Building Safety in Illinois (2026)

Chicago Municipal Code Chapter 7-4 regulates lead paint hazards with authority to inspect any residential building…

Pre-1978 housing renovation in Des Plaines must comply with the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule and…

Peoria's health officer can inspect any dwelling for lead-bearing paint and order removal or covering of hazardous…

Cook County Department of Public Health can inspect rental units, order lead hazard mitigation within 30 or 90 days…

Elgin requires owners of pre-1978 homes who join its rehabilitation grant program to allow a lead-based paint hazard…

Evanston housing providers must give every tenant the EPA lead-paint pamphlet and disclose any known lead hazards…

Kane County's property-maintenance code requires exterior wood, doors, trim and metal surfaces to be kept painted and…

Lake County Code § 94.06(C) makes it a public nuisance for a property owner to skip a Health Officer-ordered lead…

Oak Park landlords must give every prospective and current tenant the EPA lead-based paint pamphlet and disclose any…

Aurora bars operating any elevator, escalator, or hoisting device until it's inspected, tested, and issued a…

Champaign requires every elevator, dumbwaiter and escalator to be kept in good working order, free of physical and fire…

No elevator may operate in Chicago without a valid Certificate of Compliance issued after inspection; certificates must…

Cicero requires every elevator, dumbwaiter, escalator and wheelchair lift to be inspected twice a year at $185.00 per…

In unincorporated Cook County, every elevator, dumbwaiter, and moving stairway must be inspected by the Building…

Elgin adopted a package of seven ASME, ANSI and ASCE standards as its elevator safety code under § 16.30.010, covering…

Kendall County Code § 8-58 requires every elevator, escalator, automobile lift, man lift, personnel hoist and moving…

Naperville replaces the International Building Code's elevator chapter outright: Section 5-1A-3 requires every elevator…

Oak Lawn requires condo, co-op, and apartment buildings with elevators to run a regular maintenance program and treats…

Oak Park's Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance gives every tenant the right to a dwelling that materially…

Multi-story senior living facilities in Schaumburg must run at least two passenger elevators with independent machine…

Skokie requires every elevator, escalator, dumbwaiter and movable stage or orchestra floor in the Village to be…

Springfield's elevator code requires every existing elevator in the city to be kept in a safe, operable condition at…

Village Code Chapter 150 requires every elevator, escalator and similar passenger equipment in Tinley Park to be…

Waukegan bars anyone but the installer from running new, relocated, or altered elevator equipment until the city…

Unincorporated Will County's building code amendment requires every elevator's emergency phone to dial directly to the…

Champaign requires any scaffold or ladder positioned over a public street, alley, or place to be firmly built and…

Tall scaffolding in Chicago needs its own city permit, safety training proof, and $1 million liability insurance before…

The Town of Cicero requires a scaffolding permit before any scaffold work begins on a building within town limits…

Evanston requires a watertight scaffold or temporary roof over the sidewalk whenever construction rises above four…

In Naperville, Illinois, any scaffold or ladder that overhangs a public street or alley must be firmly constructed and…

Village Code § 7-1-2 modifies the adopted building code's pedestrian protection table so that any construction site…

Village Code Sec. 70-156 makes it unlawful to erect or set up a scaffold or ladder on any public street, alley or…

Any scaffold or ladder in Tinley Park that overhangs or could fall onto a public street, alley, or other public place…

Champaign's Article VI fire code retrofit requires existing apartment buildings in Group R-2 with 16 or more units…

Cicero's local amendment to Section 903.2 of the International Building Code requires an automatic fire sprinkler…

Elgin's amended building code requires basement-only fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes and townhouses on…

Evanston requires an automatic sprinkler system, designed to NFPA 13D, in every new one- and two-family dwelling, with…

Naperville requires an automatic fire sprinkler system in every new one- and two-family dwelling under Municipal Code…

Village Code § 7-6-2 amends the adopted residential code to require an automatic residential fire sprinkler system in…

Skokie requires an automatic fire sprinkler system throughout new one-family, two-family and townhouse construction…

