/ Zoning Reference Guide The Reference Guide summarizes zoning classification and primary business licensing requirements for common business types, but it is not a comprehensive listing of requirements. Anyone using this document should seek specific guidance from City of Chicago staff: Affairs and Consumer Protection (312) 74-GO-BIZ (744-6249) and Zoning and Land-Use Planning (312) 744-5777. BUSINESS/ : permitted by-right : special use approval required s (Indoor) Sports and Participant b b a s (Outdoor) Sports and Participant b b a Animal Hospital Animal b 4 b Veterinary Hospital Animal Pounds/ Kennels Animal Animal Care Facility 4 5 Antique Shops & Collectibles Second Hand Dealer and/or Apparel Shops Arcades (Video) Arcade b b a Artist Live/Work Space Located above the ground Residential/ Household Living Artist Live/Work Space Located on the ground floor Residential/ Household Living Art Studio Artist Work or Sales Space Art Supply Page 1 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Art Galleries Artist Work or Sales Space and/or Assisted Living Facility (Elderly Custodial Care) Residential/ Group Living RT-4 4.5 5-5.5 6-6.5 DR Assisted Living Astrology, card reading, palm reading or fortune telling in any more form Fortune Telling Auto Accessory Store b b and/or Tire Facility, Class I, II or III Automobile Repair & Shops, (No body repair or painting) 4 5 Motor Vehicle Repair, Speciality (Class I), Engine Only (Class II) and DOE permit Automobile Body Shop, Repair & Shop, (Including Body Repair and Painting) b a/ b a/ b 4 a 5 Motor Vehicle Repair, Engine/Body (Class III) and DOE permit Automobile Sales (Indoor) b Automobile Sales (Outdoor) b Automobile Salvage Yard, (No Crushing) Recycling Facilities Class IV A a 4 a, DOE Permit Automobile Salvage Yard, Crushing Recycling Facilities Class IV B 4 a a b a, DOE Permit Automobile Rental (Indoor) b Automobile Rental (Outdoor) b Page 2 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Automobile Station (Gas Station) Gas Station Filling Station 5 Bakery - Retail Food and Beverage Retail Sales Retail Food Bakery - Wholesale () 4 Wholesale Food Banks Financial b Barber Shop Personal B Banquet Hall Entertainment and Spectators Sports and/or Retail Food Battery and Tire Stations and or Tire Facility, Class I, II, III Beauty Salon Personal B Beauty Supply Page 3 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Bed and Breakfast Lodging RT-4 DR 4.5 5.- 5.5 6-6.5 Bed and Breakfast Bicycle Sales and Repair Stores and/or Second Hand Dealer Bicycle Rentals Billiard Parlors Sports and Participant (Indoor) a b b Blue-Printing Support 4 Board-Up Building Maintenance 4 5 Board-Up Work Boat Showrooms/ Sales (Outdoor) b Boat Showrooms/ Sales (Indoor) b Body Piercing Facility Body Art Body Piercing Book Stores Bowling Alleys Sports and Participant (Indoor) a b b Page 4 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Building Contractor or Office Shops & Yards Sales and 4 5 Contractor, Home Repair and/or Building Maintenance Building Maintenance 4 5 Building Material Sales Sales and # 3 # 14 5 Equipment Sales Equipment Sales Trade Schools (Outdoor Storage or Manufacturing) () 4 # 15 Trade Schools Support 4 5 Camera Stores Candy Stores (P0 and/or Food-Retail Carpet Stores Caskets and Casket Supplies Page 5 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Catering s - 4 5 Retail Food and/or Caterer s Liquor Cement Contractor Offices and Shops Sales and 4 5 Cemeteries Funeral and Interment RS-1 RS-2 RS-3 RT- 3.5 RT-4 4.5 5.5.5 6-6.5 Children Activity Centers Sports and Participant (Indoor) Children Activity Facility Churches Public and Civic/Religious Assembly RS 1 RS 2 RS 3 RT 3.5 RT 4 RM 4.5 DR RM 5-5.5 RM 6-6.5 Cleaning Building Maintenance 4 5 RT-4 4.5 5-5.5 6-6.5 Clinic, Medical and Dental (Government- Operated) Medical a b Clinic, Medical and Dental Medical a b 5 Clothing Rental Stores Clothing Stores Page 6 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Clubs, Private Public and Civic/ Lodge or Private Club RT-4 4.5 5-5.5 6-6.5 Liquor - Notfor-Profit Club Coffee Shop Eating and Drinking s b 4 5 Retail Food Coin Laundry Repair or Laundry, Consumer and/or Laundry - Late Hour Coin Stores and/or Second Hand Dealers Community Centers Public and Civic/Communit y Centers, Recreation Buildings and similar Assembly Use RS-1 RS-2 RS-3 RT- 3.5 RT-4 4.5 DR 5-5.5 6-6.5 s Computer Sales & Equipment Sales, Electronic Repair and/or Retail Computing Center Consumer Loan Financial b Contractor or Offices and Shops Sales and 4 5, Contractor or Home Repair or Costume Rental Shops Page 7 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Currency Exchanges Financial b Dance Halls Sports and Participants (Indoor) B B A Day Care Center Public and Civic/ Day Care RS-1 RS-2 RS-3 RT- 3.5 RT-4 4.5 DR 5-5.5 6-6.5 4 5 Daycare s/ 2-6 years- /Under 2yrs- /Under 2 and 2-6yrs- ` Day Laborer, Employment Agency Support 4 Day Laborer Agency 5 Delicatessen Eating and Drinking s b Retail Food Dental Clinics Medical 5 Department Stores Drug Stores Food and Beverage Retail Sales b b and/or Retail Food Dry Cleaning Receiving Stations Only (No plant) Repair or Laundry, Consumer 4 Page 8 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Dry Cleaning Plants Only - 4 5 Dry Cleaning Plants with Only Maximum Two Employees - 4 5 and/or Hazardous Materials Electrical Appliance Stores and/or Electronic Equipment Repair Electronic Data Storage Centers Office 4 5 Employment Agency Support 4 5 and/or Day Labor Agency Entertainment Cabarets Sports & Participant b a a b b b Exterminating Shops Building Maintenance 4 5 and/or Hazardous Materials Financial Institutions (except as more specifically regulated) Financial b Page 9 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Finger Nail Salons Personal B Florist Shops Food Stores Food and Beverage Retail Sales b b Food - Retail Frame Shop and/or Manufacturing Food Lockers Warehousing, Wholesaling and Freight Movement 5 4 Food - Wholesale Fuel Sales - Storage and Wholesale - A A 4 5, Manufacturing and/or Hazardous Materials Funeral Parlors Funeral Interment (P() Furniture Stores (New/Used) and/or Second Hand Dealers Garden Supply Stores Sales & Page 10 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Gas Station Gas Stations a b Filling Station 5 Gift Shops Glassware Stores Golf Courses Sports & Participant - Outdoor A B B B B A Green Houses - Commercial Sales & Grocery Stores Food and Beverage Retail Sales B B Food - Retail Guard Dog (No Boarding) Support 4 5 Guard Dog Guard Dog (with Boarding) Animal 4 5 A B Guard Dog and Animal Care Facility Haberdasheries Hair Braiding Salons Personal B Hardware Stores Page 11 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Health Clubs Sports & Participant - Indoor B B A A B B and/or Heating Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & A B 4 5 or Home Repair Hobby Shops Hotels Lodging Hotel Humane Society Animal Humane Society 4 5 Ice Cream Stores Eating & Drinking s B 5 Food - Retail Ice Sales Warehousing, Wholesaling and Freight Movement 6 4 Food - Wholesale Inter-Track Wagering Facility Entertainment & Spectator Sports Jewelry Stores / Second Hand Dealer Juice Bar Sports & Participant - Entertainment Cabaret B B A B B B Retail Food and/or Public Place of - Juice Bar Page 12 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Junk Yards, (no Automobile crushing) Recycling Facility Class IVA A A and DOE Permit Junk Yards, (with Automobile crushing) Recycling Facility Class IVB 4 A A B A and DOE Permit Kennel (Animal Pound) Animal A B Animal Care Facility 4 5 Laboratories, Medical and Dental Research and Testing Medical A B 5 Laboratories Laundry Facilities Repair or Laundry, Consumer Liquor Stores Food & Beverage Retail Sales Packaged Goods Liquor Loan Offices Financial B # 9 Locksmith Shops Repair or Laundry, Consumer Luggage Stores Page 13 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Machinery Sales & Equipment Sales and/or Electronic Equipment Repair DR Mailing Public and Civic/ Postal 4 5 Artisan 4 5 # 12 Manufacturing 4 5 Manufacturing a b 4 # 4 # 15 Manufacturing Intensive a a b a # 13 4 Manufacturing Martial Art Personal b Childrens Activities Facility and/or Masonry Contractor Offices and Shop Sales & # 3 # 14 5 and/or Home Repair *Trade license from DOB Massage s Personal b Massage Page 14 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Meat Markets - 4 5 Retail Food Medical Appliance Stores Monasteries Residential/ Group Living RS RS RS RT.5 RT RM.5 RM# 5-5.5 RM# 6-6.5 Monument Sales Motels Lodging Hotel Motorcycle Sales b b b Music Schools Personal b # 12 Children s Activities Facility and/or Musical Instrument Sales and Repairs Repair or Laundry, Consumer Nurseries (Horticultural) Sales & Office Supply Stores Offices, and Professional