Joliet building department

The City of Joliet Building & Inspectional Services Division (Community Development, first floor south wing of City Hall) issues building, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, sign, demolition, and fire-system permits for property inside Joliet city limits. Properties in unincorporated Will County go to the Will County Land Use Department, not the City.

How to apply

Joliet does not use an online permit-application portal for residential work. Download the PDF form for your project from the Building Permit Forms page and submit it by:

• Email to [email protected], or
• Drop-off in the metal permit drop box in the Community Development lobby at City Hall, 150 W. Jefferson St.

Incomplete submittals are returned, and fees are charged per permit application.

Commercial, industrial, and multi-family projects use electronic plan review in ProjectDox (ePlans). Email the Commercial Building Submittal Form and the General Building Application to [email protected]; staff create the project and email an invitation to upload drawings and documents to ProjectDox. Use the Commercial Plans Checklist to assemble the plan set.

Plat of survey

An accurate plat of survey, with the proposed work drawn on it, is required for new, replacement, or added fences, decks, pools, patios (roofed or not), driveways and aprons, sidewalks, garages, pergolas, gazebos, porches, and additions. The City does not keep plats on file. Check your closing papers or mortgage lender, file a FOIA request with the City, or hire a land surveyor.

Residential review times and fees

Joliet’s fee ordinance took effect January 1, 2020. Review times are the City’s published estimates.

Project	Permit fee	Estimated review
Fence, driveway, private sidewalk, patio	$65	10 business days
Roofing, siding, windows	not listed on fee page	10 business days
Above-ground pool	$65	10 business days
Deck, shed, gazebo/pergola, covered patio	$65	15 business days
Garage/carport, home addition, in-ground pool	$65	not published
Public sidewalk	$19	not published

Electrical fees are based on the square footage of the residence, and plumbing fees follow the scope listed on the plumbing application. For commercial work, the minimum fee is $65 up to $7,000 of construction value, then $10 per $1,000. HVAC permits start at $50 for work up to $5,000, and each sign is $150. New water and sewer connections start at $4,250 and $3,250.

Pay by card over the phone at (815) 724-3830, by check mailed to City Hall, or in the drop box on the west side of City Hall.

Common residential rules

Fences

• Maximum height is 4 ft in front yards and 6 ft in side and rear yards. Anything taller needs Zoning Board of Appeals approval.
• Fences over 4 ft in a corner side yard need the adjacent neighbor’s sign-off. The corner side-yard setback is 20 ft or the house’s existing side-yard line, whichever is greater.
• Posts may not sit directly on the property line. Fences are not allowed in landscape easements, detention/retention easements, floodplain easements, or floodways.
• Keep 10 ft of clearance on the open end of ComEd transformers and 5 ft on pedestals.

Sheds

• Sheds over 120 sq ft must meet the garage building-code requirements, including a concrete slab. Sheds over 200 sq ft must match or complement the house’s materials and colors.
• Setback is 3 ft from side and rear lot lines where there are no easements. Sheds are not allowed in a required corner side yard or in utility or drainage easements.
• Maximum height is one story or 15 ft. All closed-roof structures together may cover no more than 30% of the lot.
• Submit the Residential Accessory Structure form and structural drawings with the shed application.

Decks and porches

• Footings must be at least 42 in below grade for attached decks and 24 in for freestanding decks, in holes at least 10 in in diameter, with 6x6 posts.
• Unroofed decks must be at least 3 ft from the property line and may project up to 10 ft into the front yard.
• Guards (minimum 36 in, 4 in baluster spacing) are required more than 30 in above grade. Handrails are required on stairs with four or more risers.
• Inspections are required before concrete is poured and at completion.

Adopted codes

Joliet’s Chapter 8 amendments took effect September 10, 2018. The City enforces the 2015 IBC, IRC, IMC, International Fuel Gas Code, and International Fire Code, plus the 2014 NEC and the current Illinois State Plumbing Code. The Illinois Energy Conservation Code (2024 IECC) has applied to residential and commercial buildings since November 30, 2025. Local amendments include:

• Re-roofing must replace the full roof slope. Patching individual shingles is not allowed except for slate, clay, or cement tile.
• Concrete may not be placed below minimum air temperatures: 10°F for footings, 15°F for foundation walls, and 32°F for flatwork.
• Vinyl siding has specific sheathing requirements (2006 ordinance).

Contractor registration

Under Sec. 8-36 of the Municipal Code, if a contractor does the work, the contractor must pull the permit, and every subcontractor must be listed on the application. Every contractor needs a current registration on file before a permit is issued. To register, email [email protected] with:

• the applicable trade license (Illinois registration for plumbing and roofing; a municipal license for electrical and HVAC), and
• a certificate of insurance with general liability that names the City of Joliet as certificate holder.

Registration has no form or fee, except for sign erectors ($30 per year) and HVAC testing ($100 exam fee).

Inspections

Call (815) 724-4070 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Inspections are scheduled for the next business day and need at least 24 hours’ notice. Fire sprinkler, suppression, and alarm inspections are handled by a fire inspector at (815) 724-4068. Tents, stages, and storage racking are handled at (815) 724-4146.

Zoning

Planning & Zoning ((815) 724-4055, [email protected]) reviews setbacks, lot coverage, and fence and accessory-structure placement on most residential permits. Variances, including fences over 6 ft, go to the Zoning Board of Appeals.