Business Licensing & Operations in McHenry County, IL (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated McHenry County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Every adult business in unincorporated McHenry County needs a Conditional Use Permit and a $200 annual license before opening, per Code § 5.32.050 and § 5.32.060. Applicants are fingerprinted and photographed by the Sheriff's Police, and violations draw up to $500 per day.
McHenry County Adult Business License Rule
Significant RestrictionsMcHenry County Code §§ 5.32.050, 5.32.060
§ 5.32.050 ADULT BUSINESS LICENSE. An applicant for the operation of an adult business must obtain an adult business license after obtaining the proper zoning for the subject property. No person, firm, partnership, association or corporation shall operate or manage an adult business without first having obtained a license as provided for herein. § 5.32.060 LICENSE FEE. A. The Commissioner shall...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Operating a tattoo or body-piercing establishment in unincorporated McHenry County without a valid Illinois Department of Public Health registration is a declared public health nuisance under § 8.04.080(M). The rule folds the state's Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act and Body Art Code into County enforcement, so the County Department of Health can cite an unlicensed shop directly.
Tattoo Establishment Licensing in McHenry County
Significant RestrictionsMcHenry County Public Health Ordinance § 8.04.080(M)
M. Operating a tattoo and/or body piercing establishment without a valid registration issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health contrary to the provisions of the Illinois Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment Registration Act or the Illinois Department of Public Health Body Art Code.
Auto Repair on Residential Property
Unincorporated McHenry County bars any kind of auto repair or small engine repair from operating as a home occupation. UDO §16.56.050(I)(2) lists auto repair among the occupation types flatly prohibited at a residence, and subsection (I)(7) repeats the ban on vehicle and small engine repair services, closing off both a listed use and any repair-shop-style side business run out of a garage.
Auto Repair Ban for Home Businesses in McHenry County
Heavy RestrictionsMcHenry County UDO § 16.56.050(I)(2), (I)(7)
I. Home Occupations. 2. The following occupation types are prohibited as home occupations: any type of auto repair, any type of small engine repair, and retail sales of ready-made items. 7. No offensive noise, vibration, smoke, dust, odors, heat, glare, or electrical disturbance can be produced which is perceivable at or beyond the lot lines. Any type of vehicle or small engin...
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