Changes to Chicago Electrical Code Effective March 1, 2018
February 27, 2018
As previously announced, the Department of Buildings will begin applying updated electrical code and smoke and carbon monoxide detection requirements, which were adopted by the city council last fall, to all projects where the $300 permit fee deposit is paid on or after March 1, 2018.
In order to expedite permit reviews and simplify field inspections of such projects, the Department requests that you include:
2018 ELECTRICAL CODE
in bold 24-point type on (1) the cover sheet of drawings to which the new requirements will apply; and (2) the first sheet of electrical drawings to which the new requirements will apply.
Your project may be returned to you at the pre-screen stage if it does not comply with this request.
You can look up when the permit fee deposit was paid for a specific permit application in your online account.
A copy of the September 6 ordinance is available here. Updated smoke and carbon monoxide detection requirements begin on page 209 of the pdf and are generally aligned with requirements in the 2015 edition of the International Building Code. All changes made by this ordinance will be reflected in the online version of the Municipal Code soon. Chicago's amendments to the National Electrical Code are already available in the online version of the Municipal Code, Title 14E. For frequent users of the Chicago Electrical Code, a copy of the 2016 National Electrical Code incorporating all of Chicago's amendments may be purchased from NFPA.