Supporting Information

• 10 Things Every Consumer Should Know About Credit
  
  Download the booklet - 10 Things Every Consumer Should Know About Credit
• 3 Simple Steps to Obtain a Business License
  
  To prepare yourself before applying for a City of Chicago business license, you must first decide what type of business you are interested in starting. Prepare a business plan that will suit your short and long term goals. We encourage you to visit BACP online for more information on business planning, connecting with resources and other important information to help you in being successful.
• ABC's of BACP
  
  ABC's of BACP - Learn about the Dept. of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the various industries we regulate, consumer protection services we provide, licenses we issue, and MORE!
• BACP Issues Post Storm Consumer Alert
  
  The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) cautions consumers about home repair con artists and other types of scammers who prey on residents who have suffered water damage to their homes or properties as a result of severe weather.
• Bill of Rights for Consumers Using Tax Preparation Services
  
  Tax payers in Chicago will now have recourse against unscrupulous tax preparers after the City Council passed Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Tax Preparer Ordinance
• Building Energy Use Benchmarking MCC CHAPTER 18-14
  
  The Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance was adopted in September, 2013 and seeks to raise awareness of energy performance through information and transparency.
• Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Other Office Locations
  
  Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Other Office Locations
• Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Hearing Schedule
  
  The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection holds hearings and community meetings in its Room 805 offices.
• Business License Forms
  
  Business License Forms
• Business Licensing: What Do I Need?
  
  BACP’S Small Business Center (SBC) is the city’s “one stop shop” for business licensing, public way use permitting, and connecting entrepreneurs to business resources.
• Cable Operator Contact Information
  
  For additional information, please refer to the company's website, or call the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection at 312-744-4052.
• Certification of Weighing and Measuring Devices
  
  All devices used for weighing or measuring, where products are directly sold to consumers, must be certified by the City of Chicago.
• Chicago Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
  
  Chicago Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
• Chicago Small Business Pride Week
  
  The City of Chicago's "Small Business Pride Week 2019" begins on Monday, June 24th, and concludes on Friday, June 28th. BACP's ChiBizPride campaign celebrates, and highlights, the contributions of the LGBTQ-owned businesses in Chicago, which leads up to the 50th annual Chicago Pride Parade on June 30th.
• Chicago Small Business Week
  
  Join us in celebrating Chicago Small Business Week by supporting our local businesses and/or starting your own! Starting on April 30th, through May 4th, we will be highlighting the following businesses: Monday - Restaurants and other Retail Food establishments; Tuesday - General Retail Stores; Wednesday - Home Improvement technicians; Thursday - Bars and Breweries; and Friday – Emerging Businesses. Please follow us on social media, with #ChiBizBlooms, on Facebook (/ChiSmallBiz) and Twitter (@ChiSmallBiz).
• City of Chicago Congestion Pricing
• City-County Collaboration on Cigarette Investigations
  
  City-County Collaboration on Cigarette Investigations
• Clean Indoor Air Ordinance
  
  Find information on the Clean Indoor Air Ordinance including where smoking is prohibited.
• Consumer Recalls
  
  The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) provides consumers with information about recalled merchandise and ensures that recalled products are removed from store shelves.
• Energy Disclosure Application
  
  The Application for Energy Disclosure is used to request gas or electric disclosures on a particular address and / or unit number.
• File a Business Affairs and Consumer Protection FOIA Request
  
  The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state law that provides citizens with access to public records.
• Filling Station Rules and Regulations
  
  The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) is pleased to present the draft of its newly updated Filling Station Rules and Regulations. This document consolidates and modernizes the three sets of rules that have been in effect over the past several decades.
• Freedom of Information Requests
  
  FOIA Requests
• Give Us Your Feedback
  
  The City of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection relies on feedback from our customers to improve services. We take customer satisfaction seriously and measure our performance based on your input.
• Home Repair Tips For Consumers
  
  The City of Chicago is offering consumers smart tips on how to choose the right contractor and how to detect red flags to avoid getting scammed by a rip off contractor.
• Information/Applications for Affiliations, License Managers & Brokers, and Taxicab Two-Way Dispatch
  
