Building permits in Chicago, IL

Short answer: In Chicago, permits are issued by City of Chicago Department of Buildings; of the 6 common projects we checked, 1 always need a permit, 0 do not, and 5 depend on the details.

Permitting authority: City of Chicago Department of Buildings. Applies inside Chicago city limits. Landmark properties and districts may need Commission on Chicago Landmarks review.

Permit rules in Chicago
Project	Answer	Verified
Deck	Permit required Yes for a new deck. Only in-kind repair or replacement of a small deck (no more than 6 ft above ground, landing 50 sq ft or less) or replaci…	2026-10-19
Fence	Depends on your project No building permit for a fence up to 5 ft above the ground (measured on both sides) that follows the Zoning Ordinance. Taller fences need a …	2026-10-19
Interior / bathroom remodel	Depends on your project Finish work (tiling, cabinets, countertops, painting) without plumbing or electrical connections needs no permit. Replacing or rearranging p…	2026-10-19
Roof replacement	Depends on your project No permit to repair, recover or replace a roof with a pitch of at least 2:12 on a residential building up to 4 stories. Low-slope roofs and …	2026-10-19
Shed	Depends on your project No permit for a single-story shed up to 150 sq ft footprint and 15 ft tall, with no plumbing.	2026-10-19
Water heater replacement	Depends on your project No building permit to repair or replace a water heater in kind (same type, size and shape) in a residential building up to 4 stories. A diff…	2026-10-19

Fee schedule: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/guide-to-building-permits/home/help/faq/DOB/EPP-eligible.html

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Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.