If you are planning to operate a business in a commercial retail, industrial, office space, or restaurant, a Certificate of Occupancy may be required before you may obtain your Business License. 

Our Certificate of Occupancy/Business License application is a new, electronic process that is presented as a series of questions about your business. This streamlined process asks for all the information needed for both your Certificate of Occupancy and your Business License. A series of questions asks for the specifics of your business, when you will be available for any required inspections, what your anticipated opening date is, who the business contacts are, etc. Once you have finished answering the questions, your answers automatically populate the application, and you can sign it electronically and submit it to us.

When must a Certificate of Occupancy/Business License Application be completed?

If you are not performing any type of alteration work, and if you are:

• A new business coming to Schaumburg
• An existing business in Schaumburg that is relocating to another Schaumburg location
• An existing business that is relocating to another unit in the same location
• An existing business in Schaumburg with a change of ownership
• An existing business that is changing/adding services, and/or changing the size of the business space
• An existing business that is changing your Business Name/DBA

Please note that all existing businesses that are making any of the above changes should complete the application so that we can identify what level of village review is required. In certain cases, you will incur fees, and may need inspections, and in some cases, you will just receive a new Certificate of Occupancy with your new information. 

What happens next?

Once we receive and approve your application,  our goal is to contact you within one business day with any questions or clarifications, or with your approved application returned to you via email. We will also email you to confirm the details of your inspection. Once all inspections are approved, we will email you a link to pay for your Certificate of Occupancy and Business License by credit card.

 Current Fee for Certificate of Occupancy

• Less than 10,000 square feet: $205
• 10,000-49,999 square feet: $377
• 50,000 or more square feet: $727
• Additional fee if Health inspection is required: $88 added to the above amounts.

For Business License fees, see the village fee schedule.

Upon payment receipt, your Certificate of Occupancy and Business License will be emailed to you within one business day.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Community Development Department at (847) 923-4420 or Finance Department at (847) 895-4500.