How long it takes to get a building permit in Chicago depends mostly on which program your project goes through, whether drawings are required, and whether the file is clean. The Department of Buildings does not guarantee a timeline for most permits. Open violations, stop work orders, invalid contractor licenses and missing drawings are the usual causes of delay.
If you are asking how long it takes to get a building permit in Chicago, the honest answer is that it depends, and anyone who promises you a number of days is guessing. The Department of Buildings (DOB) runs several permit programs with different review tracks. What decides your wait is which one your project belongs in and how clean your file is when it goes in. Check with DOB for current processing information before you schedule a crew.
What sets the clock on a Chicago permit?
Five things move the date more than any others.
- The program. Express, Standard Plan Review, Self-Certification and Developer Services are separate tracks with separate requirements.
- Whether drawings are required. A job that needs architect drawings starts later than one that doesn't.
- Zoning approval. Standard Plan Review projects all need it, and Self-Cert permits issue after it.
- The condition of your file. Missing information, wrong licenses, or open citations stall applications.
- How the project changes. A scope that grows during review has to be reviewed again.
None of these is in the DOB's control alone. Most are in yours, which is the good news.
How long does each Chicago permit program take?
The City does not publish a single number that holds for every permit, and we won't invent one. What the City's own pages do tell you is what each track involves.
Express Permit Program. The online platform for most repair work, some small improvements and administrative changes. It launched in November 2023 and replaced the old paper Easy Permit process. Masonry, reroofing, porch repair, windows and doors and fences go through it. The City's masonry page lists what the application needs: the property address and PIN, owner contact information, an emergency contact, basic building facts, a description of the work, at least one photo of the existing condition, and the names or Chicago license numbers of the contractors (City of Chicago). Having all of that ready is the main thing you control.
Standard Plan Review. The main process when plans are required. An architect must prepare the drawings, submissions go through E-Plan, and every project needs zoning approval. The scope limits matter: new construction no higher than 80 feet, residential under 50 dwelling units, and foundations and excavations no more than 12 feet deep, among other criteria. Of the three, it has the most parts that can fall behind.
Self-Certification. An Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer who completed DOB training seals the drawings and takes full responsibility for code compliance. The City says the permit typically issues within 10 business days after zoning approval, if the contractor licenses are valid and there are no violations or stop work orders. Notice the conditions. That sentence describes the City's process when everything is clean, and it is volatile, so confirm on the City's site. The program also has a limited pool of registered professionals, with DOB training held every two years (City of Chicago).
Why do open violations hold up a permit?
Because DOB looks at your record first. The City's Self-Cert page ties issuance to there being no building violations or stop work orders, and the City's records description says DOB checks for citations and stop work orders before a permit application and requires them to be resolved first or addressed in the application (City of Chicago). Confirm how that applies to your file with the Department of Buildings.
Practical step: before you apply, look up your address. If something is open, deal with it first. A permit sitting behind an old citation is the most avoidable delay in the system. If you are repairing a cited problem, our guide to fixing a Chicago building code violation lays out the order.
What speeds up a permit?
You can't make the City faster. You can stop being the slow part.
- Pick the right program the first time. Filing an Express application for a job that needs drawings sends it back.
- Have the drawings done before you file. If an architect is needed, the plan-based track starts when the drawings are right.
- Verify your contractor's licenses. The permit needs valid ones. Chicago contractor licenses can be checked on the City's lookups (City of Chicago).
- Submit the full application. Every item on the City's list, with a clear photo of the existing condition.
- Keep the scope still. Scope changes during review are a reason for re-review.
- Use the right filer. Plan-based applications must be started by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer or a City-licensed expediter (City of Chicago). See what a Chicago permit expediter does.
On Chicago two-flats and three-flats, the delays we see are rarely the City being slow. It is the wrong permit path for the scope, a missing drawing, an owner who hasn't cleared an old citation, or a crew whose license doesn't match the work. The file is the clock.
What slows a permit down?
- An application for the wrong program or the wrong scope.
- Missing drawings on a job where the City requires an architect or engineer (City of Chicago).
- Open violations or a stop work order on the property.
- A license that is invalid, expired or doesn't cover the work.
- Slow answers from the owner, architect or contractor when the City asks for something.
- Waiting for zoning approval where it applies.
How long is a permit good once you have it?
The review clock is one thing; the permit's own clock is another. An Express permit expires if the first inspection isn't passed within 540 days (about 18 months) of when work may begin, and after a first inspection a follow-up must pass within 730 days of the last inspection. DOB says it does not have the legal authority to reinstate an expired permit. So if you wait on a contractor, a financing decision or a spring start, remember that the clock keeps running. More in permit expiration in Chicago.
What should you do if time is tight?
Plan backward, and don't schedule people on a permit that hasn't issued. Work that needs a permit shouldn't start without it: starting early can bring a stop work order, a tripled permit fee and an enforcement case (City of Chicago). If a real emergency can't wait, the City has a separate rule for emergency work, and you still have to apply the next business day.
Akats handles the paperwork for the work we do: right program, full application, and the drawings coordinated with an architect when they are required. See our permit and expediting service and the Chicago building permits guide, or call 312-497-5751 for a free estimate.
Common questions
It depends on the program, whether drawings are required, zoning approval and how clean your file is. The City does not publish one number that applies to every permit. Check with the Department of Buildings, and avoid scheduling work until the permit has issued.
The City says a Self-Cert permit typically issues within 10 business days after zoning approval, if contractor licenses are valid and there are no violations or stop work orders. It requires an architect or structural engineer registered in the program. Confirm current terms with the Department of Buildings.
Common causes are an application filed under the wrong program, missing drawings, open violations or a stop work order, invalid contractor licenses, or waiting for zoning approval. Ask the Department of Buildings or your filer what the application is waiting on.
Yes. An Express permit expires if the first inspection is not passed within 540 days of when work may begin, and a follow-up inspection must pass within 730 days of the last one. The City says it cannot reinstate an expired permit.
Sources
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Permits
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Express Permit Program
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Standard Plan Review Permit Program
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Self-Certified Permit Application Program
- City of Chicago: Express Permit Program: Masonry Work
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: Does My Building Permit Expire?
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: What Happens If I Start Work Without a Required Permit?
- City of Chicago Data Portal: Building Violations dataset
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Permit Professional Lookup: Help
- City of Chicago: Guide to Building Permits: When Is a Licensed Architect or Engineer Required?
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Trade Licensing
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.