Aurora requires an automatic residential fire sprinkler system in any one- or two-family home or townhouse whose…

DuPage County's amended Fire Code sprinkler table exempts detached one- and two-family homes, but only if the owner…

Unincorporated Lake County's amended building code requires automatic sprinkler systems throughout new Group R…

Rock Island County adopted the 2012 International Residential Code, including its automatic fire sprinkler section for…

Schaumburg's Fire Code amendments require an automatic sprinkler system whenever an existing building is converted into…

Tinley Park requires automatic sprinkler systems in buildings over 7,500 square feet or exceeding two stories or 27…

Waukegan's Property Maintenance Code does not mandate whole-building sprinklers in existing homes, but § 704.2 requires…

Kankakee County does not require residential fire sprinklers outright. Sec. 105-211(7), amending the 2021 International…

St. Clair County does not mandate residential fire sprinklers. Building Regulations Sec. 7-2-72(C) instead requires…

Chicago exempts single-family homes, two-flats, and townhouses (Groups R-3/R-5) from the mandatory sprinkler rule that…

Joliet adopted the 2015 International Residential Code but struck the automatic fire sprinkler mandate: Sec…

Kane County does not require automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes or townhouses. Section 6-4…

Unincorporated Kendall County does not require automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes. When the…

Unincorporated Madison County adopted the 2012 International Residential Code for home construction but specifically…

Unincorporated McHenry County does not require automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes or…

Oak Lawn adopted the 2018 International Residential Code by reference for one- and two-family homes, but its local…

Peoria doesn't require automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes or townhouses. When the city adopted…

Sangamon County struck the International Residential Code's automatic fire sprinkler section entirely, so new one- and…

Springfield adopted the 2012 International Residential Code but struck the code's automatic fire sprinkler mandates…

Tazewell County adopted the 2018 International Residential Code but stripped out its automatic fire sprinkler mandate…

Will County will not enforce fire sprinkler mandates in one- and two-family homes, duplexes or townhouses built to the…

Kendall County's zoning code defines a day care facility as one supervising more than three unrelated children for less…

Waukegan confines day care centers, as opposed to small home day cares, to certain commercial and industrial zoning…

Every child day care center in Champaign must hold a State of Illinois license before it can legally operate under the…

Chicago law requires every licensed day care center to undergo an annual inspection by the fire department or…

The Town of Cicero requires every day care center to meet town building, zoning, fire and health ordinances plus the…

Day care centers with a food service operation in unincorporated Cook County must hold an annual $75 food license and…

DuPage County's Building Code makes a narrow safety exception for small home daycares. Under Sec. 8-700's amendment to…

Elgin's Life Safety Code sets the size thresholds that turn a home into a regulated day care, family day-care home or…

Day care facilities for more than seven people in unincorporated Lake County must clear zoning siting standards…

Where a nursery school is a permitted zoning use in unincorporated Madison County, § 93.088 requires at least 50 square…

In unincorporated McHenry County, a stand-alone day care center is a permitted principal use only in the B-1, B-2, B-3…

In unincorporated McLean County, a day-care center must hold an Illinois DCFS license under the Child Care Act of 1969…

Peoria requires every child care home to fully fence its outdoor play area and routes approval through the Zoning…

Rock Island County treats a home daycare as its own building-safety category. The 2012 IRC amendments the county…

Schaumburg licenses daycare homes and centers as "care providing facilities" under Village Code Chapter 115 and layers…

Skokie requires every family day care home to meet the BOCA/National Existing Structures Code, provide at least 100…

Any operation caring for three or more unrelated children under six, or three or more adults needing supervised care…

Will County's Building Code classifies day care operations serving twelve or fewer children as Group R-3 residential…

Champaign requires deadbolt locks on every swinging door that provides access to a rental dwelling unit, rooming unit…

Chicago requires every dwelling unit entry door to carry a one-inch deadbolt, a protected cylinder, and non-removable…

Cook County's Vacant Building Ordinance requires every exit door on a registered vacant building to have an internal…

