# Chicago Business Licenses Scraper (`crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper`) Actor Scrape Chicago's open business license database - 100,000+ active licenses with business name, address, license type, activity, expiration, and GPS coordinates. Search by name, license type, neighborhood, or ZIP code. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Lead generation - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 4 bookmarks - **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars ## Pricing from $3.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Chicago Business Licenses Scraper Scrape Chicago's **open business license database** — over 100,000 active licenses with business name, address, license type, business activity, expiration date, GPS coordinates, and more. **Data source:** [City of Chicago Data Portal](https://data.cityofchicago.org/Economy-Data/Business-Licenses-Current-Active/uupf-x98q) — publicly available with no API key required. ### What can it do? - **Search businesses** by name, license type, business activity keyword, neighborhood, or ZIP code - **Lookup specific licenses** by license number - Filter by license status (active, revoked, inactive) - Retrieve GPS coordinates for location-based analysis ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `mode` | select | `searchBusinesses` or `getBusinessProfile` | | `query` | string | Partial match on legal name or DBA name | | `licenseType` | string | Filter by license description (e.g. "Retail Food Establishment") | | `businessActivity` | string | Filter by activity keyword (e.g. "attorney", "food") | | `neighborhood` | select | Chicago neighborhood (e.g. "LOOP", "LINCOLN PARK") | | `zipCode` | string | Chicago ZIP code (e.g. "60601") | | `licenseStatus` | select | `AAI` (active), `AAC` (conditional), `REV` (revoked) | | `licenseNumbers` | array | License numbers for `getBusinessProfile` mode | | `maxItems` | integer | Max records to return (default: 100, max: 10,000) | ### Output Each record contains: ```json { "licenseId": "3082190", "licenseNumber": "2818291", "legalName": "ALTRUISTIC ESTHETICS INC.", "doingBusinessAsName": "ALTRUISTIC ESTHETICS", "address": "4809 N RAVENSWOOD AVE 116", "city": "CHICAGO", "state": "IL", "zipCode": "60640", "neighborhood": "UPTOWN", "communityAreaName": "UPTOWN", "licenseDescription": "Limited Business License", "businessActivities": ["Skincare Services", "Provide Waxing Services"], "primaryActivity": "Skincare Services", "licenseStatusCode": "AAI", "licenseStatus": "Active (Issued)", "licenseStartDate": "2026-11-16", "expirationDate": "2027-11-15", "latitude": 41.9650268, "longitude": -87.6665356, "sourceUrl": "https://data.cityofchicago.org/resource/uupf-x98q.json?license_number=2818291", "recordType": "businessLicense", "scrapedAt": "2026-05-30T10:00:00+00:00" } ```` ### Use Cases - **Business prospecting** — find businesses by type or neighborhood - **Market research** — analyze business density by area or industry - **Competitive intelligence** — track restaurant, law firm, or retail openings - **Data journalism** — investigate business license patterns in Chicago ### FAQs **Is this free to use?** Yes — the data comes from Chicago's open data portal and requires no API key. **How current is the data?** The City of Chicago updates the dataset daily. **Can I search by attorney or law firm?** Yes — use `businessActivity: "attorney"` or `query: "law"`. **What neighborhoods are available?** All 77 Chicago community areas plus named neighborhoods. Use the neighborhood dropdown in the input schema. **Does it work globally?** This scraper is specific to the City of Chicago. For other cities, open data portals (data.cityofla.org, data.cityofnewyork.us, etc.) offer similar datasets. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): What to fetch from the Chicago Business Licenses database. ## `query` (type: `string`): Search by legal name or doing-business-as name (partial match, case-insensitive). Example: 'restaurant', 'coffee', 'salon'. ## `licenseType` (type: `string`): Filter by license description. Example: 'Retail Food Establishment', 'Limited Business License', 'Tavern'. ## `businessActivity` (type: `string`): Filter by business activity description keyword. Example: 'attorney', 'food', 'retail'. ## `neighborhood` (type: `string`): Filter by Chicago neighborhood name (exact match). Example: 'LOOP', 'LINCOLN PARK', 'WICKER PARK', 'UPTOWN'. ## `zipCode` (type: `string`): Filter by ZIP code. Example: '60601', '60614'. ## `licenseStatus` (type: `string`): Filter by license status. ## `licenseNumbers` (type: `array`): List of specific license numbers to look up (mode=getBusinessProfile). Example: \['2818291', '1171257']. