Building Safety in Lake County, IL (2026)
7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lake County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Lead Paint
Lake County Code § 94.06(C) makes it a public nuisance for a property owner to skip a Health Officer-ordered lead hazard mitigation or block the Health Officer's lead risk assessment, once the county holds a report of a confirmed elevated blood lead level in a child living in the structure. The Health Department enforces it countywide.
Lake County Lead Hazard Mitigation Rule
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 94.06(C)
Lead mitigation. It is a public nuisance for a property owner to fail to mitigate a lead hazard in a structure in a manner and/or timeframe prescribed by the Health Officer, or to fail to allow access to the Health Officer to perform a lead risk assessment of a structure when the Health Officer is in receipt of a report of a confirmed blood lead level from a child that resides or resided in the...
Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Unincorporated Lake County's amended building code requires automatic sprinkler systems throughout new Group R buildings, including apartments, condos, and assisted-living facilities; detached one- and two-family homes are covered by the residential code instead.
Lake County requires sprinklers in new apartments
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.16 (2024 ICC IBC Amendments, § 903.2.8)
903.2.8 Group R. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area. 903.2.8.1 Group R-3. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3 shall be permitted in Group R-3 occupancies.
Childcare Center Rules
Day care facilities for more than seven people in unincorporated Lake County must clear zoning siting standards, including collector/arterial street access, before opening.
Day Care Siting Rules, Lake County
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 151.112(Q)
(Q) Day care facilities (day care use category). The standards of this subsection (Q) apply to day care facilities for more than seven people. ... (4) The site shall have frontage on and access to a collector or arterial street, provided that the highway authority with jurisdiction over the subject road may approve alternative access. (5) Day care shall be a permitted use in the AG District onl...
Building Permits
In unincorporated Lake County, decks need a building permit unless they stay under 200 square feet, sit no more than 16 inches above grade, are freestanding, and don't serve as a required exit or pool barrier.
Lake County deck and patio permit rules
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.17 (amending IRC § R105.2, Item #10)
Item #10 "Decks not exceeding 200 square feet in area, that are not more than 16 inches above grade at any point, are not attached to a dwelling, are not part of a pool barrier, and do not serve the exit door required by section R311.4."
Electrical Permits
Unincorporated Lake County adopted the 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code with local amendments, and the Planning, Building and Development Department enforces it through electrical permits and inspections.
Lake County Electrical Permits Follow 2023 NEC
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.15
Effective July 12, 2025 upon passage of the ordinance codified herein, ... and the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2023, (as amended), be and are hereby adopted by reference in unincorporated Lake County, Illinois pursuant to 55 ILCS 5/5-6002 through 5-6006. ... The Planning, Building and Development Department shall enforce ... the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2023, (as amended), within...
Plumbing Permits
Unincorporated Lake County adopts the 2024 ICC Building Code but strikes its plumbing chapter entirely, requiring all plumbing design, construction and installation to follow the State of Illinois Plumbing Code instead of a locally written standard.
Lake County Plumbing Work Follows State Illinois Code
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.16(A)(2)
ICC International Plumbing Code. Any and all references to the ICC International Plumbing Code are hereby deleted and replaced with the State of Illinois Plumbing Code, current edition.
Building Inspections
Unincorporated Lake County follows the 2024 ICC codes for building inspections, with the Planning, Building and Development Department renaming the code's foundation inspection to a footing inspection and enforcing violations through administrative adjudication.
Lake County Building Permit Inspections and Enforcement
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.17 (2024 ICC International Residential Code Amendments — R109.1.1, R113.1.1)
Change the title of this section from Foundation Inspection to Footing Inspection and change all references to foundation inspection to footing inspection. ... 113.1.1 Enforcement. The county may enforce violations of this code in accordance with the Lake County Administrative Adjudication Ordinance (§§ 94.50 through 94.66 of the Lake County Code of Ordinances) or as spelled out in Section 114.2.
Building Safety by City in Lake County
1 cities in Lake County have their own building safety rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Lake County ordinances
See every category we cover for Lake County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Lake County Ordinance Hub →