Evanston requires deadbolt locks with at least a 1-inch throw and hardened steel components on entry doors to…

Oak Park's rental habitability standard requires every dwelling unit's windows, exterior doors, and basement hatchways…

Schaumburg requires every apartment building of three units or more to keep its shared entry doors lockable. Section…

Every door into a rented dwelling, room or housekeeping unit in Skokie must carry a heavy-duty deadbolt with a 1-inch…

Every rented dwelling, rooming or housekeeping unit in unincorporated St. Clair County must have a deadbolt lock on its…

Waukegan's Property Maintenance and Housing Code flatly bans exterior-only door locks. Under amended § 304.15, any lock…

Schaumburg regulates single-family tear-downs under Village Code § 154.52: builders must file a full tear-down and…

Naperville caps teardown and infill homes in R1, R1A, R1B, and R2 districts at two and a half stories, 35 feet, with a…

To keep new construction proportionate to R1 lots, Skokie's zoning code caps land coverage by the principal and…

Chicago lets builders meet its energy code by certifying gold or emerald under the National Green Building Standard…

Cicero has no separate 'green building' code, but Section 22-13 adopts the International Energy Conservation Code, 2012…

Unincorporated Cook County adopts the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code by reference for new commercial and…

New construction and additions of 10,000+ square feet to commercial, multifamily, or City-financed buildings in…

Will County adopts the International Green Construction Code 2018, but only as a voluntary option contractors can…

Every Aurora dwelling and rooming unit needs a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of each sleeping room…

Champaign requires carbon monoxide detectors within 15 feet of every sleeping room in any residential building that is…

Chicago requires carbon monoxide alarms in existing dwelling units with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, forced-air…

Cicero requires carbon monoxide detectors in residential and mixed-occupancy buildings under Town Code Sec. 42-31, with…

Cook County requires tenants in licensed mobile home parks to install a working carbon monoxide detector, plus a smoke…

DuPage County's Building Code requires a carbon monoxide detector within fifteen feet of every room used for sleeping…

Elgin requires every dwelling unit to have an approved carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping room…

Every Evanston dwelling unit must have a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of each sleeping room. Owners…

Joliet's property maintenance code requires a carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping room in every…

Kane County requires every licensed short-term rental to have a ten-year sealed-battery smoke detector on each level…

In unincorporated Kankakee County, the Illinois Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector Act (Public Act 094-0741) is one of the…

Before a short-term rental in unincorporated Kendall County can be placed on the county registry, the Planning…

New construction in Naperville must include a carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping area in homes with…

Oak Lawn requires carbon monoxide alarms in every residential occupancy, new and existing. New single-family and…

Oak Park requires every licensed bed and breakfast to install carbon monoxide detectors on each level of the building…

Every dwelling unit in unincorporated Rock Island County must have a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of…

Rockford's code doesn't set a citywide carbon monoxide detector mandate for homes, but it does require hookah lounges…

In unincorporated Sangamon County, homes must have a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping…

Schaumburg enforces the 2021 IRC's carbon monoxide alarm mandate, section R315.2.2, through Village Code § 153.11…

Skokie's residential code requires carbon monoxide alarms that meet Illinois State Fire Marshal rules and carry UL or…

Multi-dwelling buildings covered by Springfield's fire-alarm rules also have to carry carbon monoxide detectors: Sec…

Since January 1, 2007, every dwelling unit in unincorporated St. Clair County must have at least one approved carbon…

Section 96.10 requires a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping room in county dwellings, and…

Tinley Park has required carbon monoxide alarms since January 1, 2007 in every dwelling unit with a sleeping room…

Waukegan adopts the 2021 International Residential Code and rewrites its carbon monoxide alarm section, R315.1, to…

Winnebago County requires every dwelling unit in the unincorporated county to have a carbon monoxide detector, mandated…

Arlington Heights Municipal Code Section 23-201 adopts the 2018 International Residential Code for one- and two-family…

Aurora, Illinois requires a building permit before any owner constructs, alters, repairs, moves, or demolishes a…

