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

Under § 150.03, Macon County adopts the National Electrical Code, current edition, as the County Electrical Code, with the scope and applicability the NEC itself sets out except where county amendments in Chapter 150 modify it. § 150.07 then makes it unlawful to do electrical work of any kind in unincorporated Macon County, including temporary service, raceway systems, and conductor installations, without first obtaining a permit issued under the County Electrical Code. The chapter carves out a defined list of exceptions that do not need a permit: minor maintenance such as swapping a switch, receptacle, light fixture, ballast, or bulb; replacing a grounded receptacle with a GFCI receptacle; low-voltage thermostat, alarm, or data wiring in existing buildings; and like-for-like replacement of furnace, air-conditioning, or sign wiring from an existing switch or disconnect where the circuit wires are already sized correctly. Everything outside that list needs a permit from the Control Authority, defined as the County Planning and Zoning Department or the designated building or electrical inspector.

Once issued, a permit does not stay open indefinitely: it is valid for six months on new construction and 90 days on renovation work, though an approved extension can push that deadline back. Service specifications in § 150.08 also require newly installed services to meet current NEC standards, including single-service-drop limits, approved wiring methods for entrance conductors, and bonding to cold-water piping where the piping is metal. Appeals of a permit denial or inspection decision go first to the County Electrical Commission and then, if unresolved, to the County Board, whose decision is final.