Chicago Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The City of Chicago Department of Buildings is the permit-issuing and inspection authority for construction inside Chicago city limits. Chicago is in Cook County, but the City of Chicago is not permitted through Cook County Building and Zoning. Projects in a suburban municipality must be routed to that municipality instead.

Chicago building permits and plan review

Start with the City’s Department of Buildings guidance for the correct permit pathway and application type. Chicago’s online Building Permit Application Status service lets applicants monitor review activity by application number and provides limited public information by property address. Plan-based applications can include Department of Buildings and Department of Planning and Development Zoning Bureau review; zoning approval or waiver is required before a permit can advance to issuance.

Keep the application number available when checking status. Chicago’s status help page explains that most applications use a nine-digit number beginning with “1,” while some use a “B2” or “D-” format. Applicants should resolve every incomplete review, correction, or hold shown in the city’s status system before expecting issuance.

Inspections, code compliance, and occupancy

Use the City’s official inspection request form with the permit number, property address, inspection type, and contact information. The Department of Buildings says inspection requests are handled first-come, first-served unless an appointment date is selected; changes and cancellations generally need at least 24 hours’ notice. Keep approved plans, permits, and required documents available for the inspector.

Chicago’s public Building Permit and Inspection Records system can be used to review permit and inspection information, but the City warns that records are informational and do not by themselves prove current compliance. Confirm certificate-of-occupancy and final sign-off questions with the Department of Buildings for the specific property.

Zoning and official contact

Because Chicago zoning review is part of the municipal development process, confirm the property’s zoning district and any additional review requirements before submitting plans. Historic districts, planned developments, changes of use, and other land-use conditions may require separate approvals in addition to the building permit.

The Department of Buildings is reached through 311 within Chicago or (312) 744-5000 from outside Chicago. The City lists City Hall at 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602. Use the official links above for current application, permit-status, records, and inspection services.