Sometimes. Chicago lets an owner act as their own contractor only on a primary residence of three stories or fewer and six units or fewer, one property per calendar year, never for excavation or demolition. For an Express Permit you file the owner-contractor form and show government ID proving you live there. You then carry the responsibility for worker safety, inspections and code compliance.
The question usually comes from two places. One: a contractor quote came in high and you wonder if you can pull the permit yourself. Two: you already hired a crew and learned they cannot or will not pull one. Chicago does allow owner-contractor permits, but the rules are narrower than most owners expect. This article explains who qualifies, what you file and what you take on. For the bigger permit picture, see the Chicago building permits guide.
What the City allows
The City's license pages say a general contractor license is not required for an individual working on their own primary residence, with these limits: three stories or fewer, six units or fewer, no nonresidential occupancy, one property per calendar year, and never for excavation or demolition (City of Chicago). The mason license has a matching exception for the owner of a primary residence that is a single-family home or a multifamily of three stories or fewer and six units or fewer, again one property per calendar year (City of Chicago).
The City's porch page says an owner may act as the general contractor if the building is the primary residence, no more than three stories and no more than six units (City of Chicago). The Express Permit pages for masonry and reroofing set the paperwork for the same case.
What you file and prove
For an Express Permit, the City asks for Form 401, the owner-contractor form, plus government ID that shows you live at the property (City of Chicago). The ID matters: owners who do not live in the building, and investors, do not qualify.
Forms and requirements change. Confirm the current form and the exact wording with the Department of Buildings before you apply.
Who does not qualify
Read the limits as a checklist. You do not qualify if any of these is true:
- You do not live in the building. Rental property you own and do not live in is outside the exemption.
- The building is more than three stories or has more than six units.
- Part of the building is nonresidential, for example a storefront.
- You already used the exemption on another property this calendar year.
- The job involves excavation or demolition (City of Chicago).
The City's primary-residence language is what controls. A two-flat where you live on the second floor and rent the first generally fits the size limits, but confirm with the Department of Buildings, because your exact situation is the one that counts.
What "acting as the contractor" means
The City does not treat owner-contractor as a loophole. It hands you the contractor's job. On the porch page the City says that when an owner acts as general contractor they take on responsibility for worker safety, scheduling inspections and code compliance (City of Chicago). In practice that means:
- You hire and manage anyone working on site. Workers are your responsibility if they get hurt.
- You schedule every required inspection and make sure the work passes.
- If work fails code, you correct it, at your cost.
- If work happens without a permit, the stop work and penalty consequences land on you.
You are not the only one with obligations. Some trades have their own licensing even when an owner is the contractor, and the City's other license rules still apply to the people you hire. Check the license of anyone you bring on, using the City's Contractor License Lookup.
The licensed-trade catch
Masonry is the clearest example. The Express Permit for masonry work, which lists tuckpointing as eligible, normally requires a licensed mason contractor unless the owner qualifies as owner-contractor (City of Chicago). So an owner can pull the permit, but that does not make the work easy. Doing tuckpointing or brick repair correctly on Chicago's soft common brick is a trade skill. A permit in your name does not protect you from a bad mortar mix.
Also note that if the job is under a licensed general contractor's supervision, or the contractor holds a valid specialty license, the owner-contractor path is not needed. We explain who needs which license in Chicago GC license requirements and the masonry license.
A common pattern: an owner of a two-flat takes on the permit to save on a contractor, then hires a day crew with no license and no insurance. When something fails an inspection or someone is hurt, the owner is the contractor of record. The permit is the easy part. The responsibility is the real job.
Should you do it?
Owner-contractor makes sense when you live there, the job is within the size limits, and you will be on site, scheduling inspections and managing every trade. It does not make sense when you want a quiet way around a contractor's license, or when you are not able to supervise the work.
If your goal is simply to avoid a markup, ask the contractor to show their permit costs and scope separately. If your goal is control, the owner route is real, but it comes with real work.
Pulling a permit as an owner when you do not qualify, or skipping the permit altogether, can end in a stop work order. Under the City's rules, work resumes only after the required permit is obtained and the stop-work penalty is paid, the permit fee is tripled in most cases, and the City may start an enforcement case. You may also have to correct or remove the work at your expense (City of Chicago). Confirm the current rules with the Department of Buildings.
Not sure whether you qualify, or whether it is smart to do this yourself? Our expediting team can read your situation, tell you which route fits and handle the filing either way.
Common questions
In narrow cases. The City lets an owner act as their own contractor on a primary residence of three stories or fewer and six units or fewer, one property per calendar year, never for excavation or demolition. You file an owner-contractor form and show government ID proving you live there.
Not under the owner exemption. The City's rules apply to the owner's primary residence, and the permit asks for ID showing you live at the property. If you do not live there, hire a licensed contractor. Check your situation with the Department of Buildings.
The City says you take on responsibility for worker safety, scheduling inspections and code compliance. That means you manage the crew, request inspections, and fix anything that fails. A permit in your name does not shift those duties to anyone else.
The Express masonry permit allows an owner who qualifies to act as the contractor instead of using a licensed mason. The permit is the easy part, though. Matching mortar to old Chicago brick is skilled work, and mistakes damage the brick for good.
The City can post a stop work order. Work restarts only after the permit is obtained and the penalty is paid, the permit fee is tripled in most cases, and you may be told to correct or remove the work at your own expense. Confirm current amounts with the City.
Sources
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Trade Licensing
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: General Contractor License
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: General Contractor License FAQ
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: Mason Contractor License FAQ
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Porch and Deck Safety
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Trade License Information Center
- City of Chicago: Express Permit Program: Masonry Work
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: What Happens If I Start Work Without a Required Permit?
Facts last checked: October 7, 2026.
This article explains general rules and common situations in Chicago. It is not legal advice, and City rules change. For a specific property, check with the Chicago Department of Buildings or a licensed professional.