Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States at about two point seven million residents and, as a home-rule city, runs its own comprehensive building code. Building permits are issued by the Department of Buildings under the Chicago Construction Codes — historically unique to the city and, in recent years, substantially aligned with the International Building Code while keeping Chicago-specific amendments.
This guide covers the Department of Buildings, the Chicago Construction Codes, the review and permit paths, and how contractor registration and the statewide codes work.
This guide covers work inside the City of Chicago limits. Unincorporated Cook County and neighbouring municipalities are separate authorities.
Chicago runs its own Chicago Construction Codes and its own Department of Buildings, distinct from Cook County. The codes have been modernized toward the International family while retaining city amendments, and the department offers different permit paths by project complexity. Contractors register with the City of Chicago — a registration separate from Cook County’s.
What requires a building permit in Chicago?
Illinois assigns building-code authority to local government, so for years different towns ran on different codes — and some had none at all. That changed with Public Act 103-0510, effective January 1, 2025, which requires a statewide baseline through the Capital Development Board: a jurisdiction that has not adopted its own building code must now follow the Board’s adopted International Building, Existing Building and Residential Codes. So the first question in Chicago is which local code and amendments apply — or the state baseline where none were adopted — and whether the parcel is municipal or in the unincorporated county.
Permit required
- New commercial, multi-family and residential construction, additions and change of occupancy
- Structural alterations, load-bearing changes, foundations, decks and retaining walls
- Electrical work — services, panels, circuits, solar and EV charging — under the adopted electrical code
- Plumbing under the statewide Illinois Plumbing Code, tied to a licensed plumber
- Mechanical and HVAC change-outs, and work affecting the energy envelope
- Re-roofing above the exempt scope, pools, signs, and demolition
Often exempt
- Minor repairs and maintenance replacing materials in kind
- Small accessory structures below the local threshold, where zoning allows
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry and other finish work
- Like-for-like fixture or appliance swaps with no alteration to wiring or piping
Because the code edition and its amendments are set locally, the exempt list and thresholds differ from one jurisdiction to the next — a project waved through in one town needs a full permit set in the next. An exemption from a building permit is never an exemption from zoning, the statewide energy or plumbing codes, or an electrical or plumbing permit. Confirm scope with the Department of Buildings before work starts.
The statewide layers that apply everywhere
Three Illinois codes apply statewide regardless of what a jurisdiction has adopted: the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, which you must meet even where a town does not actively enforce it; the Illinois Plumbing Code, owned and enforced by the Department of Public Health, which also licenses plumbers; and the Illinois Accessibility Code, which carries the force of a building code. In Chicago, the Department of Buildings administers the Chicago Construction Codes, which have been aligned toward the International Building Code while keeping city-specific amendments, and it maintains its own contractor registration.
Who handles permitting in Chicago?
The Department of Buildings handles plan review, permit issuance and inspections for the City of Chicago under the Chicago Construction Codes.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Chicago Department of Buildings |
| Code | Chicago Construction Codes (aligned toward the IBC) |
| Serves | Work inside the City of Chicago limits |
| Home rule | City sets and amends its own code |
| Registration | City of Chicago contractor registration (separate from Cook County) |
| Statewide layers | Illinois energy, plumbing and accessibility codes still apply |
| Filing | Online permit paths by project type and complexity |
| County work | Unincorporated Cook County is a separate authority |
The Department of Buildings reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction across the city under the Chicago Construction Codes. The city offers different permit routes depending on scope — from standard review to faster paths for simpler work — and requires contractors to register with the City of Chicago, distinct from any Cook County registration. As a home-rule city, Chicago sets and amends its own code.
The statewide Illinois energy, plumbing and accessibility codes still apply on top of the city code; plumbing in particular is tied to a state-licensed plumber.
Permit types
Residential permits
Residential work spans two-flats and single-family homes to large multi-family, all under the Chicago Construction Codes. Re-roofs, decks, porches, solar and EV chargers need permits, plumbing is tied to a state-licensed plumber, and contractors must hold current City of Chicago registration.
How Illinois contractor credentials work
Illinois splits contractor credentials between the state and the local jurisdiction. The state licenses plumbers through the Department of Public Health and roofing contractors through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. General contractors and electricians, by contrast, are licensed or registered locally — many municipalities and counties require contractors to register before they can pull a permit.
In Illinois the credential question has a state half and a local half. A plumber carries a state licence and a roofer a state registration, but the general contractor and the electrician are typically registered with the municipality or county that issues the permit. Confirm both halves before filing, since a missing local registration stops a permit as surely as a missing state licence.
Commercial permits
Commercial and high-rise work is among the most complex in the country, subject to full Department of Buildings review under the Chicago Construction Codes, the statewide energy and accessibility codes, and city contractor registration, with plumbing tied to state-licensed plumbers.
Registration, trade licences and design professionals
Practically, three credential layers appear on Illinois projects: local contractor registration with the Department of Buildings; state licences for plumbing and roofing; and, on commercial and larger residential work, drawings from an Illinois-licensed design professional. Confirm what the Department of Buildings requires for the specific building before filing.
