McLean County, IL Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Section 350-20 makes an occupancy permit a precondition to using any land, building or structure that was erected, relocated, added to, or structurally altered under Chapter 350, and to any change of use. The inspection step sits in § 350-20B(1): before the Director of Building and Zoning issues a regular occupancy permit for a project that needed a construction permit, the Director must inspect the completed premises and certify that the work conforms to the plans and specifications on which the § 350-19 construction permit was based.

For a change of use with no construction involved, the Director instead inspects the premises and certifies compliance with the zoning district's applicable regulations. An occupancy permit application is filed at the same time as the construction permit application and, once the project is complete, must be issued within 14 days of completion, or within 14 days of the change-of-use application where no construction occurs. The Director keeps a record of every occupancy permit on file and furnishes copies on request to anyone with a proprietary or tenancy interest in the property.

If the project cannot be fully finished, § 350-20B(2) allows a temporary occupancy permit covering the incomplete work, valid up to eight consecutive months, or up to one year where the only remaining item is surfacing a parking area, loading area or driveway that is kept reasonably dust-free in the meantime; a temporary permit cannot cover required transition-screen plantings other than the planting itself. No additional fee applies to an occupancy permit unless it is sought solely for a change of use.