Chicago Adopts New 'Off-Premise' Liquor Tax

There's a new tax on liquor purchases in Chicago, this one targeting folks who acquire their booze from local stores for "off-premise consumption.

This tax applies to stores at which you purchase alcohol to consume elsewhere. This tax does not apply to bars and/or restaurants, but instead, local liquor stores and places at which alcohol is purchased.

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About Chicago's New "Off-Premise" Liquor Tax:

In effect as of Sunday, March 1st, 2026, the new 1.5% tax on liquor is now law in Chicago following two months of delays. The postponement was enacted to give retailers more time to implement the new system. A previous plan was to implement a per-gallon tax on retailers, which was scrapped in favor of this system.

Per NBC 5 Chicago, other "home rule communities" in Illinois have taxes on retail alcohol sales, one of which being Bloomington. The state too assesses taxes on liquor retailers and wholesale distributors for liquor. In 2025, the state collected over $300 million in taxes on liquor, per the Illinois Policy Institute.

The new tax will be added to customers' totals upon checkout at retailers that sell alcohol. For more information on Chicago's new "off-premise" liquor tax, visit NBC 5 Chicago's website.

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Gallery Credit: Angela Underwood

Source: Chicago Adopts New ‘Off-Premise’ Liquor Tax

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