Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
A Chicago liquor license is really two licenses: a state license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and a city license from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). Costs depend on your license class, location (some wards restrict alcohol sales), and whether you need a new license or a transfer. Budget for both fees, plus weeks of lead time before opening.
how does a liquor license work in chicago
Chicago runs a two-layer licensing system. You need a state retailer's license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) and a separate local license from the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, known as BACP [1]. Neither one substitutes for the other. Illinois law requires a license from both the state commission and the local liquor control commissioner before anyone sells alcoholic liquor at retail [2]. In Chicago, the mayor is the local liquor control commissioner by statute, and BACP administers day-to-day licensing on the mayor's behalf. That office issues city liquor licenses under classes tied to what kind of business you run: a full-service restaurant, a tavern, a package goods store, a late-hour venue, and so on. Illinois separately requires its own retailer's license, and both applications ask for different documents, so plan on filing two full packets, not one with a copy attached. If you're expanding from another state or opening your first bar in the city, don't assume the process mirrors what you did elsewhere. Illinois and Chicago both have their own quirks. Moratorium areas. Dry precincts. Proximity rules near schools and churches. A lot of first-time applicants miss these until the application bounces back. For a broader look at how state systems differ, see our state guides hub.
how much is a liquor license in chicago
There's no single number. Chicago liquor license costs stack two separate fees on top of each other: an Illinois state retailer's license fee and a City of Chicago local license fee, and both vary by license class and premises type. Confirm current amounts directly with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and Chicago BACP before you budget, since fee schedules get revised. What we can tell you with confidence: the state fee schedule is set under the Illinois Liquor Control Act, and the city fee schedule lives in the Chicago Municipal Code, both of which get amended periodically [2]. Full-service restaurant licenses, tavern licenses, and late-hour licenses each sit on different fee tiers, and license class also affects your closing hours and whether you can sell packaged liquor for off-premise consumption. Beyond the license fee itself, budget for a background check fee, a public notice/posting requirement, possible zoning or building inspection costs, and, if you're buying an existing license through a transfer, whatever premium the seller charges on top of the city and state numbers. A realistic total for opening a new restaurant or bar with a full liquor license in Chicago runs into the thousands of dollars once you count legal help, inspections, and insurance on top of the base license fees. Confirm exact current figures with Illinois ILCC and Chicago BACP directly.
what license types exist and which one do i need
Chicago's local license classes map roughly to how you plan to sell alcohol: consumption on premises (restaurants, bars, taverns), packaged goods off premises (liquor stores), or some combination with extended hours. The state license underneath it follows a parallel but not identical structure defined in the Illinois Liquor Control Act [2]. A full-service restaurant that wants to serve wine, beer, and spirits with meals generally needs a consumption-on-premises license class. A bar or tavern with a later closing time and no food requirement falls into a different class with its own conditions. A business planning to sell bottles and cans for takeout, like a liquor store or a grocery selling packaged beer, needs a packaged goods class instead, and combining both often means applying under two classes at once. Some license classes in Chicago also come with quotas tied to specific wards or precincts, meaning the city caps how many of that license type can exist in a given area regardless of demand. Check with BACP and your ward's alderperson's office early. A location in a quota-capped area or a dry precinct can kill a deal that otherwise looks perfect on paper. This is one of the most common ways a signed lease turns into a stalled opening.
how do i get a liquor license in chicago step by step
Getting a liquor license in Chicago starts well before you fill out a form. First, confirm your address is eligible: check zoning, check whether the precinct allows alcohol sales (Illinois local option law lets precincts vote themselves dry), and check for proximity restrictions near schools, churches, or hospitals that some license classes trigger [2]. Second, apply for your Illinois state retailer's license through the ILCC, which requires business entity documents, a floor plan, ownership disclosure, and background information on anyone with a financial interest above the threshold the state sets [2]. Illinois runs background checks on applicants, and any felony or certain alcohol-related convictions can affect eligibility depending on how recent and how serious. Third, apply for your city license through BACP. Chicago requires proof of the state application (or approval), a certificate of zoning compliance, a public notice posted at the premises for a set comment period, and often a community/alderperson notification step that other cities don't require in the same form. Fourth, once both applications clear review, you'll usually need a final inspection before the license issues. Realistically, back-plan from your opening date by at least two to three months for a new license application in Chicago, longer if your location needs zoning relief or falls in a contested ward. Transfers of an existing license to a new owner can move faster than a brand-new application, but they still require BACP and ILCC sign-off and aren't instant.
