Liquor Licenses
Applications for a liquor license or for a renewal of a license, to sell alcoholic liquor, can be made in person or by mail and are available in the Rock Island County Clerk's Office. You may also download the liquor license application (PDF), which will require Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Acrobat Reader, you may download it for free.
All applications for renewal of license must be submitted not less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the licensing period as established in the Rock Island County Liquor Control Resolution. All applicants for Class D licenses shall be submitted to the Commissioner a reasonable time prior to the date for which said license is to be in effect. Use the Renewal Application only if both sections 1 and 2 of the renewal application are unchanged from your previous application. Otherwise please complete the standard liquor license application. Download the liquor license renewal application (PDF).
Note: With the exception of a Class D license, liquor licenses are valid from May 1st through April 30th of each year (regardless of date of issue). Class D licenses are issued for a period of one day, not to exceed a total of three days within a calendar year. Download the Class D license application (PDF).
Bond
Every applicant for a license shall furnish a good and sufficient bond, the form of which shall be prescribed by the Commissioner, payable to the People of the State of Illinois for the use of the County of Rock Island, Illinois, in the sum of One Thousand ($1,000) Dollars. The condition of such bond shall be that if the licensee or his executor, administrator, or trustee, as the case may be, violates the provisions of the Illinois Liquor Control Act, or the Regulations of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, or the provisions of the Rock Island County Liquor Control Resolution, or the rules adopted by the Commissioner pursuant to the Rock Island County Liquor Control Resolution, as any of these may hereinafter be amended, said bond thereupon shall be forfeited.
The bond furnished by an applicant must be submitted with the application for a license, and must be approved by the Commissioner prior to the issuance of a license.
Eligibility for a License
No license shall be issued to:
- A person who is not a bona fide resident of Rock Island County
- A person who is not of good character and reputation in the community in which he resides
- A person who is not a citizen of the United States
- A person who has been convicted of a felony under any Federal or State law, unless the Liquor Control Commission determines that such person has been sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust after considering matters set forth in such person's application and the Commissioner's investigation. The burden of proof of sufficient rehabilitation shall be on the applicant
- A person who has been convicted of being the keeper or in keeping a house of ill fame
- A person who has been convicted of pandering or other crime or misdemeanor opposed to decency and morality
- A person whose license issued the Illinois Liquor Control Act has been revoked for cause
- A person who at the time of application for renewal of license would not be eligible for such license upon a first application
- A co-partnership, if any general partnership thereof, or any limited partnership thereof, owning more than 5% of the aggregate limited partner interest in such co-partnership would not be eligible to receive a license hereunder for any reason other than residence within the political subdivision, unless residency is required by local ordinance
- A corporation, if any officer, manager, or director thereof, or any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate more than 5% of the stock of such corporation, would not be eligible to receive a license for any reason other than citizenship and residence within Rock Island County
- A corporation unless it is incorporated in Illinois, or unless it is a foreign corporation which is qualified under the "Business Corporation Act of 1983" to transact business in Illinois
- A person whose place of business is conducted by a manager or agent unless said manager or agent possesses the same qualifications required of the licensee
- A person who has been convicted of a violation of any Federal or State law concerning the manufacture, possession, or sale of alcoholic liquor, subsequent to the passage of the Illinois Liquor Control Act, or shall have forfeited his bond to appear in court to answer charges for any such violation
- A person who does not beneficially own the premises for which a license is sought or does not have a lease thereon for the full period for which the license is to be issued. After the County license is issued, the applicant must also apply for a State of Illinois Liquor License.
- Any law-enforcing public official, including members of local liquor control commissions, any mayor, alderman, or member of the city council or commission, any president of the village board of trustees, any member of a village board of trustees, or any president or member of a county board; and no such official shall be interested directly in the manufacture, sale or distribution of alcoholic liquor, except that license may be granted to such official in relation to premises which are not located within territory subject to the jurisdiction of that official if the issuance of such license is approved by the State Liquor Control Commission
- A person show proposed place of business is not properly zoned for the sale of alcoholic liquor or which is not suitable for the proposed use or which does not have access thereto by means of a road, driveway, or highway suitable to motor vehicle traffic
- A person who owes any delinquent personal or real property taxes to the County of Rock Island
- A person who is not a beneficial owner of the business to be operated by the license
- A person who has been convicted of a gambling offense as prescribed by any of subsections (a)(3) through (a)(10) of Section 28-1of, or as prescribed by Section 28-3, of the "Criminal Code of 1961", approved July 28, 1961, as heretofore or hereafter amended, or as prescribed by a statute replaced by any of the aforesaid statutory provisions
- A person to whom a federal wagering stamp has been issued by the federal government for the current tax period
- A co-partnership to which a federal wagering stamp has been issued by a federal government for the current tax period, or if any of the partners have been issued a federal gaming device stamp or federal wagering stamp by the federal government for the current tax period
- A corporation, if any officer, manager, or director thereof, or any stockholder owning in the aggregate more than 20% of the stock of such corporation has been issued a federal wagering stamp for the current tax period
- Any premises for which a federal wagering stamp has been issued by the federal government for the current tax period
Additional information regarding Liquor Licenses is available in the Rock Island County Liquor Control Ordinance (PDF) or by contacting the Rock Island County Clerk's Office at 309-558-3564 or 309-558-3558.
Fees
All fees are subject to change, without prior notice.
License Fees
The amount of the license fees, payable to the Rock Island County Liquor Commission, for the respective classes are as follows:
- Class A: $1,320.00
- Class AA: $1,694.00
- Class AAA: $2,057.00
- Class AAA-1: $35.00 Per Event
- Class B: $1,100.00
- Class C: $550.00
- Class D: $82.50
- Class E: $1,100.00
- Class E-E: $1,320.00
- Class F: $907.50
- Class G: $100.00 per 5 events
- Class H: $2,794.00
- Class I: $200.00 per event
Filing Fee
In addition to the license fee, there is a filing fee of $115.50, payable to the Rock Island County Clerk.
Leased Premises
In all cases where the applicant is a lessee of the premises sought to be licensed, a copy of the applicant's lease shall be submitted to the Commissioner with the application for a license.
Mechanical Amusement Device Licenses
In order to operate mechanical amusement devices within your establishment, you must obtain a license from Rock Island County for each device.
Annual Fee: $25 per Machine
Under the provisions of the Rock Island County Resolution Number 5 - (4-19-77), you must make application for licenses for the following machines:
- Electronic Dart Games
- Jukeboxes
- Pin Ball Machines
- Pool Tables
- Video Games
- Other
Licenses must be affixed in a conspicuous place near the licensed machine. Download the Mechanical Amusement Device license application (PDF).
For Special Events, you will need the Liquor License Special Event Application. Download the Special Event Application (PDF).
