Roof Replacement Permit in Cook County, Illinois
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before re-roofing or re-covering a roof, and before any rafter replacement, skylight installation or repair, or chimney reconstruction.
Issued byCook County Department of Building and Zoning
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Roofs are named explicitly in the Cook County Building Code among the structures that require a permit before work begins, and the department publishes a dedicated Re-Roof Permit Requirements flyer. The submittal must include a plat of survey less than five years old marked with the work location, a full scope of work, the proposed roofing material and its fire class, the location and extent of ice and water shield, and how the roof will be vented. Every roofing contractor must hold a State of Illinois roofing contractor license and a Cook County contractor registration and must submit a signed letter of intent.
Who is pulling this permit?
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When a permit is usually needed
Before re-roofing or re-covering a roof, and before any rafter replacement, skylight installation or repair, or chimney reconstruction.
What a roof replacement permit costs in Cook County
How to apply in Cook County
In Cook County, a residential reroof permit application is lighter than for structural work: you state whether the scope is a full tear-off (roof replacement) or an overlay (roof recover), describe the covering material and its manufacturer instructions, and note the condition of the existing deck, since those facts determine which code path applies.
What most roof replacement permit applications include:
- State on the application whether the job is a roof replacement, which strips all existing layers down to the bare deck, or a roof recover, which leaves the old covering in place under specific conditions, since the two scopes are governed differently (IRC R908.3).
- For Cook County, a recover is only an option where the new covering follows the roof covering manufacturer's approved instructions or is a self-supporting system, such as standing-seam metal, that does not rely on the existing roof for support (IRC R908.3.1).
- Full tear-off must be scoped on the application instead of a recover when the existing roof is water soaked or deteriorated, is slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile, or already carries two or more layers of roof covering (IRC R908.3.1.1).
- For Cook County, the materials and installation methods described on the application must comply with the reroofing requirements of the roof-assemblies chapter (IRC R908.1).
- If the scope reuses existing slate, clay, or cement tile, damaged or broken pieces cannot be listed for reinstallation, and any rusted or deteriorated flashings, edgings, outlets, or vents uncovered during tear-off must be scoped for replacement (IRC R908.5).
General submittal guidance from IRC Section R908 Reroofing (text as adopted in the 2020 Residential Code of New York State, based on the 2018 IRC). Source. Cook County Department of Building and Zoning sets the exact checklist for Cook County.
Where to apply in Cook County:
Cook County Department of Building and Zoning
- Cook County Department of Building and Zoning, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 2830, Chicago, IL 60602
- Phone: 312-603-0500
- Email: intake.bnz@cookcountyil.gov
Roof Replacement Permit in Cook County compared with nearby Illinois localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Illinois schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | Permit required | Any size | ...Schedule, item 13-B ROOF RECOATING OR COVERING: Residential, Single-Family... | |
| Chicago | 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... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Cook County, most residential reroofs get two to three field inspections keyed to the scope of work: a deck or nailing check when sheathing is exposed or replaced, a final on the completed covering and flashings, and in some high-wind regions a dedicated check of mitigation measures added during tear-off.
- In Cook County: where the covering is fully removed and the sheathing is exposed, replaced, or added, inspectors check the deck and its nailing before any new roofing goes down, since the structural framework must be able to carry the new covering's loads (IRC R908.2).
- In Cook County: an overlay is only approved where it meets one of the code's listed recover conditions, such as installation in accordance with the covering manufacturer's approved instructions (IRC R908.3.1).
- In Cook County: flashings disturbed or replaced during the job are checked against the approved manufacturer's installation instructions, and metal flashing that will receive bituminous material must be primed before installation (IRC R908.6).
- In Cook County: a final inspection confirms the completed roof covering and its fasteners were installed as required for that material and per manufacturer instructions before the permit is closed (IRC R905).
- In Cook County: in some regions with strengthened wind provisions, reroofing an older single-family home also triggers inspection of supplemental deck-nailing and a secondary water barrier added during tear-off, on top of the base reroofing requirements (Florida Building Code, Residential R908.7 Mitigation).
- In Cook County: reinstalled existing slate, clay, or cement tile is checked against reuse limits at inspection, and any rusted, damaged, or deteriorated flashings, edgings, outlets, or vents found during tear-off must be replaced rather than reinstalled (IRC R908.5).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Cook County permit portal or by phone at 312-603-0500.
Inspection sequence from IRC Section R908 Reroofing and Section R905 Roof Coverings (2021 International Residential Code). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Roof Replacement Permit checklist for Cook County
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before re-roofing or re-covering a roof, and before any rafter replacement, skylight installation or repair, or chimney reconstruction.
