Springfield, IL does not have a stand-alone Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance in its Code of Ordinances. ADU-style second units are reviewed through the underlying zoning district's permitted-use list and may require a Special Use Permit from the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission. No 60-day ministerial review window applies (Illinois has no state ADU preemption equivalent to California's).
Unlike California (Gov. Code §65852.2) or Oregon, Illinois has no statewide statute requiring municipalities to issue ADU permits ministerially. Cities regulate accessory dwelling units through their underlying zoning authority. Springfield, IL is a home-rule municipality under Article VII Section 6 of the Illinois Constitution and exercises broad zoning authority through Chapter 155 of the Springfield Code of Ordinances (Zoning Code). As of the current Code of Ordinances published on Municode, Springfield does not contain a dedicated ADU chapter. A second dwelling on a single-family parcel is generally addressed through: (a) two-family district reclassification, (b) a Special Use Permit reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission with City Council approval, or (c) a conditional carriage-house/accessory-living-quarters provision where applicable in the underlying zoning district. The Office of Planning and Economic Development (217-789-2377) reviews ADU-style applications. The Illinois Building Code (which Springfield enforces locally through its building code) sets minimum standards for habitable second units including egress, fire separation, smoke and CO detection, and minimum ceiling heights. There is no state-mandated 60-day permit deadline; applicants should expect a 60-120 day review for Special Use Permits including the required public hearing.
Building or occupying an unpermitted second dwelling unit is a Springfield Zoning Code (Chapter 155) violation, enforceable via Code Enforcement and the City's administrative adjudication system. Penalties range from administrative fines (often $250-$750 per violation, escalating for continuing violations) to stop-work orders, mandatory demolition or conversion, and certificate-of-occupancy denial. Unpermitted ADUs cannot be lawfully rented and create disclosure problems at sale.
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See how Springfield's adu permits rules stack up against other locations.
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