For a case in the City's hearings office, the Department of Buildings says to bring proof of compliance: the permit and before and after photos. The City's hearings office also says fixing the problem does not erase the cited date, so the hearing is where you show proof. We could not confirm a separate City process for submitting proof outside a hearing, so ask the Department of Buildings.
Proof of compliance for a Chicago building code violation is the paper trail that shows the problem was fixed, fixed correctly, and fixed legally. The City names two pieces. For a case in Administrative Hearings, DOB says you bring proof of compliance (permit and before and after photos) to your hearing date.
What counts as proof?
Build the file from what the City points to, plus what a hearing officer would reasonably want to see:
- The permit, if the repair needed one. The City names it explicitly.
- Before photos that show the cited condition, taken before work starts.
- After photos of the same spot, from the same angle, once it is done.
- The notice itself, so everything ties to the cited item.
- Invoices and the contractor's license details for the work, so the file shows who did it.
Only the permit and the before and after photos are named in the City's sources. The rest is how we build a clean file, not a City requirement. If the City asks for something else, follow the City.
Date every photo. Shoot wide first, then close. Use the same angle before and after. If a stair, porch or wall is the problem, include something in the frame for scale. Keep the originals, not just texts or screenshots of them.
Why is proof not enough on its own?
Because the cited date is fixed. The hearings office answers the owner who fixed it on the spot with this logic: DOB alleges the violation existed on the inspection date, and the hearing is your chance to show proof of correction. A defense at a hearing can be that the violation has been remedied or removed by the time of the hearing, and a DOB case can end in nonsuit when the owner has timely provided proof the violations are fixed.
So the timing matters. Proof that arrives after the date does less than proof in your hand when your case is called. See why a fixed violation can still end up in court.
Do I send proof ahead of time or bring it?
For the hearings office, the City's instruction is to bring it to the hearing date. For cases in Circuit Court, DOB says a court inspector is assigned and you call the number on the notice. We could not confirm from an opened City page a separate process for requesting a reinspection or submitting proof outside a hearing, so this is a "ask the Department of Buildings" point. Follow what your notice says. Our guides on what the inspector checks at reinspection and what to bring to the hearing cover the rest.
Akats documents violation repairs as we go, with permit, dated photos and invoice, so the file is ready when you are. See our building code violations service and the full owner guide. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
The Department of Buildings says to bring proof of compliance, naming the permit and before and after photos, to your hearing date for cases in the hearings office. For anything else, ask the Department of Buildings what it needs.
Not if the repair needed a permit. The City lists the permit as part of the proof. Photos show the result, but they do not show the work was legal. Check whether your repair required one before you start.
We could not confirm a City process for that from the pages we reviewed. The instruction we found is to bring proof to your hearing date. Ask the hearings office or the Department of Buildings, and talk to an attorney before skipping a hearing.
Sources
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings and Department of Law: Building Code Violation Enforcement Process (PDF)
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Porch and Deck Safety
- City of Chicago, Department of Administrative Hearings: Buildings Division FAQs
- City of Chicago, Department of Administrative Hearings: Municipal Code Chapter 2-14, Article III: Buildings Hearings Division
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.