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Chicago Business Licensing
$25 UPFRONT FEE REQUIRED FOR ONLINE LICENSE APPLICATIONS
License applications made online will be assessed a non-refundable upfront $25 application fee. The upfront fee will be applied towards the final license cost.
The upfront fee enables the City to conduct its personalized application review process while ensuring reduced wait times for online applicants. Applications made in person at the Small Business Center are not assessed the upfront fee.
CURRENT ESTIMATED WALK-IN WAIT TIMES
Wait times may vary based on services requested.
Visit the Small Business Center to receive a ticket with your place in line. You may also obtain a ticket remotely before you arrive for certain services. Check estimated walk-in wait times before obtaining your ticket remotely, as you must be present in the Small Business Center when your ticket is called.
Business Licensing
Information on the business licenses issued by BACP and the requirements for those licenses.
Zoning Guide
Every business license, location expansion and change of location application needs to be reviewed and approved by Zoning before a business license application can be processed.
Liquor Licensing
Information on liquor licenses issued by BACP.
Public Way Use Permits
Items associated with a business that are on, over, or under the public way such as signs, canopies, awnings, and lighting require a BACP permit.
Shared Housing
Short-term residential rental activity is regulated by BACP. Use this link for information on how to register your residence as a shared housing unit.
Outdoor Dining
Restaurants and bars can serve patrons on the sidewalk, in curb lanes, or as part of a full street closure with an Outdoor Dining permit
Public Vehicle Licensing
Information on licenses issued by BACP for taxicabs, Transportation Network Providers, charter buses, chauffeurs, and other public vehicles.
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Small Business Center City Hall 121 North LaSalle Street, 8th Floor, Room 800 Chicago, IL 60602 Monday through Friday; 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. 312.74.GOBIZ (744.6249) or 312.744.1944 for TTY businesslicense@cityofchicago.org |