St. Clair County, IL Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Sec. 7-1-58 sets the baseline rule: permitted work "shall remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved," and it is the permit holder's job, not the building official's, to keep the site open and to cover any cost of removing or replacing material needed to allow the inspection. Sec. 7-1-60 lists the ten checkpoints the building official must run through on notification: footing and foundation, after excavation and reinforcing steel are placed but before concrete is poured; concrete slab and under-floor, after in-slab reinforcing and utility rough-in but before the slab or subfloor goes down; lowest floor elevation certification in flood hazard areas; framing, once the roof deck, all framing, fire blocking and bracing are up and rough electrical, plumbing and HVAC are approved; lath and gypsum board, before any plastering or joint taping; fire- and smoke-resistant penetrations, before they are concealed; energy efficiency, covering insulation R-values, fenestration U-values, duct R-values and HVAC and water-heating efficiency; any other inspection the building official deems necessary; special inspections under Chapter 17; and the final inspection, made only after all permitted work is complete.

Sec. 7-1-62 puts the burden on the permit holder to notify the building official when work is ready, and Sec. 7-1-63 bars covering or concealing any portion that fails an inspection until the building official authorizes it. A certificate of occupancy cannot issue under Sec. 7-1-64 until the building official finds no code violations at the final inspection, though work exempted from a permit under Sec. 7-1-28 never needs one.