Will County, IL Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, before reroofing starts
- Governing standard
- 2018 IRC Chapter 9
- Emergency repairs
- Permit due next business day
- Max fine
- $500 per offense, per day
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Will County only
Summary
Reroofing a home outside Joliet, Bolingbrook and Will County's other cities requires a building permit before work starts, per Code Section 150.003 - emergency repairs get only a next-business-day grace period.
A permit must be obtained in advance and all other requirements of the Building Ordinance must be complied with whenever a building or parts of appurtenance thereof, such as water supply, sewage disposal, plumbing installation, electrical installation and heating equipment located outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns of this county and regulated by the Building Ordinance, is erected, installed, altered, converted, remodeled, re-roofed, structurally repaired, moved or changed, except as provided hereafter. Exception: Emergency repairs as long as the building permit is applied for on the next business day.
(1) Construction of "process components" (piping, vessels, equipment, etc.) shall only require a manufacturing exempt permit and follow the applicable fee schedule for such permits. These permits shall be the sole responsibility of the owner and shall conform to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and/or Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulations and/or other applicable laws, codes and standards. All occupiable buildings in a manufacturing facility shall require a building permit and are subject to the requirements of the Will County Building Ordinance, inspection requirements and applicable fee schedule. Exception: The below grade portion of process components shall not require a permit.
(a) Any owner or authorized agent who wishes to exercise this
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
Will County Code Section 150.003 requires a permit in advance whenever a building located outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns is re-roofed, along with erected, altered, remodeled or structurally repaired. Section 150.115(P) sets the technical standard: re-roofing must follow the reroofing section of Chapter 9 of the 2018 IRC, with roof ventilation installed at eaves and gable ends per the roofing manufacturer's specs, and sheathing removal not required just to add ventilation. Section 150.050 adds field rules such as drip edge at all roof edges and a ban on two layers of felt cemented together in place of ice and water shield. The rule applies only to unincorporated Will County; Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport enforce their own building codes.
Violations & Fines
Violating the Building Ordinance, including reroofing without a permit, is a petty offense fined up to $500 per offense under Section 150.999, with each day of violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to reroof my house in unincorporated Will County?
Does this apply if I live in Joliet or Bolingbrook?
What roofing code applies once I have a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois building safety overview
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