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of records to return. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "searchBusinesses", "query": "restaurant", "neighborhood": "", "licenseStatus": "AAI", "maxItems": 100 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `businesses` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped Chicago business license records. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "mode": "searchBusinesses", "query": "restaurant", "licenseStatus": "AAI", "maxItems": 100 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "mode": "searchBusinesses", "query": "restaurant", "licenseStatus": "AAI", "maxItems": 100, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "mode": "searchBusinesses", "query": "restaurant", "licenseStatus": "AAI", "maxItems": 100 }' | apify call crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/chicago-business-licenses-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Chicago Business Licenses Scraper", "description": "Scrape Chicago's open business license database - 100,000+ active licenses with business name, address, license type, activity, expiration, and GPS coordinates. Search by name, license type, neighborhood, or ZIP code.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "jTEWbQYcD1UZO23pK" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~chicago-business-licenses-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-chicago-business-licenses-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~chicago-business-licenses-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-chicago-business-licenses-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~chicago-business-licenses-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-chicago-business-licenses-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "mode" ], "properties": { "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "searchBusinesses", "getBusinessProfile" ], "type": "string", "description": "What to fetch from the Chicago Business Licenses database.", "default": "searchBusinesses" }, "query": { "title": "Business name search", "type": "string", "description": "Search by legal name or doing-business-as name (partial match, case-insensitive). Example: 'restaurant', 'coffee', 'salon'." }, "licenseType": { "title": "License type", "type": "string", "description": "Filter by license description. Example: 'Retail Food Establishment', 'Limited Business License', 'Tavern'." }, "businessActivity": { "title": "Business activity keyword", "type": "string", "description": "Filter by business activity description keyword. Example: 'attorney', 'food', 'retail'." }, "neighborhood": { "title": "Neighborhood", "enum": [ "", "LOOP", "NEAR NORTH SIDE", "LINCOLN PARK", "LAKEVIEW", "WICKER PARK", "BUCKTOWN", "WICKER PARK / BUCKTOWN", "LOGAN SQUARE", "UPTOWN", "ANDERSONVILLE", "PILSEN", "BRIDGEPORT", "HYDE PARK", "BRONZEVILLE", "SOUTH LOOP", "WEST LOOP", "RIVER NORTH", "OLD TOWN", "ROGERS PARK", "RAVENSWOOD", "UKRAINIAN VILLAGE", "HUMBOLDT PARK", "AVONDALE", "EDGEWATER", "ALBANY PARK", "BEVERLY", "CHATHAM", "ENGLEWOOD", "GARFIELD PARK", "MORGAN PARK", "PULLMAN", "ROSELAND", "SOUTH SHORE", "WOODLAWN" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by Chicago neighborhood name (exact match). Example: 'LOOP', 'LINCOLN PARK', 'WICKER PARK', 'UPTOWN'.", "default": "" }, "zipCode": { "title": "ZIP code", "type": "string", "description": "Filter by ZIP code. Example: '60601', '60614'." }, "licenseStatus": { "title": "License status", "enum": [ "", "AAC", "AAI", "REV", "REVOKED", "INACTIVE" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by license status.", "default": "AAI" }, "licenseNumbers": { "title": "License numbers (mode=getBusinessProfile)", "type": "array", "description": "List of specific license numbers to look up (mode=getBusinessProfile). Example: ['2818291', '1171257'].", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 10000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of records to return.", "default": 100 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```