- Budget the fee. Cook County Code of Ordinances Sec. 32-1, Building Permit Fee Schedule, item 13-B ROOF RECOATING OR COVERING: Residential, Single-Family $75.00; Residential, Multifamily $150.00; Non-residential, Minimum $210.00 plus $21.00 for each 200 square feet above 1,000 square feet. A $100.00 residential deposit is payable online and deducted from the final permit fee. Fee schedule codified through Ord. No. 25-2843, enacted June 12, 2025. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Cook County, a residential reroof permit application is lighter than for structural work: you state whether the scope is a full tear-off (roof replacement) or an overlay (roof recover), describe the covering material and its manufacturer instructions, and note the condition of the existing deck, since those facts determine which code path applies. Start at the Cook County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Cook County Department of Building and Zoning. Phone: 312-603-0500. Address: Cook County Department of Building and Zoning, 69 W. Washington St., Suite 2830, Chicago, IL 60602.
- Plan for inspections. In Cook County, most residential reroofs get two to three field inspections keyed to the scope of work: a deck or nailing check when sheathing is exposed or replaced, a final on the completed covering and flashings, and in some high-wind regions a dedicated check of mitigation measures added during tear-off.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a roof replacement permit in Cook County?
- Roofs are named explicitly in the Cook County Building Code among the structures that require a permit before work begins, and the department publishes a dedicated Re-Roof Permit Requirements flyer. The submittal must include a plat of survey less than five years old marked with the work location, a full scope of work, the proposed roofing material and its fire class, the location and extent of ice and water shield, and how the roof will be vented. Every roofing contractor must hold a State of Illinois roofing contractor license and a Cook County contractor registration and must submit a signed letter of intent. Always confirm with the Cook County Department of Building and Zoning before starting.
- How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Cook County?
- Cook County Code of Ordinances Sec. 32-1, Building Permit Fee Schedule, item 13-B ROOF RECOATING OR COVERING: Residential, Single-Family $75.00; Residential, Multifamily $150.00; Non-residential, Minimum $210.00 plus $21.00 for each 200 square feet above 1,000 square feet. A $100.00 residential deposit is payable online and deducted from the final permit fee. Fee schedule codified through Ord. No. 25-2843, enacted June 12, 2025. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a roof replacement permit in Cook County?
- You can apply through the Cook County permit portal or contact the Cook County Department of Building and Zoning directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a roof replacement permit themselves in Cook County?
- Under Illinois law (225 ILCS 320/3): Whether an owner can pull a building permit is a municipal question in Illinois; there is no state building-permit statute. At the state level, the Plumbing License Law requires that 'all plumbing shall be performed only by plumbers licensed under the provisions of this Act,' but exempts owner-occupants (and lessee-occupants) of single-family residences doing their own plumbing, provided the work meets Illinois State Plumbing Code minimum standards, is submitted for inspection by the Department or local unit, uses no unlicensed helpers ('shall not employ other than a plumber licensed pursuant to this Act to assist'), and the occupant has 'a current intention to live in such premises as his or her bona fide sole and exclusive residence for a period of not less than 6 months after the completion of the plumbing work.' Confirm how Cook County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Cook County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | ..."A. Minimum Fee (except uses of land not involving buildings) 73.50 plus $18.50 for... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Permit Fee Schedule, item 1-E SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS: 0 to 499 square feet... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Building Permit Fee Schedule, item 10-B FENCES: "Minimum Fee 100.00 Plus $2.00 for... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...item 2-M.C "Single-family dwelling air conditioning, minimum to 3½ tons and $21.00... |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Any size | ..."A. Minimum Fee (except uses of land not involving buildings) 73.50 plus $18.50 for... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Plumbing Permit Fee Schedule, item 3-P PLUMBING: "A. Minimum Fee 143.60 plus $20.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated above-ground pools accessory to detached single-family dwellings | ...Permit Fee Schedule, item 16-B MISCELLANEOUS FEES, Swimming Pool, minimum $105.00... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | prefabricated storage containers | ...Permit Fee Schedule, item 2-B PRIVATE GARAGES - SHEDS: "Minimum Fee 73.50 or $21.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...flyer: "The average minimum permit fee for any installation is... |
Roof Replacement Permit in other Illinois localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Cook County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this roof replacement permit page for Cook County was verified. 2 official sources: cookcountyil.gov, library.municode.com; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Cook County Department of Building and Zoning. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Roof Replacement Permit requirements across Illinois localities