Illinois business license lookup
Search Illinois's public license registries by business name. One search covers the state's IDFPR roster of business-held licenses and every current City of Chicago business license.
What this search covers
Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer ProtectionCity business licenses52,492on file
Every current City of Chicago business license: limited and regulated business licenses, retail food establishments, taverns, package goods and on-premises liquor, tobacco, home repair, peddlers, and motor vehicle services. Most businesses operating in Chicago need at least one.
Most common
Limited Business License, Retail Food Establishment, Regulated Business License
This registry lists licenses that have not yet expired. A business with several licenses appears once for each. A license that has lapsed does not appear.
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationState professional and business licenses48,390on file
Licenses and registrations IDFPR issues to businesses rather than people: pharmacies, real estate brokerages and branch offices, salons and shops, roofing contractors, professional service corporations and PLLCs, architecture and engineering firms, collection agencies, private alarm and detective agencies, and cannabis businesses.
Most common
BCENT SALON/SHOP REGISTRATION, PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, LICENSED ROOFING CONTRACTOR
This registry lists current business-held licenses. A license held by a person, such as a nurse or a broker, does not appear. This search also leaves out registrations whose number the state masks, and licenses that carry no expiration date.
Questions
01Why didn't a license I know exists show up?
This search covers two registries: IDFPR licenses held by a business, and City of Chicago business licenses. A license held by a person rather than a company, a state liquor license from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, and a license from a city other than Chicago all live in other systems.
02Are Illinois liquor licenses included?
Chicago's are. The city registry carries every tavern, package goods, and on-premises liquor license the city has issued and that has not expired. The Illinois Liquor Control Commission does not publish the state license as open data, so it does not appear.
03Does this replace the state's own lookup tools?
No. This is a convenience search across Illinois's public open-data registries. For a legal record, check with the issuing agency directly.
04How current are the results?
Both registries refresh on their open-data portals within days of a change. A license issued or renewed this week may not appear yet.
05Why does a Chicago business appear more than once?
Chicago issues one license per activity at each address. A restaurant that serves drinks holds a retail food establishment license and a consumption on premises license, and each is its own row.
Track licenses in Fernway
Fernway watches renewal dates for every license and entity you own, and reminds you before each one is due.