Will County, IL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Accessory building height cap
- 25 feet, all residential districts
- R-5 principal building height cap
- 35 feet
- R-6 principal building height cap
- 40 feet
- E-1 through R-4 principal height
- No zoning cap; Building Ordinance governs
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Will County only
Summary
Will County's zoning code sets no fixed height cap for houses in the E-1 through R-4 residential districts, height follows the county Building Ordinance instead, while R-5 tops out at 35 feet and R-6 at 40 feet; accessory buildings are capped at 25 feet everywhere.
Legend Lot and Building Standards E-1 E-2 R-1 R-2 R-2A R-3 R-4 R-5 R-6 ... Maximum Building Height (feet) Accessory Buildings [6] 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 ... All Other As regulated by Will County Building Ordinance [E-1–R-4] 35 [R-5] 40 [R-6]
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 § 155-3.30 sets residential building height by district. Accessory buildings max out at 25 feet in all nine residential districts (E-1, E-2, R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6). For principal structures, the code imposes no numeric zoning cap in the seven larger-lot districts, E-1, E-2, R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3 and R-4, deferring instead to the separate Will County Building Ordinance; R-5 caps houses at 35 feet and R-6, the multi-family district, at 40 feet. This applies only in unincorporated Will County, Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport enforce their own municipal height limits.
Violations & Fines
Zoning Administrator enforces height limits; a house built too tall can trigger a stop-work order, permit revocation or denial, and each week the violation continues counts as a separate offense under the zoning code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a height limit on houses in Will County?
Does this apply inside Joliet or Bolingbrook?
How tall can an accessory building like a shed or garage be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois building setbacks & zoning overview
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