Bolingbrook requires a building permit under its adopted 2018 International Building Code for construction, alteration…

Champaign requires a permit before any work begins on a building or structure whenever a permit is required by…

Chicago requires a building official permit before most construction, alteration, or demolition, and all permitted work…

Cicero spells out exactly which home projects need a building permit and which don't. Fences, decks, patios, most roof…

Decks in unincorporated Cook County generally require building permits. Decks not more than 30 inches above grade may…

Unincorporated DuPage County requires a permit before you build, alter, demolish, or install most fixed equipment…

Elgin requires a permit from the building official before anyone builds, alters, moves, demolishes, or changes the…

Evanston requires a certificate of zoning compliance from the Zoning Administrator before any structure, including a…

Joliet requires a permit before you construct, enlarge, alter or demolish any structure, change its occupancy, or…

Kane County requires a building permit for most construction in the unincorporated area under the 2021 International…

In unincorporated Kankakee County, no one may construct, enlarge, alter or demolish a structure, or change a building's…

Unincorporated Kendall County requires a building permit before any covered construction begins, and the County Board…

In unincorporated Lake County, decks need a building permit unless they stay under 200 square feet, sit no more than 16…

In unincorporated Macon County, any building or structure longer than ten feet on any side, or any addition to one…

In unincorporated Madison County, any accessory building or structure covering 200 square feet or more requires a…

Unincorporated McHenry County enforces the 2021 International Building Code with local amendments under County Code §…

McLean County Code § 350-19 requires a construction permit before any improvement, addition, relocation or structural…

Naperville requires a building permit before constructing, altering, or remodeling any building or structure, under…

Oak Lawn requires a permit before building a deck or pouring a patio: decking permits cost $50 flat, while patios fall…

Oak Park requires a permit from the building official before anyone constructs, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves, or…

Peoria requires a building permit before anyone constructs, enlarges, alters or demolishes a structure, changes an…

In unincorporated Peoria County, anyone who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, or demolish a building…

Nearly any construction, alteration, or system work on a building in unincorporated Rock Island County needs a permit…

Rockford requires a building permit for interior renovation and remodel work under its adopted Existing Building Code…

Sangamon County charges a flat $100 permit fee for roofing work under its building-permit fee schedule, in addition to…

Schaumburg requires a building permit from the community development department before anyone builds, enlarges, alters…

The Village of Skokie adopts the 2021 International Building Code by reference under Skokie Village Code Section 22-31…

Springfield requires a building permit for construction, alteration or equipment work under the adopted 2012…

Any construction, addition, alteration, demolition or occupancy change to a building or structure in unincorporated St…

Tazewell County requires a building permit from the Community Development Administrator before construction…

Tinley Park requires a building permit before any excavation, grading, construction, addition, remodeling, alteration…

Waukegan enforces the 2021 International Building Code for all construction, and the Building Department alone decides…

Reroofing a home outside Joliet, Bolingbrook and Will County's other cities requires a building permit before work…

Winnebago County requires a building permit from the county building official before you construct, enlarge, alter…

Arlington Heights enforces the 2017 National Electrical Code for every wiring job, adopted under Municipal Code Section…

Aurora requires a permit before installing, altering, or replacing electrical systems or equipment, enforced under the…

Bolingbrook adopted the 2017 National Electrical Code as its electrical code under Code § 10-108, enforced by the…

Champaign requires electrical work to follow the 2020 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), adopted by Section 9-157, and…

Chicago requires a permit before any electrical installation, alteration, or repair, and the city has adopted the 2017…

The Town of Cicero adopts the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2008 Edition, by reference under Section 22-2, with…

In unincorporated Cook County, no electrical work can start until you file with the Building Commissioner and get a…

Unincorporated DuPage County runs on the 2020 National Electrical Code under Sec. 8-600, but with local teeth: standard…

Elgin adopted NFPA 70, the 2020 National Electrical Code, as its electrical code and requires a permit from the…

