Schaumburg, IL Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Wall 3 ft or taller from grade
- Engineer stamp
- Required for walls 3 ft+ (IL-registered)
- Fee under 3 ft
- $50.00 minor land development permit
- Fee 3 ft or more
- $100.00 minor land development permit
- Submission
- 3 copies of plat of survey/plan sheets
- Easements
- Barred in utility easement absent utility consent
Summary
Schaumburg requires a land development permit for any retaining wall three feet or taller, measured from existing grade, and the plan must carry the stamp of an Illinois-registered professional engineer. Shorter walls can still need a permit once the village weighs drainage, utilities, landscaping and easement conflicts on the site. Permit fees run $50 under three feet and $100 at or above it.
Upon request for the installation of a new or replacement retaining wall, the village will determine if a land development permit is required. In all cases, retaining walls that are three feet (3') or taller as measured from the existing grade will require a land development permit from the village and will require a plan that is signed and sealed by a professional engineer registered in the State of Illinois. In some cases, retaining walls less than three feet (3') tall as measured from the existing grade may still require a land development permit. All retaining walls will be reviewed on an individual basis and the permit requirement will be determined based on factors such as drainage, area landscaping, area utilities, and any easement requirements.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56 Update 1 | Policy Manual: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
09(I), part of the subdivision and land development chapter's grading and erosion-control standards, sets Schaumburg's rule for new or replacement retaining walls. Any wall three feet (3') or taller as measured from existing grade automatically triggers a land development permit and requires a design plan signed and sealed by a professional engineer registered in Illinois. The community development department reviews shorter walls case by case, weighing drainage patterns, area landscaping, nearby utilities and easement conflicts before deciding whether a permit is still required. Applicants must submit three copies of a plat of survey or plan sheets showing the wall's location, dimensions and construction details.
Walls should avoid utility or drainage easements where possible; if one must sit inside a utility easement, the owner needs a written letter of concurrence from every utility company with rights there before the village will issue the permit. 09(J) and can halt further construction if the built wall departs from the approved grading and excavation plan until a revised plan is approved. 09(C)(1)(c) as a grading control measure. 00 for walls three feet or taller. 09(M) for maintaining the wall along with other erosion-control measures on the lot.
Violations & Fines
Building or replacing a wall without the required land development permit, or without the sealed engineer's plan for a wall three feet or taller, exposes the property to a stop-work order: § 151.09(J) lets the village engineer of community development halt construction until a compliant, revised grading plan is approved and re-inspected. Section 151.09(N) also keeps the owner liable for any resulting damage or hazardous condition even if village staff failed to catch the defect earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a short retaining wall in Schaumburg need a permit?
How much does a Schaumburg retaining wall permit cost?
Can I build a retaining wall in a utility easement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Schaumburg
Compare Schaumburg to another location·View the Illinois fence regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle retaining walls.