Liquor Licenses
In the State of Illinois, the Mayor serves as the Local Liquor Commissioner and oversees all applications, licenses and violations. All annual and special events liquor licenses are issued by the Local Liquor Commissioner. The City Council determines the number, kind and classification of liquor licenses. Any questions may be directed to the Mayor's Office regarding the availability of liquor licenses or the local liquor ordinance. The Mayor's Office phone is 217-479-4610 or contact the Mayor by email at mayor@jacksonvilleil.gov.
LIQUOR LICENSE PROCEDURES
1. Issuance of liquor licenses in the City of Jacksonville require submittal of a Liquor License Application. Applications may be obtained from the Mayor or his secretary during the Mayor's Office hours, Monday-Friday, 8:30a-5p or online.
2. Completed applications may be turned in to the Mayor's Office for review with the required documents, along with payment of the license fee as stated in the City's local liquor ordinance. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
3. After submission of the application to the Mayor's Office, the Police Department will conduct a background investigation of the applicant(s). After completion of the background investigation, the application is forwarded to the Mayor for his approval or rejection.
4. The Liquor Commissioner, then, following the application completion process, will present the application before the City Council at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting for First Reading. The application, once approved at First Reading, will be presented again to the City Council for its final vote of approval at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. A liquor license application is approved usually within 4-6 weeks. The applicant will be notified of their application status.
Please select from the left side navigation menu under Liquor Licenses, the type of liquor license you wish to make application for - New Liquor License or a Special Events Liquor License.
