Landscaping 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)

2. EPA/State Pesticide Applicator Compliance (if using regulated chemicals)

   Landscaping businesses that apply EPA-registered pesticides commercially must comply with FIFRA labeling/use requirements and typically need a state pesticide applicator/operator license (Illinois Department of Agriculture). The EPA Worker Protection Standard applies specifically to agricultural establishments (farms, forests, nurseries, greenhouses producing plants) and generally does not cover ornamental/turf landscaping services.

   Official government source

   No federal permit fee for FIFRA label compliance; Illinois Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator/operator licensing carries its own fees -- confirm current amounts with the Department·FIFRA label compliance is an ongoing obligation; allow time to sit the Illinois Department of Agriculture applicator or operator examination before applying pesticides commercially

   No federal permit fee for FIFRA label compliance; Illinois Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator/operator licensing carries its own fees -- confirm current amounts with the Department

   FIFRA label compliance is an ongoing obligation; allow time to sit the Illinois Department of Agriculture applicator or operator examination before applying pesticides commercially

1. Illinois Department of Agriculture - Commercial Pesticide Applicator/Operator License (if applying pesticides)

   Landscaping businesses that apply pesticides for hire in Illinois must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Each company must have at least one licensed commercial applicator at every facility location; the applicator passes the 100-question General Standards exam plus one or more 50-question category exams covering the sites where the company works (for landscaping, typically the ornamental and turf categories) and must supply a certificate of insurance. Employees who apply pesticides under that applicator's supervision are licensed as commercial operators, which requires only the General Standards exam. Pesticide application in and on man-made structures is licensed separately by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

   Official government source

   $300 for a 3-year commercial applicator license; $240 for a 3-year commercial operator license (commercial not-for-hire versions are $180 and $150)·The Department mails the license application after you pass the required exams; return it with the fee. Exams and licenses are valid for three years if licensure does not lapse.

   $300 for a 3-year commercial applicator license; $240 for a 3-year commercial operator license (commercial not-for-hire versions are $180 and $150)

   The Department mails the license application after you pass the required exams; return it with the fee. Exams and licenses are valid for three years if licensure does not lapse.

2. Illinois Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Registration

   Landscaping services in Illinois may be subject to the Retailers' Occupation Tax depending on the nature of services (particularly services involving materials/installation). You must register with the Illinois DOR to be prepared to collect and remit tax. Chicago's combined sales tax rate is 10.50% (effective 8/1/2026).

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

   Free

   Immediate (online via MyTax Illinois)

3. Illinois Secretary of State - Business Entity Registration

   If you operate as an LLC or corporation, register with the Illinois Secretary of State by filing Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation. Sole proprietors and general partnerships using a trade name must instead file an Assumed Business Name registration with the Cook County Clerk and publish a legal notice in a local newspaper; LLCs, LLPs, LPs, and corporations are exempt from that county filing.

   Official government source

   $150 Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation (Illinois Secretary of State); $50 flat Assumed Business Name registration with the Cook County Clerk, plus the newspaper's publication charge·10 business days for a standard Secretary of State online filing, or 24-hour service for $250 total. A Cook County assumed name notice must be published within 15 calendar days of registration, once a week for three consecutive weeks, with proof of publication filed within 50 days of the application date.

   $150 Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation (Illinois Secretary of State); $50 flat Assumed Business Name registration with the Cook County Clerk, plus the newspaper's publication charge

   10 business days for a standard Secretary of State online filing, or 24-hour service for $250 total. A Cook County assumed name notice must be published within 15 calendar days of registration, once a week for three consecutive weeks, with proof of publication filed within 50 days of the application date.

1. Chicago Limited Business License

   Landscaping businesses operating in the City of Chicago need a Limited Business License from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). This is the general license category for business activities that are not otherwise specifically regulated. The license certificate must be displayed at your place of business at all times and is renewed every 2 years through Chicago Business Direct.

   Official government source

   $500 for a two-year license (fee effective January 1, 2026)·BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The process runs through submitting a business information sheet, zoning approval, the full application, payment, any required inspections, and clearing City debt or account holds before the license is mailed.

   $500 for a two-year license (fee effective January 1, 2026)

   BACP does not publish a turnaround time. The process runs through submitting a business information sheet, zoning approval, the full application, payment, any required inspections, and clearing City debt or account holds before the license is mailed.

2. Chicago Forestry (Parkway Tree Work) Permit

   Contractors who trim or remove trees on City of Chicago property, in the public right-of-way, or on parkways must obtain a permit from the Department of Streets and Sanitation, Bureau of Forestry, for each job -- there is no annual 'Tree Trimming License'. A Certificate of Liability Insurance with a minimum $1,000,000 general liability limit per occurrence, endorsed to name the City of Chicago as additional insured, must be on file with Forestry (a faxed copy is valid for seven days only; the original must arrive within seven working days). Submit a Parkway Tree Work Permit Request to Forestry (fax 312-743-8044), indicating whether the work is on public or private property. A copy of the permit must remain in the vehicle at all times.

   Official government source

   no permit or annual license fee is published on the Bureau of Forestry's official permit page; the required cost is the $1,000,000 liability insurance certificate·allow at least 24 hours' notice per request, and 10 working days for tree removal requests

   no permit or annual license fee is published on the Bureau of Forestry's official permit page; the required cost is the $1,000,000 liability insurance certificate

   allow at least 24 hours' notice per request, and 10 working days for tree removal requests

Official Sources

• City of Chicago BACP — Business Licenses
• City of Chicago — Tree Trimming License
• Illinois Department of Agriculture — Pesticide Licensing
• Illinois Department of Revenue — MyTax Illinois

Related Guides