how to get a liquor license as opposed to a liquor licence spelling
"Liquor license" and "liquor licence" refer to the same document. "License" is the American spelling and "licence" is the British/Commonwealth spelling, and U.S. state and city agencies, including Illinois and Chicago, use "license" exclusively in statute and on all forms [2]. If you're searching for how to obtain a liquor licence in a US context, you want the same process described above: apply through your state alcohol beverage control agency and your local municipal licensing office. Outside the US, licensing bodies differ entirely. The UK, for example, licenses premises through local councils under the Licensing Act 2003 rather than a state ABC agency, so if you're opening somewhere outside the US, this article won't map directly to your process. Stick with US spelling and US agency names when searching, or you'll end up reading rules that don't apply to you at all.
how much is a liquor license in florida
Florida liquor licenses run through the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT), and costs depend heavily on license series and, for the most valuable class, county population caps that create a secondary market. Florida's quota ("3-PS") liquor licenses, which allow full liquor sales, are capped by county population under Florida Statutes Section 561.20, and in populous counties those quota licenses trade well above the state's own issuance fee because so few come open [3]. A restaurant that qualifies as a bona fide public food service establishment can often get an SRX or similar special license tied to serving food, which sidesteps the quota system entirely and costs far less than buying a quota license on the open market [3]. Straight state-issued license fees for beer/wine or restaurant licenses are comparatively modest. It's the capped full-liquor quota licenses in places like Miami-Dade or Orange County that can run into six figures on the resale market, because Florida limits new quota licenses to population growth and a state lottery/drawing process [3]. Because Florida's system is genuinely different from Chicago's, don't assume a number you read for Miami applies to Chicago or vice versa. Confirm current Florida ABT fee schedules and quota status directly with the division before budgeting, and see our Florida bar guide for more detail on how that market works specific to license type and county.
how do i get a bartending license and is it required in chicago
Illinois does not require a statewide bartending license to pour drinks, but Chicago requires alcohol servers to complete a responsible beverage service training program, commonly called BASSET (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training), before serving [4]. This is different from the liquor license your business holds. BASSET certifies individual employees, while the liquor license is issued to the business or premises. If you're asking "how can I get a liquor license" and actually mean "how do I get certified to serve alcohol," the two paths look completely different. Getting certified as a server usually means completing an approved BASSET course online or in person, which typically takes a few hours and results in a certificate valid for a few years, at a modest per-person cost, far cheaper and faster than the business license process [4]. Getting the business's liquor license is the multi-week to multi-month process described above involving the state ILCC and city BACP. Chicago's municipal code requires BASSET training for servers and sellers of alcohol at licensed establishments, and inspectors can ask to see current certificates during compliance checks, so keep records for every employee who pours or sells [4]. For a broader look at server training requirements across states, see our compliance and training resources.
can anyone take the bar exam
No. The bar exam that lawyers take to become licensed attorneys has nothing to do with liquor licensing, but it's a common enough search overlap that it's worth answering directly. Eligibility to sit for a state bar exam requires graduating from an accredited law school (with limited exceptions in a few states for law office study) and meeting that state's character and fitness requirements, set individually by each state's bar admission authority [5]. Each state sets its own rules, so nobody can simply register and sit for the exam without meeting educational and character prerequisites first. If you landed here searching for information on becoming an attorney rather than opening a bar or restaurant, check your state's bar admission board directly, for example the Florida Bar or the California Bar, for exact eligibility rules, since they differ meaningfully state to state. You can also look up an individual attorney's status through a Florida Bar member search tool if you're verifying credentials rather than pursuing your own admission.
