Macon County, IL Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Macon County Code § 155.024 sets the county's building-permit trigger for the unincorporated area: any building or structure longer than ten feet on any side, and any addition to one, requires a building permit issued by the Office of the Zoning Administrator before construction begins. The Zoning Administrator reviews the application against the zoning chapter's requirements and, under § 155.023, every building-permit application must also carry a scaled plat and a copy of the deed so the office can confirm lot lines, height, and bulk before it signs off. If work does not match the approved plans, or the property owner ignores the county's rules, the Zoning Administrator can issue a stop-work order on the spot or revoke a permit already issued.

Getting the permit is only the first step. No new building or addition built after the chapter took effect, and no vacant lot put to a new use, may be occupied until the Zoning Administrator issues a certificate of occupancy confirming the finished work matches what was approved. A change of use on an already-developed parcel needs its own certificate too. Owners who need to move in before final sign-off can request a temporary certificate, good for up to six months, to cover the completion of an addition or partial occupancy of the premises while the rest of the project wraps up. Every application for a building permit doubles as the occupancy-certificate application, so there is no separate filing to remember. Disputes over a Zoning Administrator decision go to the Zoning Board of Appeals.