Evanston has adopted the 2020 National Electrical Code by reference under City Code Section 4-6-1, with permit fees for…

Joliet enforces the National Electrical Code, 2014 Edition, as its electrical code under Sec. 8-211, with two local…

Kane County requires electrical work in the unincorporated area to comply with the 2020 National Electrical Code…

In unincorporated Kankakee County, no electrical wiring or service change may be made without a building permit under…

Unincorporated Kendall County wires new construction to the 2023 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), adopted as part of…

Unincorporated Lake County adopted the 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code with local amendments, and the Planning…

Macon County has adopted the current National Electrical Code as its County Electrical Code, and County Code § 150.07…

Electrical work on construction in unincorporated Madison County must follow the 2005 National Electric Code, which the…

Any electrical service work in unincorporated McHenry County, new wiring, a service change, or equipment modification…

Naperville wires its permitting to the 2023 National Electrical Code under Municipal Code Section 5-1F-1, adopted as…

Oak Lawn requires an electrical inspector-issued permit before any electrical equipment is installed or altered, and…

The Village of Oak Park adopts the National Electrical Code by reference for all electrical work, keeps copies on file…

Every new electrical installation and every repair or replacement of an existing electrical system in Peoria needs a…

Electrical work in unincorporated Peoria County must follow the National Electrical Code, adopted by reference in…

Electrical work in unincorporated Rock Island County requires a licensed, registered electrical contractor. Section…

Rockford has adopted the 2014 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) by reference, and a permit and paid fee are required…

Unincorporated Sangamon County has adopted the 2017 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, and the Department of Building…

Schaumburg requires an electrical permit from the community development department before any electrical wiring…

Skokie adopts the 2020 National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, by reference under Village Code Section 22-91, governing…

Springfield enforces the 2017 National Electrical Code by reference under City Code § 172.10.03, adopted through the…

Unincorporated St. Clair County requires a building permit before any electrical installation, alteration or repair…

Tazewell County requires an electrical permit for wiring work in the unincorporated area and enforces the NFPA 70…

Tinley Park requires a permit for all electrical work, including low-voltage systems like alarms and communications…

Waukegan wires every building to the 2020 National Electrical Code, adopted by reference at City Code § 6-71 and…

Unincorporated Will County adopts the 2017 National Electrical Code and requires a permit for all electrical work…

Winnebago County requires a permit before any electrical work begins in the unincorporated county, issued under the…

Arlington Heights adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890) by reference in Section 23-901 for all…

Aurora requires a building permit before any plumbing system is installed, altered, or replaced, enforced under the…

Bolingbrook has adopted the Illinois state plumbing code as its own plumbing regulations under Code § 10-87, enforced…

Champaign adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code by reference to govern every plumbing installation in the city, and the…

Chicago requires a permit for plumbing work under Chapter 14A-4, plus a City or state plumbing license before anyone…

The Town of Cicero enforces the Illinois Plumbing Code, 2014 Edition, adopted under Section 22-31 from Title 77, Part…

In unincorporated Cook County, a permit is required before installing or altering plumbing equipment, under the…

DuPage County adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code by reference for unincorporated areas, with local amendments on pipe…

Elgin requires a plumbing permit for all new plumbing work, including repiping and swapping a water heater or water…

Evanston requires a permit before any plumbing system installation, alteration, or replacement, and enforces the 2014…

Joliet adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code under Sec. 8-325, with local material restrictions and steep civil penalties…

Every plumbing installation in unincorporated Kane County must follow the Illinois Plumbing Code, which the county…

In unincorporated Kankakee County, no plumbing installation or alteration may start without a building permit from the…

Unincorporated Kendall County regulates plumbing work under the Illinois Plumbing Code rather than the model…

Unincorporated Lake County adopts the 2024 ICC Building Code but strikes its plumbing chapter entirely, requiring all…

Plumbing installations for construction in unincorporated Madison County must follow the Illinois Plumbing Code, which…

Plumbing work anywhere in unincorporated McHenry County is governed by the Illinois State Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Adm…

