What Time Do They Stop Selling Alcohol in Illinois? You should to know all about

Illinois is one of the states in which drinking laws are often confusing as the state makes certain guidelines, however local governments are responsible for many of the specifics. This means that the hours of sale for alcohol in Chicago could not be as strict as the hours that are in Springfield, Peoria, or smaller towns in the suburbs. When you’re buying alcohol for a night out on the town, organizing a party or simply touring Illinois, it’s useful to know the time at which they cease serving alcohol within Illinois?

Let’s learn about the laws that apply to all states and the major city differences.

Statewide Alcohol Sale Regulations

Illinois does not have strict sales hours for all of its residents. In fact, it grants cities villages, towns, and counties the power to establish individual rules.

However the general guidelines of the state permit sales of alcohol:

Between 6:45 a.m. between 6:00 a.m. and at 2:00 a.m.

Local governments may reduce or extend these hours however, they are unable to accept sales that are later than:

3:00 a.m. on the weekdays
4. a.m. during the Saturday (into the morning of Sunday)

The extended hours are only available only to businesses that have specific late-night permits.

Retail Stores (Beer, Wine, and Liquor)

Alcohol in Illinois is available for sale at:

Grocery stores
Convenience stores
Stations of gas
Liquor stores
Big-box retailers

The exact hours of sale depend on the locality, however here are the most common retail sale times:

The majority of cities: 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 or 22:00 a.m.
A few suburbs from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
Regions with rural populations: Might require earlier closure times.

Stores aren’t allowed to sell alcohol after the local cutoff time, and self-checkout kiosks aren’t available for purchases of alcohol.

Chicago Alcohol Sale Hours

Chicago is home to one of the more flexible laws on alcohol in the entire state.

Retail Stores (Chicago)

Retail stores for liquor between 7:00 a.m. until Midnight (Mon-Sat)
Sales on Sundays: 7:15 a.m. until midnight.
Grocery stores could open sales on alcohol at the time of 6:00 a.m.

Bars and Restaurants (Chicago)

Standard hours: Serve alcohol until 2:00 a.m.
Permits for later hours Serving until 4 a.m. (and until the time of 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday night or Sunday morning)

Not all communities permit late-hour hours due to local regulations.

Bars and Restaurants Across Illinois

The majority of Illinois communities permit bars and restaurants to serve alcohol after:

11:30 a.m. or at 2:00 a.m.

Certain towns might close earlier, usually around 11:15 p.m. or even midnight.
Larger cities–Peoria, Champaign, Springfield, and Rockford–often permit service until 22:00 a.m.

“Last call” typically happens between 20 and 30 minutes prior to the cutoff date.

Sunday Alcohol Sales

Illinois used to have stricter rules for Sundays however, the majority of states have revoked them. Today:

Sunday alcohol sales typically have the same timings as the other days.
Some towns begin sales on Sundays in the morning at 10:15 a.m. instead of between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m.

Holiday Alcohol Sales

Illinois doesn’t not prohibit sales of alcohol during significant celebrations.
Whether stores open on holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas depends on the following factors:

Store policies
Local business operating rules for businesses

Bars are open on certain weekends unless their license or local law requires otherwise.

Why Local Rules Matter

Illinois is among the states with the highest local control of alcohol across the U.S. This means sale hours can change block-to-block–especially in the Chicago suburbs. If you’re a resident or just a visitor, ensuring you’ve checked local regulations will help you stay from unexpected surprise.