can you serve alcohol without a liquor license
No, not for a business selling to the public. Illinois law is direct on this: retail sale of alcoholic liquor without both a state and, where applicable, a local license is illegal, and violators face fines, potential criminal charges, and forced closure [2]. This applies to a restaurant pouring wine with dinner, a bar mixing cocktails, or a caterer serving drinks at an event alike. Each of those activities typically needs its own license class or a special event permit. There are narrow exceptions. Private, non-commercial gatherings where alcohol isn't sold generally fall outside licensing requirements, and some one-off charitable or special events can operate under a limited special event permit rather than a full liquor license, but the rules for what counts as a qualifying event are specific and vary by state and municipality. Assuming you're exempt because an event is "private" or "just this once" is one of the more common and costly mistakes new operators make. If you're planning a soft opening, a pop-up, or a catered event before your permanent license issues, ask BACP and the ILCC directly whether a temporary or special event permit fits your timeline rather than serving under the assumption that a pending application covers you. It usually does not.
how long does it take to get a liquor license in chicago
Timelines vary widely depending on license class, whether your location needs zoning relief, and whether you're filing a brand-new application or transferring an existing license. A clean transfer with no zoning issues can sometimes move in a matter of weeks. A brand-new application in a location that needs a special use permit, community notice period, or ward-level approval can stretch several months. Because both the Illinois ILCC and Chicago BACP review separately, delays at either agency push your whole timeline back. Background check processing, public notice posting periods (often a fixed number of days set by ordinance), and inspection scheduling all add real calendar time on top of paperwork review itself. If you've already signed a lease and set an opening date, the smart move is back-planning: work backward from your target open, add buffer weeks for inspection and notice periods, and file both applications as early as your lease and buildout timeline allow rather than waiting until construction is finished. Most operators who miss their opening date by months, not weeks, didn't budget enough lead time for the license itself, not the buildout.
what does it cost beyond the license fee itself
The license fee is only part of the real cost of getting a bar or restaurant open with alcohol service in Chicago. Expect to budget for a liquor liability (dram shop) insurance policy, which most landlords and lenders require regardless of what the state mandates, legal or consulting help to navigate zoning and ward-level approval, BASSET certification for every server and bartender, and, if you're buying into a quota-restricted license class, whatever premium the current holder charges above the face value of the license itself [4]. If your buildout requires a certificate of occupancy change or health department sign-off tied to food service, factor those timelines and fees in too. Chicago often requires multiple department sign-offs before a liquor license actually issues, more than BACP's own review. One planning tool worth using early: a structured license roadmap that lays out every state and local requirement, fee category, and document you'll need, back-planned from your opening date. LiquorReady's $199 one-time State Liquor License Roadmap does exactly this, mapping the Illinois and Chicago requirements against your timeline so you're not discovering a missing document three weeks before you planned to open.
what mistakes push a chicago opening date back
The most common mistake is treating the liquor license like a formality you can handle after signing the lease and finishing buildout. In reality, zoning eligibility, ward-level dry precinct status, and quota class limits can all disqualify a location entirely, and you want to know that before you sign, not after. The second most common mistake is filing the state and city applications sequentially instead of in parallel where the process allows it. Since both the ILCC and BACP have their own review timelines, running them at the same time (once your documents are ready for both) generally beats waiting for one approval before starting the other, though confirm sequencing requirements directly with each agency since some steps do require completing one before the next. The third is underestimating notice and inspection periods. Public notice postings, community comment windows, and final inspections all take fixed calendar time that no amount of paperwork speed can shortcut. Build those weeks into your plan from day one instead of discovering them halfway through.
