New Chicago liquor tax officially goes into effect Sunday
Chicago residents making purchases at their local liquor store will notice a new tax on their bill beginning Sunday. According to the city’s Department of Finance, the new 1.5% tax on liquor will officially go into effect on Sunday after having been delayed by two months to give retailers more time to implement the new system.
NBC Chicago — Chicago residents making purchases at their local liquor store will notice a new tax on their bill beginning Sunday. According to the city’s Department of Finance, the new 1. 5% tax on liquor will officially go into effect on Sunday after having been delayed by two months to give retailers more time to implement the new system.
Officials say the new tax will replace the previous model which assessed a per-gallon tax on retailers. The new tax applies specifically to customers who are purchasing alcohol meant to be consumed off the premises where it is sold, according to officials. Numerous other home rule communities in the state of Illinois already have taxes assessed on retail alcohol sales, including Bloomington.
The state of Illinois also assesses taxes on liquor retailers and wholesale distributors for liquor, with the state collecting more than $300 million in taxes on liquor in fiscal year 2025 according to the Illinois Policy Institute. That money is separate from the new tax being assessed in Chicago, which will automatically be added to customers’ receipts at checkout.