  Affiliation License Manager Broker Application / Information
• Keep Chicago Renting
• Know Before You Send Your Kids to School
  
  Information and tips to know before you send your kid back to school.
• Know Before You...
• Mobile Food Truck Licenses
  
  Mayor Emanuel introduced an ordinance passed by the City Council to expand mobile food vehicle operations in neighborhoods across Chicago.
• Mortgage and Foreclosure Rescue Scams
  
  Foreclosure Rescue and Loan Modification Scams
• NBDC Program Request For Proposal (RFP) Attachments
  
  Neighborhood Business Development Centers (NBDC) program Request for Proposal (RFP) "Attachments", i.e. RFP Details, Instructions, Forms, etc.
• Pedicab
  
  A pedicab is a human pedal-powered public passenger vehicle used to transport passengers for hire. A pedicab chauffeur is the person that drives or peddles and controls the direction and steering of the pedicab.
• Pharmaceutical Representative Licensing
  
  A “Pharmaceutical Representative” (MCC 4-6-310) – is a person who markets or promotes pharmaceuticals to health care professionals while both are within the City of Chicago for more than fifteen calendar days per year. Exemptions include: Medical Science Liaisons, Wholesale Distributors, and pharmaceutical representative managers or supervisors who do not interact directly with health care professionals while in the City of Chicago.
• Private Booting Information
  
  The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection licenses and regulates private vehicle booting businesses in the city of Chicago
• Public Vehicle Industry Notices 2020
  
  Taxi Industry Notices
• Purchasing A Mattress In Chicago
  
  Before buying a mattress, there are certain things every consumer should know.
• Refund Anticipation Loans (Instant Refunds). What Consumers Need To Know.
  
  The High Cost of “Instant Refunds” or Refund Anticipation Loans. Important tips for Consumers during Tax Season.
• Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Initial Microlender Trainee Candidates
  
  Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Initial Microlender Trainee Candidates
• Requirements for Conceal and Carry Signage
  
  Requirements for Conceal and Carry Signage
• Retail Tobacco Dealer Requirements
  
  Find information on Retail Tobacco Dealer. “Retail Tobacco dealer” means any person selling, offering for sale, exposing for sale or keeping with the intention of selling or exchanging at retail, tobacco products or tobacco accessories in the City of Chicago.
• Ride Smart Chicago - Passenger Information
  
  The consumer protection campaign is geared towards equipping the riding public with the important information they need when riding in one of the city’s licensed taxicab, pedicab, livery, rideshare, or horse-drawn carriage vehicles.
• Shared Housing and Accommodations Licensing
• Sidewalk Café Current Permits
  
  Listing of currently permitted sidewalk cafés in the City of Chicago. Sidewalk Café Permits are issued by the Public Way Use Unit of BACP at the Small Business Center (SBC) located in City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street, Room 800. To obtain a public way use permit, please contact us at 312.744.6249 (744-6249).
• Tax Preparer Business Information
  
  Tax Preparation businesses are required to prepare and submit a Disclosure Form pursuant to Municipal Code 4-44-030[1].
• Tips to Avoid Post Storm Damage Scams
  
  Avoid any so-called "contractors" that knock on your door, tell you they're working in the neighborhood, and ask if you need assistance. More Tips below.
• Tobacco Regulations
  
  BACP licenses the sale of tobacco products in Chicago. The rules for tobacco dealing in Chicago are in attached pages for your convenience.
• Transportation Network Providers (Ride-Hail)
• What to Expect During A Tobacco Investigation
  
  Find information on what to expect during a tobacco investigation including what an investigator checks to ensure that the business is in compliance with all the tobacco-related ordinances.
• Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Information
  
  If you need to order a wheelchair accessible taxicab, one free phone call can put you in touch with every taxicab company that operates wheelchair accessible cabs.
• Wholesale Tobacco Dealer Requirements
  
  “Wholesale Tobacco dealer” means any person making, manufacturing or jobbing cigars, or selling, offering for sale, exposing for sale, or keeping with the intention of selling or exchanging or delivering at wholesale, any tobacco, snuff, cigars, cigarettes or cigarette papers, including leaf tobacco or any preparations containing tobacco.