Frequently asked questions
how much is a liquor license in chicago
Cost depends on license class and stacks two fees: an Illinois state retailer's license fee from the ILCC and a separate Chicago city license fee from BACP, plus background check and inspection costs. There's no single flat number; confirm current fee schedules directly with Illinois ILCC and Chicago BACP before budgeting.
how do I get a liquor license in Chicago
Confirm zoning and precinct eligibility first, then apply for an Illinois state retailer's license through the ILCC and a separate local license through Chicago BACP. Both require entity documents, background checks, a floor plan, and often a public notice posting period before the license issues [2].
how to get a bartending license
There's no statewide bartending license in Illinois, but Chicago requires alcohol servers to complete BASSET (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training) certification, typically a short online or in-person course, before serving alcohol at a licensed premises [5].
how can I get a liquor license
Start by confirming your location is zoning-eligible and not in a dry precinct, then file both a state ABC application and a local municipal license application, since almost every US jurisdiction requires both. Requirements, fees, and timelines vary by state, county, and city, so confirm specifics with your local ABC authority.
how to obtain a liquor license
Identify the license class matching your business (restaurant, tavern, package goods), confirm your address is eligible under local zoning and any quota rules, then submit applications to both your state alcohol beverage control agency and your city or county licensing office, with background checks and inspections along the way.
how to obtain a liquor licence
"Licence" is the British spelling; US agencies use "license." The process is identical to obtaining a US liquor license: apply through your state ABC agency and local municipal licensing office, since the US has no single national alcohol licensing body outside TTB's federal manufacturer/importer permits [7].
how much is a liquor license in Florida
It depends on license type. Florida's capped 3-PS quota licenses for full liquor sales can trade for well above the state's issuance fee in populous counties due to population-based caps under Florida Statutes Section 561.20, while restaurant-qualifying SRX-type licenses cost far less and avoid the quota system [4].
how much is a liquor licence in Florida
Same answer regardless of spelling: cost depends heavily on license series. Quota-capped full liquor licenses in high-population Florida counties can cost far more on the resale market than the state's base issuance fee, while food-service-qualifying license types cost much less. Confirm current fees with Florida ABT [4].
can anyone take the bar exam
No. Sitting for a state bar exam to become a licensed attorney requires graduating from an accredited law school (with rare law-office-study exceptions in a few states) and meeting that state's character and fitness standards, set individually by each state's bar admission authority [6].
can you serve alcohol without a liquor license
No, not for commercial sale. Illinois law prohibits selling alcoholic liquor at retail without both state and applicable local licenses, and violations can bring fines, criminal charges, and forced closure. Narrow exceptions exist for private non-commercial gatherings and certain permitted special events [2].
how long does a Chicago liquor license take to get approved
It varies widely: a straightforward transfer with no zoning issues can take weeks, while a new application needing zoning relief, community notice, or ward approval can take several months. Back-plan from your opening date and file both state and city applications as early as your buildout timeline allows.
do I need a separate state and city license in Chicago
Yes. Illinois requires a state retailer's license from the ILCC, and Chicago separately requires a local license from BACP. Neither license substitutes for the other, and most applicants need to prepare two distinct document packets to satisfy both agencies [2].
what happens if my Chicago location is in a dry precinct
You cannot get a liquor license there. Illinois local option law lets precincts vote themselves dry, prohibiting alcohol sales entirely regardless of license class or willingness to pay fees. Check precinct status with BACP and your ward alderperson's office before signing a lease [2].
Sources
- Illinois Liquor Control Commission, About the Commission: Chicago requires a local liquor license issued through BACP separate from the state license
- Illinois Liquor Control Act, 235 ILCS 5/6-2 (Local Option; Licenses Required): Illinois law requires both state and local licenses to sell alcoholic liquor and allows local option/dry precinct votes
- Illinois Liquor Control Act, 235 ILCS 5/5-3 (State License Required): State retailer's license is required from the ILCC and fee schedules vary by class
- Florida Statutes Section 561.20, License Limitation by County Quota: Florida caps quota (3-PS) liquor licenses by county population, creating a resale market above state issuance fees
- Illinois Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) Act, 235 ILCS 7: Illinois law establishes BASSET responsible beverage service training for alcohol sellers and servers
- American Bar Association, Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements: Bar exam eligibility requires graduating an accredited law school and meeting state character and fitness requirements
- 27 CFR Part 1, Basic Permit Requirements Under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act: Federal alcohol permits from TTB are separate from state and local retail liquor licensing