Naperville adopts the Illinois State Plumbing Code as its primary plumbing standard, backed by the International…

Oak Lawn adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code as its own Plumbing Code and requires a Village permit, issued by the Office…

The Village of Oak Park has no separate municipal plumbing code: it adopts the current edition of the State of Illinois…

Peoria adopts the current State of Illinois Plumbing Code for all plumbing design and installation under Sec. 5-122's…

All plumbing design and installation work in unincorporated Peoria County, including sanitary and storm drainage, water…

Plumbing work in unincorporated Rock Island County runs on the Illinois Plumbing Code, not a locally written plumbing…

Rockford enforces the Illinois Plumbing Code for all plumbing work through City Code Sec. 105-178, requiring a permit…

Sangamon County enforces the Illinois Plumbing Code as its adopted plumbing code, and its building official administers…

Schaumburg requires a community development department permit before any plumbing, drainage or gas fitting work under…

Skokie adopts the Illinois Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Admin. Code Part 890, and the Lawn Irrigation Contractor and Lawn…

Springfield adopts the current edition of the Illinois State Plumbing Code by reference under City Code § 171.10.03…

Unincorporated St. Clair County adopts the Illinois State Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Adm. Code Part 890, as its own…

Tazewell County requires a plumbing permit for fixture work in the unincorporated area and enforces the State of…

Tinley Park's Building Code makes the Illinois State Plumbing Code (2014), as amended, the governing standard for every…

Waukegan enforces plumbing work under the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Admin. Code Part 890, 2014), adopted…

Unincorporated Will County requires a building permit before any plumbing installation, following the adopted 2014…

Winnebago County adopts the 2014 Illinois State Plumbing Code by reference for all plumbing work, with local amendments…

Cicero requires a building inspection before nearly every property sale: Section 22-284 makes any person transferring…

Aurora's Electrical Code requires the building official to inspect underground work before backfilling and rough-in…

Champaign runs a mandatory inspection cycle under Municipal Code Sec. 22-21.1: Assembly, Group U and R-1 rental…

Chicago requires permit holders to request footing, framing, and final inspections at set construction stages, and bars…

Cook County's Building Department runs preliminary inspections during construction and a mandatory final inspection…

DuPage County's Building Code spells out a full sequence of mandatory inspections, from erosion control before…

Elgin adopts the 2021 International Building Code with local amendments, and its building official or a designee must…

Evanston building inspectors can enter and examine any building or premises to check code compliance, but only between…

Joliet requires step-by-step inspections during construction, and no work may proceed past an inspected stage without…

Kane County's building inspections run under the 2021 International Building Code's Section 110 as locally amended…

Before covering up any framing or plumbing, the owner or contractor building in unincorporated Kankakee County must…

New construction in unincorporated Kendall County goes through a fixed sequence of inspections from site staking to…

Unincorporated Lake County follows the 2024 ICC codes for building inspections, with the Planning, Building and…

Electrical work permitted under Macon County's Electrical Code must be inspected before it's covered up and again for…

McLean County Code § 350-20 bars occupying any building, addition or land use until the Director of Building and Zoning…

Naperville Municipal Code Section 1-9H-2 lists the inspections required, in chronological order, for new commercial…

Oak Lawn requires at least four inspections on every single-family home built under permit, more on other buildings as…

Peoria requires every registered rental dwelling to be self-inspected by the landlord and tenant before move-in and at…

The director of community development, acting as Schaumburg's building official, must examine every permitted job site…

Before Skokie will issue a certificate of compliance, the Building, Fire, Engineering, Plumbing, Electrical and Health…

Every stage of permitted construction work in Springfield must be inspected before it's covered up. Sec. 170.10.06(a)…

Work covered by a St. Clair County building permit must stay open for inspection at each stage under Building…

Tazewell County's Community Development Administrator inspects permitted properties before a certificate of occupancy…

Tinley Park requires the Building Official to inspect construction at defined stages before work may proceed, from…

Will County requires up to 20 staged inspections during construction, from footing to final, called 48 hours ahead of…