Before You Build in Des Plaines, IL: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Des Plaines requires a building permit for any residential fence, applied for through the City's online Customer Self Service portal, with a current plat of survey showing the fence location, material, height, and gates; the permit fee is $50 and a final inspection is required when work is complete.

Des Plaines requires all swimming pools deeper than 24 inches to be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates, in compliance with the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and Illinois Department of Public Health rules.

Des Plaines requires a building permit for retaining walls, with engineered designs typically required for walls over 4 feet in height as required by the International Residential Code adopted by the city. Walls must comply with drainage and easement requirements.

Des Plaines requires fences to be installed entirely on the owner's property, with the finished or 'good' side facing outward toward neighboring lots and the public right-of-way. Boundary disputes are civil matters not enforced by the city.

Des Plaines caps residential fences at 4 feet in front and corner side yards and 6 feet in rear and interior side yards; double-frontage lots may run a 6-foot fence along an arterial street and lots abutting a railroad may build up to 8 feet, all under City Code Section 12-8-2.

Illinois law (65 ILCS 5/11-30-9) empowers the Des Plaines City Council to require fences around, or protective covers over, private residential swimming pools, and the City enforces residential pool barrier requirements through the International Residential Code adopted in Title 10 of the City Code.

Des Plaines requires a building permit for swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs; the Title 10, Chapter 13 construction fee schedule charges a $500 plan-review fee for an in-ground pool in addition to the standard plan-review fee.

Des Plaines pool owners must comply with Illinois Department of Public Health swimming pool safety rules and the City's building code requirements covering barriers, anti-entrapment drain covers (Virginia Graeme Baker Act), GFCI-protected electrical, and proper chemical storage. Pool covers, alarms, and posted safety rules are encouraged for residential pools.

Above-ground swimming pools in Des Plaines require a building permit if more than 24 inches deep and must meet the same setback, barrier, and electrical bonding requirements as in-ground pools. Pools with side walls at least 48 inches high may use a removable or lockable ladder as part of the barrier system.

Hot tubs and spas in Des Plaines require a building and electrical permit. They must be installed by a licensed electrician with GFCI protection and proper bonding. Hot tubs equipped with a locked or compliant safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 are typically exempt from the perimeter fence requirement applicable to swimming pools.

Des Plaines has no accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or coach-house ordinance; under Zoning Code Section 12-8-1 a permitted residential accessory structure is limited to a shed, gazebo, pergola, or detached garage and cannot be a separate dwelling, and Illinois has no enacted statute requiring cities to allow ADUs.

A Des Plaines detached garage is capped at 720 square feet and 15 feet tall (never taller than the house) with walls 5 feet from property lines, and all sheds plus garages may not cover more than 50% of the required rear yard; converting or attaching a garage to the home requires an Alteration/Remodel (Residential) permit under City Code 12-8-1.

Des Plaines does not have specific tiny home zoning. Tiny homes on foundations must meet the same minimum dwelling size, setback, and building code requirements as any single-family house. Tiny homes on wheels are treated as recreational vehicles and may not be used as permanent residences in residential zones.

Carports in Des Plaines are treated as accessory structures and require a building permit. They must meet zoning setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage limits applicable to accessory structures in the underlying residential district. Detached carports in front yards are generally prohibited.

Des Plaines limits a residential shed to 225 square feet and 15 feet tall (never taller than the house), set back at least 5 feet from any property line and off all easements, with a maximum of two accessory structures per lot; a building permit is required and the shed must sit on a 4-inch concrete slab or gravel base under City Code 12-8-1.

Open burning of garbage, refuse, and landscape waste is prohibited in Des Plaines. The city sits in Cook County, where Illinois rule 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120 removes the landscape-waste burning exemption (counties over 400,000 population, within 40 air miles of Chicago), and City Code 5-2-5 separately bans burning trash, leaves, and combustible matter.

Des Plaines City Code 5-2-5 bans open burning of garbage, refuse, and yard waste but carves out an exception for noncommercial cooking and for UL-listed, approved outdoor wood-burning fireplaces or fire pits. State rule 35 Ill. Adm. Code 237.120 separately permits small recreational fires as long as no garbage is burned.

Street trees in Des Plaines are city-owned and require authorization for removal or trimming. Private property trees may require a permit for protected species. Contact Public Works.

No Des Plaines-specific landscaping ordinance fixes day-of-week or time-of-day outdoor watering limits; Illinois has no statewide outdoor watering ban, and any restrictions arise from the City's home-rule water utility authority and IEPA drought coordination during severe drought.

Parkway (right-of-way) trees in Des Plaines must be trimmed and maintained per City Code Chapter 8-4 to avoid obstructions and safety hazards; trimming or removing a parkway tree requires a permit from Public Works, and parkway trees must be planted in conformance with 8-4-1.