Chicago permit costs and fees
Budget the city building permit and plan-review fees, separate trade permits, City of Chicago contractor registration, and any zoning review. Chicago publishes its own fee schedule, which differs from the county and neighbouring municipalities.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Based on project valuation or square footage; set by the local schedule |
| Plan review | A percentage of the permit fee or a flat charge, at submittal |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| Contractor registration | Local registration fees for the trades pulling permits |
| Zoning and impact | Local zoning review, and impact or capital fees in growth areas |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Additional fees for failed inspections, revisions and expired permits |
Illinois sets one useful certainty in law: once a permit is issued, the code requirements in effect on January 1 of the year you applied govern for the life of that permit, so a mid-project code change will not move the target. Fee schedules, though, are local and change, so a figure from a neighbouring town is not reliable — ask the Department of Buildings for the schedule in force on your filing date.
Need a real number for a specific Chicago project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the authority having jurisdiction, the code edition in force and the fee categories that will apply.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Trade permits are separate from the building permit and, on projects that require one, generally cannot be issued until the building permit is in place. Plumbing is the clearest statewide case: it follows the Illinois Plumbing Code and must be performed under a state-licensed plumber, wherever the project sits. Electrical work follows the locally adopted electrical code and is tied to a locally licensed or registered electrician.
Plumbing is the one trade Illinois runs uniformly statewide. The Illinois Plumbing Code and plumber licensing come from the Department of Public Health and apply in every jurisdiction, so a plumbing permit is tied to a state-licensed plumber whether the job is in Chicago or an unincorporated county. Electrical, by contrast, follows the local code and local licensing — confirm both.
- Electrical work follows the locally adopted code and a locally licensed or registered electrician.
- Plumbing work follows the statewide Illinois Plumbing Code and a state-licensed plumber.
- Mechanical work follows the adopted mechanical and energy codes; the contractor registers locally.
Permit required
- Service installations, panel upgrades, new circuits, solar PV and EV chargers
- New plumbing, repipes, water heater change-outs, fixtures, backflow and gas piping
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork, venting and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Sprinkler, standpipe and fire alarm work on commercial and multi-family structures
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Like-for-like appliance repair that does not alter the connection
How to apply for a Chicago building permit
Unincorporated Cook County is a separate authority with its own registration.
City registration is separate from Cook County’s.
Chicago offers review routes by project type and complexity.
Plumbing and roofing are state-licensed on top of city registration.
City amendments differ from the base International codes.
Use the department’s online permitting system.
Review, corrections and what actually causes delay
In Illinois, the first cause of delay is uncertainty over jurisdiction and the applicable code edition — filing under the wrong amendments, or with the county when a municipality should have it. After that come missing local contractor registrations, a plumbing scope not tied to a state-licensed plumber, energy-code documentation, and a submittal that did not match what the Department of Buildings requires. Build the review time into the schedule and confirm the checklist before filing.
Approvals do not stay live indefinitely. An Illinois building permit carries a validity period and can expire if work does not start or stalls. The code that applies is locked to the year you applied, but the permit itself still lapses — on phased or financed work, confirm the expiry before it passes.
Inspections in Chicago
Where a permit is required, standard checkpoints include footing and foundation, framing, rough-in electrical, plumbing and mechanical, insulation and energy, fire systems on commercial work, and final, with a certificate of occupancy before use. The Department of Buildings runs its own inspection force across the trades.
Illinois is tightening inspector qualifications: from January 1, 2027, those who perform building inspections must hold International Code Council certification, with a grace period after hire. Confirm the notice the Department of Buildings needs and schedule around its inspection windows.
Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. Keep the issued permit, the approved plans, product listings, energy documentation and your correction responses available on site.
Chicago permit search and official resources
Permit records in Illinois sit with the local authority that issued them. Where the Chicago Department of Buildings is the authority for the City of Chicago limits, it holds the building permit, the inspection history and the certificate of occupancy. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, confirm that past work was permitted rather than assuming it was — and confirm the code edition that was in force.
Confirm the authority having jurisdiction and the code edition first. Illinois’s local-adoption structure — with the statewide baseline now under it — means the applicable code and amendments vary by parcel. Confirm current requirements, fees and review turnaround for your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Chicago Department of Buildings
- Chicago Construction Codes
- Illinois Plumbing Code (IDPH)
- Illinois Capital Development Board (statewide codes)
- Illinois DFPR (roofing and professional licensing)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a Chicago building permit?
From the Chicago Department of Buildings, which issues permits under the Chicago Construction Codes for work inside the city.
Does Chicago use the International codes?
The Chicago Construction Codes have been substantially aligned toward the International Building Code in recent years, but the city keeps its own amendments and administers its own code.
Do I register with Chicago or Cook County?
With the City of Chicago for city work. City registration is separate from Cook County’s; the two are distinct.
Does the statewide plumbing code apply in Chicago?
Yes. The Illinois Plumbing Code and state plumber licensing apply in Chicago as everywhere in the state, on top of the city code.
Are there faster permit paths?
Yes. The department offers different review routes depending on the project’s type and complexity; confirm which path fits your scope.
How do I run a Chicago permit search?
The Department of Buildings holds permit and inspection records for work inside the city through its online systems.
Simplify Chicago permitting with Alliance Permitting
Chicago runs its own construction codes, its own department and its own registration, so the work is more complex than a standard International-code town. Knowing the codes and the right permit path up front keeps a city project moving.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 22 years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Chicago because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We confirm city-versus-county jurisdiction and registration.
- We register the trades with the City of Chicago.
- We choose the correct Department of Buildings permit path.
- We assemble the plan set to the Chicago Construction Codes.
- We confirm state plumbing and roofing licences and track the review.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Illinois. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
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More Illinois permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Chicago permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.