Permit records
Chicago permit search
Chicago permit records are public. The jurisdiction publishes them through an online record search.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 13 official sources
- Project types verified
- 13
- in Chicago
- Median to issue
- 57 days
- 5,329 permits
- Search verified
- 12 Jul 2026
- we opened it ourselves
Search Chicago permit records
The official gateway to the public Building Permit and Inspection Records search.
Open the Chicago record searchApplying rather than searching? Use the Chicago permit portal
We opened this address ourselves on . Official government links only, and we check them on a schedule.
If the permit does not turn up
Older permits are often missing from online records, and a permit filed under a contractor's name will not surface in an address search that expects the owner. Chicago Department of Buildings can check the paper file.
- 121 N. LaSalle St., 9th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602
- Email: dob-info@cityofchicago.org
- Official permit page
- Official fee schedule
What needs a permit in Chicago
Every project type we have verified in Chicago, with the rule, the threshold, and the fee that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Permit triggers are set by each municipality's ordinance | ...remodel up to 500 sq ft with no occupancy or load-bearing change is a flat $250... |
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | Installation or alteration of a deck is $250 per dwelling unit served under the 2026... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...stand-alone schedule: repair or alteration of devices on existing circuits is $75... |
| EV Charger Permit | It depends | Electrical permits for a hardwired Level 2 charger are a municipal matter in Illinois | Not published |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fence 5 ft or less in height on private residential property does not require a permit; fences over 5 ft require a permit | Flat $150 for a nonmasonry fence up to 6 ft high per Table 14A-12-1204.2 |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | No permit to repair or in-kind replace a furnace, boiler or AC in a residential building... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | at-grade noncombustible (concrete or brick) patios not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement or story below, and not in the public way are exempt; taller, over-basement, public-way, or roofed/covered patios require a permit | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Repair or in-kind fixture replacement without altering in-wall plumbing is $75 per... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | pools with water depth greater than 48 inches on a lot with 1 to 3 residential units require a full building permit with licensed architect or engineer plans; shallower pools with volume under 5000 gallons may be exempt | Flat $400 to install a private in-ground or fixed pool or hot tub per Table... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | on a residential building up to 4 stories above grade, roof repair, recover, or replacement on a roof with a pitch of at least 2:12 needs no permit; on any building, roof repair limited to 25% of the area of a roof surface, such as patching, that does not involve cutting away or removal of part of an exterior wall or roof needs no permit; a building permit is required for any structural repair and any work on low-slope roofs | No permit to repair, recover or replace a pitched roof of at least 2:12 slope on a... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | single-story detached tool or storage shed under 150 sq ft and not more than 15 ft tall with no plumbing does not require a permit | A single-story shed 150 sq ft or less, up to 15 ft tall with no plumbing needs no permit... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Flat $225 for a rooftop solar PV system under 13.44 kW per Table 14A-12-1204.2, plus a... |
| Water Heater Permit | It depends | Whether a permit is required is decided by the municipality | No permit to repair or in-kind replace a water heater in a residential building up to 4... |