Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States at about 2.7 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 licensing and the state 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. The city licenses general contractors and the main trades itself — including plumbers and plumbing contractors — separately from Cook County’s contractor registration.
What requires a building permit in Chicago?
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.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The statewide layers that apply everywhere
Three Illinois codes apply statewide: the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, which applies even where a town does not actively enforce it; the Illinois Plumbing Code, from the Department of Public Health, which also licenses plumbers (a local government may adopt a stricter plumbing code, and Chicago has its own plumbing and energy codes and licenses its own plumbers); and the Illinois Accessibility Code. Chicago is the main exception: it has its own Chicago Plumbing Code (Title 14P) and its own energy code, the Chicago Energy Transformation Code (Title 14N), as state law allows (225 ILCS 320/36; 20 ILCS 3125/45), and it licenses plumbers itself (225 ILCS 320/16). The Department of Buildings administers these Chicago Construction Codes, which have been aligned toward the International codes while keeping city-specific amendments, and it licenses general contractors and the main trades.
Illinois leaves building codes to local government, but since 1 January 2025 any local code must regulate structural design at least as strictly as baseline editions of the International Building, Existing Building and Residential Codes, and where no code was adopted the statute sets minimums for commercial buildings and new homes (Public Act 103-0510). Illinois codes and the statewide baseline
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. Its main office is the Department of Buildings, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 900, Chicago, IL 60602 (312-744-3449; 9th-floor front desk Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm); walk-in staff answer questions and take document drop-offs, but no permit applications are processed on a walk-in basis — professionals file electronically and meet staff by appointment.
| 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 general contractor and trade licences (separate from Cook County registration) |
| Statewide layers | Chicago has its own plumbing (14P) and energy (14N) codes; the Illinois Accessibility Code still applies |
| 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. Its permit programs include the Express Permit Program for most repair work and small improvements, Self-Certification, Standard Plan Review for work that needs architectural plans, and Developer Services for moderate to complex projects. A City of Chicago general contractor licence is required for most building work, distinct from any Cook County registration. As a home-rule city, Chicago sets and amends its own code.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Plumbing in Chicago follows the Chicago Plumbing Code, and a City of Chicago plumbing contractor licence is required for plumbing work in the city, even for a contractor licensed by the State of Illinois. Energy compliance follows the Chicago Energy Transformation Code; the Illinois Accessibility Code applies as it does statewide.
In 2025, building permits issued in Chicago authorized 3,916 new privately owned housing units, 371 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
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 done by a City of Chicago licensed plumbing contractor, and building work needs a City of Chicago licensed general contractor.
Commercial permits
Commercial and high-rise work is subject to full Department of Buildings review under the Chicago Construction Codes, including the city’s own energy and plumbing codes and the Illinois Accessibility Code, with city-licensed general and trade contractors.
Registration, trade licences and design professionals
Practically, three credential layers appear on Chicago projects: City of Chicago general contractor and trade licences (including plumbing) issued through the Department of Buildings; a state licence for 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.
Illinois licenses plumbers through the Department of Public Health and roofing contractors through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; there is no state general contractor or electrician licence, and many jurisdictions require local registration. Contractor credentials in Illinois
Chicago permit costs and fees
Budget the city building permit fee, separate trade permits, City of Chicago contractor licence fees, and any zoning review. Chicago publishes its own fee schedule, which differs from the county and neighbouring municipalities; the department’s online calculator estimates the building permit fee from construction type, occupancy type, area in square feet and project scope.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Based on construction type, occupancy type, area in square feet and project scope (DOB online calculator) |
| 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
Chicago runs its own plumbing rules. The city has its own plumbing code and licenses plumbers itself, as Illinois law allows a city of 500,000 or more to do (225 ILCS 320/16); a plumber licensed by the city or the state may work here, but the employer needs a City of Chicago plumbing contractor licence. Electrical work follows the city code and city licensing.
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
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Plumbing follows the Illinois Plumbing Code and a licensed plumber (Chicago licenses its own plumbers); electrical and mechanical work follow the locally adopted codes and local licensing or registration. Trade credentials in Illinois
How to apply for a Chicago building permit
Unincorporated Cook County is a separate authority with its own contractor registration.
City licences are separate from Cook County’s registration.
Chicago offers review routes by project type and complexity.
Plumbing needs a City of Chicago plumbing contractor licence; roofing needs a state licence.
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.
A building permit carries a validity period set by Chicago; confirm the expiry on phased or delayed work before it passes. Permit validity in Illinois
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.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I register with Chicago or Cook County?
With the City of Chicago for city work: the Department of Buildings licenses general contractors and the main trades. City licences are separate from Cook County’s contractor registration.
Does Chicago use the state plumbing code?
No. Chicago has its own Chicago Plumbing Code (Title 14P of the Chicago Construction Codes), which state law allows if it is at least as stringent as the state code, and it licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors itself. A plumbing contractor licensed by the State of Illinois must also hold a City of Chicago plumbing contractor licence to work in the city.
Are there faster permit paths?
Yes. The Express Permit Program covers most repair work, some small improvements and administrative changes, and the department issues many permits through it on the same day; Self-Certification is available for eligible projects; plan-based work goes through Standard Plan Review or Developer Services.
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 contractor licensing, 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 — 21+ 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 the licences each contractor needs.
- We check the trades’ City of Chicago licences.
- We choose the correct Department of Buildings permit path.
- We assemble the plan set to the Chicago Construction Codes.
- We confirm city plumbing and state 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.