Hair Salon Permit Requirements in Chicago, IL

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) - Cosmetology Salon Registration

   Illinois requires a Certificate of Registration for the salon location before any cosmetology services are performed for compensation, under the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985 (225 ILCS 410). A separate application is required for each location, and you may not operate until the certificate is received. IDFPR does not conduct a pre-licensing inspection; instead, every registered salon must complete an annual self-inspection on the Division's form (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1335) and keep it on file for 5 years. Registrations expire November 30 of even-numbered years.

   Official government source

   $40 registration fee (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100); renewal is $20 per year, i.e. $40 for each two-year cycle; restoration $40·Issued by mail after IDFPR approves the application; no pre-license inspection is scheduled. Allow roughly 4-6 weeks for paper applications.

   $40 registration fee (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100); renewal is $20 per year, i.e. $40 for each two-year cycle; restoration $40

   Issued by mail after IDFPR approves the application; no pre-license inspection is scheduled. Allow roughly 4-6 weeks for paper applications.

2. IDFPR Cosmetologist License (each cosmetologist)

   Every person performing cosmetology services in the salon must hold an individual Illinois cosmetologist license from IDFPR. Requires completion of a 1,500-hour approved cosmetology program and passing the licensing examination administered by IDFPR's testing vendor. Licenses renew on a two-year cycle with 14 hours of continuing education.

   Official government source

   $30 license fee plus the examination fee charged by IDFPR's testing vendor (the cosmetology exam fee is $200 effective October 1, 2026); renewal is $25 per year, i.e. $50 for each two-year cycle; restoration $50 plus lapsed renewal fees (capped at $200); licensure by endorsement from another state is $45·Roughly 4-8 weeks after passing the examination and filing a complete application

   $30 license fee plus the examination fee charged by IDFPR's testing vendor (the cosmetology exam fee is $200 effective October 1, 2026); renewal is $25 per year, i.e. $50 for each two-year cycle; restoration $50 plus lapsed renewal fees (capped at $200); licensure by endorsement from another state is $45

   Roughly 4-8 weeks after passing the examination and filing a complete application

3. Illinois Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Registration

   Required to collect and remit Illinois sales tax on retail product sales in the salon. Hair services are generally not taxable in Illinois; retail product sales are subject to the combined 10.50% Chicago sales tax rate (effective 8/1/2026). Register free with the Illinois DOR.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

   Free

   Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

1. City of Chicago Limited Business License (Hair Salon)

   Hair salons and cosmetology establishments operating in the City of Chicago need a Limited Business License from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), in addition to the state licensure your cosmetologists hold from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. If the salon is within 1,000 feet of another personal services establishment, a Special Use Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals is also required. The license certificate must be displayed in the salon and renewed every 2 years.

   Official government source

   $500 license fee (Limited Business License, issued for two years; fee effective January 1, 2026)·BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The process runs through submitting a business information sheet, zoning approval (plus a Special Use Permit if within 1,000 feet of another personal services establishment), the full application, payment, and clearing City debt or account holds.

   $500 license fee (Limited Business License, issued for two years; fee effective January 1, 2026)

   BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The process runs through submitting a business information sheet, zoning approval (plus a Special Use Permit if within 1,000 feet of another personal services establishment), the full application, payment, and clearing City debt or account holds.

2. City of Chicago Building Permit (salon build-out)

   Construction, renovation, or a change of occupancy for a hair salon requires a permit from the Chicago Department of Buildings, including the plumbing for shampoo bowls, electrical work and ventilation. Most tenant build-outs are Level 2 or Level 3 alterations. Many smaller scopes -- nonstructural interior alteration, electrical work, plumbing work, mechanical (HVAC) work -- can be filed through the Express Permit Program online rather than the standard review track. Fees are set by the Building Permit Fee Tables issued under Section 14A-12-1204.3 of the Chicago Construction Codes Administrative Provisions and are calculated from the construction factor for your occupancy and construction type, the area of work in square feet, and a scope-of-review factor; the city publishes an online permit fee calculator.

   Official government source

   Calculated by formula from the 2026 Amended Building Permit Fee Tables (effective January 6, 2026). A minimum fee of $602 applies to all permits ($302 for temporary structures). For a Level 2 or Level 3 alteration to a single tenant space on a single story the minimum is $900; $1,800 if the work spans multiple tenant spaces or stories, and $3,650 if mixed-occupancy or tenant separations are created or reconfigured.·Days to a few weeks for an Express Permit; roughly 4-12 weeks for a standard-review permit depending on scope and revisions

   Calculated by formula from the 2026 Amended Building Permit Fee Tables (effective January 6, 2026). A minimum fee of $602 applies to all permits ($302 for temporary structures). For a Level 2 or Level 3 alteration to a single tenant space on a single story the minimum is $900; $1,800 if the work spans multiple tenant spaces or stories, and $3,650 if mixed-occupancy or tenant separations are created or reconfigured.

   Days to a few weeks for an Express Permit; roughly 4-12 weeks for a standard-review permit depending on scope and revisions

Official Sources

• Illinois IDFPR — Cosmetology
• City of Chicago BACP — Business Licenses
• City of Chicago Department of Buildings — Permits
• Illinois Department of Revenue — MyTax Illinois

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