In a win for Illinois hospitality, bars, hotels, restaurants, liquor stores, theaters and other “1A” Retailer Liquor Licensees receive full license fee waivers for upcoming 2022-2023 renewals.
In a boon to Illinois’s hospitality industry, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission has announced the implementation of the liquor license fee reduction enacted by Governor Pritzker’s signing the 2023 budget.
The budget requires the ILCC to waive the license renewal fees ($600 online and $750 in person) (and sorry first-timers) for State of Illinois liquor license holders of retailer licenses designated as “1A” licenses (you’ll know by looking at your current license number, but basically, bars, restaurants, packaged goods stores, theaters, etc.).
This liquor license fee waiver runs from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, so everyone with a renewal applying in that period will find that they do not have to pay as they proceed to renew through MyTax or in person.
For those with further questions, the ILCC has published an FAQ on the matter:
Q: As a 1A licensee, am I still required to submit a renewal?
A: Yes. The renewal procedure itself will not change. All renewal procedures are the same as they have been in the past EXCEPT, that the payment option has been removed and you will see a message informing you that the renewal fee is being waived for the license period.
Q: I am an Illinois Licensee who holds a license that does not start with 1A (example 1B), will this affect my renewal fee?
A: No. Public Act 102-0699 is only for retailers that are classified as 1A license holders. If you don’t have a 1A classified license, the fee waiver will not apply.
Q: As a 1A licensee, will Public Act 102-0699 apply if I am behind on my fees or renewals?
A: No. The fee waiver only applies to State of Illinois license renewals that expire after July 1, 2022 and on or before June 30, 2023. If you are behind on renewals that have an expiration date on or before 06/30/2022 those license fees are still due.
Q: As a 1A licensee, if I want to make my renewal fee payment regardless of Public Act 102-0699, will I be able to do so online?
A: No. The option to make a renewal payment for 1A licensee’s is not available online.
Q: If a license hold (e.g. ILCC Legal Division, Department of Revenue Tax) has been placed on my account, will these holds need to be removed prior to license renewal?
A: Yes.