Commercial /Office PM 4 5 Oil Changes Motor Vehicle Repair, Class II 4 5 Page 15 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Optometrists Medical A B 5, sale of glasses requires a Orthopedic Appliance Stores Medical A B 5 Paint Pellet Arenas Sports & Participant - Indoor b b a a b Paint Stores Painting Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & # 3 # 14 5 DR Parcel Delivery Stores Public and Civic/ Postal 4 5 Pawn Shops Financial B B Pawn Broker Payday Loan Store/ Installment Loans Financial B B Pet Grooming Facility (No Overnight boarding or Storage) Animal b b b b Grooming Facility Pet Shops Animal b b b b Pet Shop Photographic Supply Stores Page 16 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Photography Studios Photostating s Support and/or Hazardous Materials Plumbing Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & # 3 # 14 5 and/or, Home Repair, DOB Trade license Plumbing Showroom and Supplies Sales and, Building Material Sales # 3 # 14 5 Pool Hall Sports and Participant (Indoor) b b a a b Poultry, Live Slaughter and Retail Sales Food & Beverage Retail Sales b b Retail Food Printing s - 4 5 RT RM.5 RM# 5-5.5 RM# 6-6.5 Public Parking Garage Parking, Non- Accessory Public Garage license RT RM.5 RM# 5-5.5 RM# 6-6.5 Public Parking Lot Parking, Non- Accessory Public Garage license Publishing - 4 5 Page 17 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Radio Broadcasting Stations Communication s 4 5 Radio and Repair Shops Repair and Laundry, Consumer and/or Home Repair and/or Electronic Equipment Repair Radio Sales Recording Studios Communication s 4 5 Recycling Facility Class I Recycling Facility Class I 4 5 # 11 and DOE Permit Recycling Facility Class II Recycling Facility Class II 4 5 and DOE Permit Recycling Facility Class III Recycling Facility Class III a a b a a b 4 a b and DOE Permit Recycling Facility Class IVA Recycling Facility Class IVA a 4 a and DOE Permit Recycling Facility Class IVB Recycling Facility Class IVB 4 a a b a and DOE Permit Page 18 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Refrigeration Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & # 3 # 14 5 Religious Institutions Public & Civic/Religious Assembly RS RS RS RT.5 RT RM.5 DR RM# 5-5.5 RM# 6-6.5 Resource Recovery Facilities Waste-Related Use, Resource Recovery Facilities 4 a a b a Repossessor Class A or B Restaurant Eating and Drinking Facility, B 5 Retail Food Restaurant, w/accessory Liquor Eating and Drinking Facility, B Retail Food and Consumption of Premises Liquor Roofing Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & # 3 # 14 5 and/or Home Repair Rug Stores Rummage Shops School Supply Stores Secondhand Stores Second Hand Dealers Security Support Page 19 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Self Storage Residential Storage Warehouse a b 4 5 # 7 Shoe Sales/Repair Stores Skating Rinks Sports and Participant, Indoor b b a a b Single Room Occupancy Residential/ Single-Room Occupancy RT DR RM.5 RM# 5-5.5 RM# 6-6.5 Single Room Occupancy, Class I or II Solid Fuels - Storage and Wholesale - a a 4 # 15 and/or Hazardous Materials and DOE Permit Sporting Goods Stores Stationary Stores Tailor Shops Repair or Laundry, Consumer Tanning Salon Personal b Tattoo Parlors Body Art Taverns Eating and Drinking s, Tavern B Tavern Liquor Page 20 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Theaters, Live Entertainment and Spectator Sports, Small Venue b b b b and/or Public Arts Venue Ticket Agencies Office Broker PM 4 5 Tire Facility, Class I Vehicle Sales, MVR 5 PM # 12 Tire Facility Class I Tire Facility, Class II Vehicle Sales, MVR 5 PM # 12 Tire Facility Class II Tobacco Shops Retail Over the Counter Tobacco Towing, (Indoor) Vehicles Sales a b a a # 4 5 Towing, (Outdoor) Vehicles Sales a b a a # 4 5 Toy Stores Travel Bureaus Office PM 4 5 and/or Broker Page 21 of 22
: permitted by-right : special use approval required Vacation Rental Lodging 4.5 RM5-5.5 RM 6-6.5 DR Vacation Rental Variety Stores Vehicle Storage, (Indoor) Vehicles Sales a b a a # 4 5 Vehicle Storage, (Outdoor) Vehicles Sales a b a a # 4 5 Ventilation Contractor Offices and Shops Sales & # 3 # 14 5 and/or Home Repair, DOB Trade Veterinary Clinic Animal, Veterinary b b a b b 5 Veterinary Hospital Wallpaper Stores Warehousing Warehousing, Wholesaling and Freight Movement 5 4 Watch Repair Repair and Laundry, Consumer Page 22 of 22