McHenry County, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Adult Entertainment (2026)

Chapter 5.32, the county's Adult Businesses ordinance, requires an operator to obtain proper zoning first: all adult businesses require a Conditional Use Permit under the definitions in § 5.32.020.11, and only after that can the operator apply for the adult business license itself under § 5.32.050. The license runs from May 1 through April 30 each year and costs $200 (§ 5.32.060A). Every applicant must be fingerprinted and photographed by the McHenry County Sheriff's Police Department as part of the application, with the photos kept in the Commission's files (§ 5.32.060C).

Applications go under oath to the Commissioner, who is the Chairman of the County Board acting as head of the McHenry County Liquor and License Committee, sitting as the Liquor Control Commission for adult business purposes (§ 5.32.030), and must disclose the applicant's name and Social Security number, the business location, hours of operation, and, for a corporation, every officer, director, and stockholder owning 5% or more (§ 5.32.070). Each department that receives a copy, including the Sheriff's Department, has thirty business days to investigate and sign off; the Commissioner has forty-five business days to issue or deny a license, or it is deemed issued for a consecutive term (§ 5.32.090, § 5.32.100C.3).

Licensed premises must permit Sheriff's Police inspections at any time (§ 5.32.110), and the license itself must be framed and hung in plain view on the premises (§ 5.32.120).