Due to COVID-19, effective Thursday, March 19, 2020, all Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) licensing and permits will be conducted virtually/online and offices will be closed to the public until further notice. This includes the following locations:

· BACP Administrative Offices, 121 N. LaSalle St. Room 805

· Small Business Center, 121 N. LaSalle St. Room 800

· Public Vehicle Licensing Center, 2350 W. Ogden Ave. 1st Floor

· Public Vehicle Inspection Facility, 2420 W. Pershing Ave.

BACP will continue processing business license applications and renewals, where applicable, online or over the phone. Please visit www.chicagobusinessdirect.org or contact customer service at revenuecs@cityofchicago.org. Learn more about how to use Chicago Business Direct. Please allow for extra time as BACP staff are working hard to keep City services going under this disruption.

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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 meet in-person with one of our Business Consultants at the Small Business Center. Appointments are recommended for in-person license applicants and may be made by calling 312-74-GOBIZ (744-6249).



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.

The City of Chicago Venue Licensing Toolkit

Make informed decisions * Meet deadlines * Navigate requirements * Pass inspections * Present Legal and Revenue-Generating Entertainment



BUSINESS LICENSE GUIDE

A quick reference guide to specific licensing requirements: