Chimney Removal in Chicago: Can You Take Out an Old Chimney?

You can often remove a chimney that no longer serves a purpose. The question for a Chicago owner is not whether bricks can come out, but what the City expects before they do and what has to be fixed after.

Does Chicago require a permit to remove a chimney?

We did not find a City page that names chimney removal and says whether it needs a permit, so we will not guess. Here is what the City does publish:

• A building permit is required before beginning most construction, demolition, rehabilitation and repair work, with a limited list of exemptions (City of Chicago).
• A wrecking permit is required to demolish a whole building or to alter a building and permanently reduce its area (City of Chicago). Whether taking out a chimney counts depends on how it is built and how much comes out.
• The general repair exemption does not apply when work involves cutting away part of an exterior wall or removing a structural support (City of Chicago). A chimney that is tied into a wall or sits on framing can raise that question.

So the honest answer is to call the Department of Buildings with your address and a description, and get the answer for your building. Work done without a required permit can bring a stop work order, tripled permit fees and an enforcement case (City of Chicago). Rules change, so confirm current details with the City.

Who is allowed to do the work?

A Chicago general contractor license is required for most building construction, alteration, repair and demolition work, including work that is exempt from a permit (City of Chicago). The exceptions include City-licensed mason contractors working within their license (City of Chicago). Ask whoever bids the job which license they hold and who pulls the permit. You can check a license on the City's lookup before you sign.

In Illinois, home repair contracts above the state's small-job threshold must be in writing with a stated total cost (815 ILCS 513/15).

What has to be sorted out before the bricks come down?

1. What vents into it. If a furnace, boiler or water heater uses the chimney, it needs another way to vent before the flue goes away. That is a job for a licensed plumber or heating contractor, not a masonry decision.
2. Where the chimney meets the roof and walls. Removing it leaves an opening in the roof and a gap in framing and wall surfaces. Those have to be framed, roofed and weatherproofed properly, or the leak you fixed by removing a chimney becomes a bigger one.
3. What is shared or attached. If the chimney is built into a party wall or serves a neighbor's side, stop and get an answer from the Department of Buildings first.
4. Paint and dust. If surfaces in a home built before 1978 are disturbed, the EPA's lead-safe rule applies to paid contractors (EPA). The federal asbestos rule excludes residential buildings with four or fewer dwelling units (EPA), but a larger building has more to review.
5. Removing part or all. Some owners remove only the portion above the roofline and close the opening. Others take it down through the living space. Each has different structural and finishing work.

Should you remove it or repair it?

If the chimney is still used, or the problem is mortar and a top that is leaking, repair can be much simpler than removal. See chimney repair in Chicago and chimney crown repair. If it leans or is separating from the building, read a leaning chimney first. For how masonry permits work overall, see do you need a permit to repair brick.

When you want a straight read on what coming down would involve for your building, our masonry crew will look at it, and the brick and masonry repair guide lays out the rest.

Common questions

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.