The City of Chicago will make its Small Business Center paperless by 2016 in an effort to provide efficient services for residents and business owners.
The $690,000 program will put licenses and permits online by 2016, which includes building permits, business licensing and special event permits.
“As more and more residents pay bills, apply for services, and file their taxes online, City government needs to keep up,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “With this investment we will bring small business services into the 21st Century by moving licenses and permits to the web, helping businesses and residents save time and money.”
The shift to paperless begins in 2014 with the launch of an online wizard. It will provide businesses with assistance in the licensing process, as well as help them determine eligibility for existing incentives and tax credits. Anyone looking to open a business or complete home and business renovations can also use this wizard for guidance.
Chicago officials said the project will benefit 6,000 small business owners and save 120,000 pages of paper per year.
The announcement came Wednesday after a roundtable discussion between Emanuel and small business owners.
