Naperville building department

The City of Naperville issues building permits and inspects construction for property inside city limits. Permits are handled by the Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Business Group at the Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle Street. The permit counter is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Work in a historic district can trigger extra requirements, so ask city staff before starting.

What needs a permit

Naperville requires permits for new buildings, additions, remodeling (kitchens, basements, bathrooms), demolition and structural repairs, including foundation repairs. Most structural work needs a design by an Illinois-licensed professional. The city’s residential permit guide also lists:

• Replacing roof or wall sheathing, or removing EIFS
• Windows or doors that change size or style, or go in a new location
• New water heaters or water softeners, and new furnaces or A/C units (in-kind replacements are exempt)
• Replacing water or sewer service lines
• Building or replacing a deck or fence
• Retaining or landscape walls over 3 ft tall
• Lawn irrigation systems
• Driveways, driveway approaches and sidewalks
• Landscape ponds with electrical
• Most electrical and plumbing work

Common thresholds

Project	City rule
Re-roof and siding (single-family)	No permit to install asphalt shingles if the existing roof sheathing stays, or vinyl, aluminum or cement board siding. Metal, wood, slate or membrane roofs, and brick, stone or thin-set masonry, need a permit
Deck	Permit required for any elevated deck and for replacing beams, joists, stairs or railings. A deck permit can include basic lighting and outlets, and an attached pergola, gazebo or trellis
Patio	Permit required if the total paved area will exceed 500 sq ft. Any patio needs a permit if it has a permanent fire pit, fireplace or grill, sits more than 30 in. above grade, or includes electrical, plumbing or gas
Sport court	Permit required at any size
Shed or playhouse	Permit required over 150 sq ft (per the city’s October 2022 guide). Coops and animal enclosures need a permit at any size
Fence	Permit required. Max height is 6 ft, or 9 ft along major arterial roads. Fences over 3 ft can’t extend in front of the house’s front facade. The finished side faces out. Submit a plat of survey showing the fence location
Pool or spa	Permit required for any in-ground pool and any pool or spa that holds more than 24 in. of water. Pools 24–48 in. deep need a barrier. Pools deeper than 48 in. can use a removable ladder instead

Fences must keep 5 ft of clearance around electric transformers, or 10 ft in front of the side that opens if there’s no gate or removable panel, and 3 ft around pedestals. Paint, wallpaper, carpet and trim work need no permit.

Even when no permit is required, the owner must make sure the work meets code. Any roofer hired must be licensed by the State of Illinois. The city’s guide also lists electricians, plumbers and irrigation contractors as trades that require a license.

Applying through Civic Access

Apply, pay and manage permits in the city’s Civic Access portal, the Tyler EnerGov self-service site. Documents must meet the city’s electronic submittal requirements.

If one project has several features, such as a pool, patio and fence, each needs its own permit. Apply only for the main feature and describe everything else in the application. Staff will create the other permits, and all of them will show in the portal.

Applications are reviewed in the order received. A new single-family home may take three to four weeks. A fence or driveway may take less than a week, though review is slower in peak season. If something is missing, you’ll be asked to resubmit.

When the permit is issued, print it and post it where it can be seen from the street. Keep one printed copy of the approved, stamped plans on site for inspections.

Fees

Building permit fees were last updated February 1, 2019, under Ordinance 18-145. The city publishes separate fee schedules for single-family and small residential work and for commercial work. Fees may be charged at several points in the process. Invoices appear in the portal and can be paid by credit card or eCheck.

Adopted codes

On February 17, 2026, the City Council adopted the 2024 ICC codes. All permits submitted on or after April 1, 2026, must follow them:

• 2024 IBC, IRC, IEBC and IPMC
• 2024 IFC, IFGC, IMC and IPC
• 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
• 2023 National Electrical Code
• 2018 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
• Current editions of the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, Illinois State Plumbing Code, Illinois Accessibility Code and the NFPA fire codes
• Local amendments in the Naperville Municipal Code (on Municode)

Earlier submittals were reviewed under the 2018 codes adopted by Ordinance 18-141.

Inspections

Required inspections are listed on each permit in the portal. Schedule them online at any time, or call (630) 420-6100, option 1, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The phone line is closed from 1 to 2 p.m. Schedule at least 72 hours ahead. The same line handles inspection results.

Who to call

Topic	Contact
Inspection scheduling and results	(630) 420-6100, option 1
Permit status and code questions	(630) 420-6100, option 2, or [email protected]
Plan review comments	The plan examiner named on the rejection notice
Planning and zoning	(630) 420-6100, option 5
Code enforcement	(630) 420-6693
Electric utility clearance questions	(630) 420-6181