Last updated May 30, 2020

Illinois LLC
Business Licenses and Permits

After you form your Illinois LLC, you’ll need to comply with state and local government (county and/or city) license and permit requirements.

Your requirements are determined by the industry you are in and where your business is located.

Not complying with license and permit requirements is risky and can result in penalties and fines, or worse, not being able to conduct business in Illinois.

Types of licenses & permits you may need in Illinois

Below are some license and permits examples:

• Business licenses/tax permits
• Building permit
• Health permit
• Occupational permit
• Signage permit
• Alarm permit
• Zoning permit
• Alcohol & tobacco permit
• Liquor license
• Sales and use tax permit
• Seller/reseller permit

Do it yourself in Illinois

Illinois does not issue business licenses at the state-level, but you may have local requirements for licenses and permits, which may be enforced at the county, city, and local level.

Contact your county, city, and/or town:
You’ll need to contact the county, city, and/or town where your LLC will be doing business. They should be able to help guide you if your LLC requires any licenses and/or permits to operate.

List of all townships in IL:
https://www.toi.org/Resources/Develop-Your-Township

State page on Licenses and Permits
https://www2.illinois.gov/business/registration-licenses-permits

Register with the Illinois Department of Revenue
Illinois Revenue: How do I register with the Illinois Department of Revenue?
(more information on taxes found here in this lesson: Illinois Taxes)

Our Recommendation

There are nearly 20,000 licensing and permit jurisdictions in the United States and each has its own rules and regulations.

If you want to save time, we recommend hiring a professional service company (like IncFile) to do the research and prepare your applications.

They will provide you with a comprehensive package of all the licenses, permits and tax registrations required for your Illinois LLC, as well as the necessary application forms.

Next Step

After you’ve researched and obtained the proper licenses and permits for your Illinois LLC, you can then proceed to the next lesson: Illinois LLC Taxes.

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Forming an LLC shouldn't be so complicated. Our step-by-step guide will make the process a breeze – and no complex legal jargon! LLC University® teaches people how to form an LLC for free in all 50 states. We hope you find our free guides and resources helpful in your business journey.