City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Small Business Center (IL)

Please Note

We are a service company that can help you file with the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Small Business Center (IL). We are not associated with this nor any other government agency. We offer paid services and software to help you file. You are not required to purchase our service to file - you may file directly with this agency without using our service.

Contact Information

Mailing address:
121 North LaSalle Street
Room 800
Chicago, IL 60602

Phone: (312) 744-6249

Web: Home Name search

Licenses

We track the following licenses with the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Small Business Center (IL) in order to provide compliance services to our clients. As a client, you see this and other Compliance Core™ data in License Manager in-line with your licenses.

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Chicago Business License

Agency:City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Small Business Center (IL)
Law:

Municipal Code of Chicago § 4-4-010

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Automatic Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:
  • Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Naprapaths, and Osteopaths
  • Architects
  • Athletics (i.e. Professional Boxers, Boxing Managers, Referees,
  • Timekeepers, Judges, Boxing Promoters and Seconds)
  • Cemetery (Authorities, Managers, and Customer Service Employees)
  • Certified Public Accountants
  • Clinical Psychologists
  • Clinical Social Workers and Social Workers
  • Counselors (Professional and Clinical Professional)
  • Cosmetology Schools and similar establishments
  • Detection of Deception Examiners
  • Dentists, Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists
  • Dietitians and Nutrition Counselors
  • Engineers (Professional and Structural)
  • Environmental Health Practitioners
  • Funeral (Directors and Embalmers)
  • Geologists (Professional)
  • Landscape Architects
  • Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Nurses
  • Nursing Home Administrators
  • Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapist Assistants
  • Optometrists
  • Pharmacists
  • Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants
  • Physicians and Physician Assistants
  • Podiatrists
  • Private Detectives, Private Alarm Companies, and Security Guards
  • Real Estate Brokers
  • Respiratory Care Practitioners
  • Shorthand Reporters
  • Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
  • Surgical (Assistants and Technologists)
  • Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians
  • Wholesale Drug Distributors
  • ATMs not owned by financial institutions
  • Check Printers
  • Mortgage Bankers and Brokers
  • Savings and Loan Associations
  • Savings Banks
  • State Chartered Banks
  • Trust Companies
  • Credit Unions
  • Currency Exchanges
  • Money Transmitters
  • Title Insurance Companies
Notes:
  • Many business activities regulated by the state of Illinois, through the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR), are exempt from the requirement to obtain a Chicago Business License.
  • If additional business activities are offered in the establishment/facility, which are not covered by the State of Illinois license, then a Chicago Business License may be required. 

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Information for some license types can be found on the Business License Types page. The Business Information Sheet also gives applicants a glimpse at some of the questions that will be asked on license applications.

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

Depends on business activity. There is a $25 application fee for applying online. The fee for a Limited Business License is $250. Fees for other license types can be found here.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

Depends on business activity. The fee for a Limited Business License is $250. Fees for other license types can be found here.

Due:

Biennially

Chicago Business License - Home Repair

Agency:City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection - Small Business Center (IL)
Notes:

A City of Chicago regulated business license for the activity of home repair (home repair license) is required to engage in the business of fixing, replacing, altering, converting, modernizing, or improving any property primarily designed or used as a residence. If the work requires a building permit, a general contractor license is required instead of a home repair license.

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

In-person or online.

Agency Fee:

$250

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$250

Due:

Biennially by the date of issuance.

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