Business License: Five Must-Know Facts Before Filing

Filing a business license with the City of Chicago can, in fact, go smoothly – especially when you work through a licensed expediter like Boomerang. But many applicants start the process confused and with misconceptions that can come back to haunt them later. Taking a minute to get clear up front information can save you hours of pain and hassle further down the road.

Here are the five most important things to understand about submitting an application for a Business License:

1. To apply for a business license, your business must be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Businesses applying for licenses must be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State and up to date on all amendments to the Articles of Incorporation (current list of owners, officers, etc.).

2. Business licenses are issued by municipalities (cities, towns) and rarely by counties or states.

Business licenses are specific to the town in which the business will reside. And unless you are a tattoo/hair stylist parlor, attorney, or architect, you need to file for a license. This means there is no way to apply for a state or county application to cover different locations of a single business. Each location must apply for its own license.

3. There is no standard application process – each municipality has its own application forms and requirements.

Because each town requires its own license, application processes vary from town to town. The City of Chicago, for instance, requires two separate applications – one for the business information itself, and a second that follows to check with the Zoning Department to make certain that the address is in a building that has already passed zoning requirements.

4. There are different types of business licenses to apply for.

It is important to know ahead of time which type of business license you will be applying for as some types of license applications are more complicated than others. Liquor and hospitality licenses, for example, are tremendously complicated. There are some law firms that make their livelihood simply on submitting liquor licenses alone!

5. The application process doesn’t end with submission.

Despite the submission of a correct and complete application, mistakes are often made in the actual license itself. It is important to carefully review whatever license is actually issued to make sure the information is correct.

Partnering with Boomerang to procure your business license is the surest way to navigate this difficult process with success. From providing an initial check with the Secretary of State to make sure you are in good standing, to helping you navigate the number and type of licenses you need – Boomerang can make sure you submit a complete and accurate application.

But our services don’t end there. When Boomerang serves as your expediter, we hand deliver the application and wait on-site until it is processed and a copy of your license is available for review – thereby catching any important mistakes or corrections to be made. This kind of service sets Boomerang apart from its competitors and can spare you the aggravation (not to mention time and money) of having to make corrections to an issued license.

Bureaucracy is never fun! But with Boomerang by your side, applying for a business license can be a smooth and successful experience.