Business Licensing & Operations in Chicago, IL (2026)

Municipal Code of Chicago §§ 16-16-060, 16-16-070, 16-16-130; Zoning Ordinance § 17-9-0101

The owner of a building or premises... any part of which contains an adult use shall register with the department of business affairs and consumer protection... It is unlawful for the owner or person in control of any property to establish or operate thereon... an adult use without first having properly registered and received certification of approved registration. ... Adult uses may not be lo...

Municipal Code of Chicago § 4-6-320(b)(1)

Every applicant for a license to maintain, operate or conduct a massage establishment shall file an application, under oath, with the Department. The Department shall advise the applicant in writing as to whether the application has been granted or denied. If the application is denied or held for further investigation, the Department shall advise the applicant in writing of the reason for such ...

Municipal Code of Chicago § 4-6-060

an application for, and, if requested, a renewal of, a regulated business license to engage in the business of tattooing, body piercing or tanning facility shall be accompanied by... obtain commercial general liability insurance, with limits of not less than $300,000.00 per occurrence... It shall be unlawful for any licensee... to: (1) tattoo or to offer to tattoo any person under the age of 18

Municipal Code of Chicago § 4-64-200(a)(1), (b)

No person shall engage in any of the following business activities (for purposes of this section, "covered business activity") without first having obtained a tobacco license under this Chapter 4-64 authorizing the person to engage in such covered business activity: (i) wholesale tobacco dealer; or (ii) retail tobacco dealer. ... A separate tobacco license shall be required for each separate lo...

Municipal Code of Chicago § 4-264-010

It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of a secondhand dealer without first obtaining a license therefor for each separate place, premises or location where such business is to be conducted, or for each automated recycling kiosk. The license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be administratively categorized as either secondhand dealer or secondhand dealer – non-valuabl...

Municipal Code of Chicago §§ 4-240-020, 4-240-040, 4-240-170

No person shall engage in the business of a pawnbroker within the city without a license. ... The fee for a pawnshop license shall be as set forth in Section 4-5-010 ... Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter ... shall be fined not less than $2,000.00 nor more than $10,000.00 for each offense.

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-84-010(c)

Prior to relocating any unauthorized vehicle, the relocator or operator shall first obtain written consent from the owner of the private property or such owner's authorized agent to relocate the specific vehicle in question, unless the relocator has an agreement with the owner or agent to relocate all unauthorized vehicles from such owner's private property. Each year, beginning on the effectiv...