required to operate a hotel. A hotel is any building advertised as an inn, hotel, motel or similar establishment where seven or more sleeping rooms are rented to guests.

• If your business has fewer than seven sleeping rooms, see the other accommodations license types
• A Liquor License is required to serve liquor
• A Food License is required to serve food
• A Public Place of Amusement License is required to offer any amusement

• A debt check will be conducted as part of the application process. All City debt must be resolved for the license to be issued.
• A fingerprint-based background check will be conducted for all controlling persons as part of the application process.

• Documents required to identify the business depend on the business legal entity type. For more information, see the Required Documents page.
• Individual History Form for all controlling persons required to be fingerprinted
• Interior layout of room locations and fire exits within the hotel

• Submit initial business information in person or online
• Receive zoning approval from the City
• Complete and submit a full license application
• Get fingerprinted for a fingerprint-based background check. Every owner, corporate officer, or any person who has a 25% or more interest in the business will be prompted to get fingerprinted.
• Make payment for the license
• Undergo a City debt check. All City debt must be resolved for the license to be issued.
• Receive license once all requirements are met

For more information on license application steps, see the Business License Application Steps webpage.

$250 plus $2.20 per room license fee
$40 processing fee per controlling person required to be fingerprinted

In person: Visit the Small Business Center Visit Us webpage for wait times, location, and hours of operation.
Online: Visit the online business license application system.

1. Sleeping rooms belonging to the hotel cannot be intermingled on any given floor with sleeping rooms not belonging to the hotel.
2. Hotels must have a portable automated external defibrillator (AED) available on-site. Hotels with 250 or fewer guest rooms must have at least one AED, hotels with more than 250 guest rooms must have at least two AEDs, and any hotel with banquet meeting space of 4,000 square feet must have at least one AED on each floor with such a banquet space. See the Hotel Automated External Defibrillator Ordinance for more information.
3. Hotels must equip housekeeping staff assigned to cleaning, inspecting, or restocking guest rooms with a panic button so that employees can summon help in case of an emergency. Panic buttons must be provided by the hotel at no cost to the employee.
4. Hotels must develop, maintain and comply with a written anti-sexual harassment policy to protect employees from assault by guests. The hotel must provide the anti-sexual harassment policy to all employees and post the policy in areas of the hotel where employees can see it.

Hotel licenses are issued for a period of two years and must be renewed prior to expiration. For renewal information, see the Renewal page.

For questions, call 312.74.GOBIZ (744-6249) or 312.744.1944 for TTY, or email businesslicense@cityofchicago.org