Wedding Planner Permit Requirements in Chicago, IL

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees, operate as an LLC/corporation, or file certain business tax returns. Free from the IRS. Sole proprietors with no employees may use their SSN instead.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Illinois Business Registration / Sales Tax License

   Businesses that sell tangible goods or taxable services in Illinois, or that have other IL tax obligations (e.g., withholding for employees), must register with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). Register online via MyTax Illinois.

   Official government source

   Free·1–5 business days

   Free

   1–5 business days

2. General Liability Insurance for Wedding Planners (not state-required)

   Illinois does not require a wedding planner to carry liability insurance, and no state license applies to the occupation. In practice, venues and hotels routinely require a certificate of insurance naming them as additional insured before a planner may work on site, and client contracts often require the same. If you have employees you separately owe workers' compensation coverage under Illinois law. The Illinois Department of Insurance regulates the carriers and producers who sell these policies and can confirm whether a company or agent is licensed in Illinois.

   Official government source

   No government fee. Premiums are set by private insurers based on your revenue, limits and event volume; there is no published rate.·Usually bound the same day online

   No government fee. Premiums are set by private insurers based on your revenue, limits and event volume; there is no published rate.

   Usually bound the same day online

1. Chicago Limited Business License

   Wedding planners operating in Chicago as sole proprietors, LLCs, or corporations need a City of Chicago Limited Business License from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). Event planning and wedding planning services are licensed under this general category. The fee is flat, not based on gross receipts, and the license covers a two-year term. If you run the business from your home instead of a commercial address, you need a Home Occupation (home based business) licence instead.

   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, 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, and clearing City debt or account holds before the license is mailed.

2. DBA (Doing Business As) Registration

   If operating under a trade name (e.g., "Perfect Day Events") as a sole proprietorship, general partnership, or professional service corporation, you must file a Fictitious/Assumed Business Name with the Cook County Clerk's Office. LLCs and LLPs are exempt (they register with the Illinois Secretary of State instead). Required before accepting payments under a business name.

   Official government source

   $50 flat registration fee·Registration same day to ~1 week; full process including required newspaper publication can take up to ~2 months

   $50 flat registration fee

   Registration same day to ~1 week; full process including required newspaper publication can take up to ~2 months

Official Sources

• City of Chicago — Business Licensing
• IRS — Apply for EIN

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