• Replacing an electrical contractor, general contractor, mason contractor, plumbing contractor, or other construction subcontractor with another valid contractor or subcontractor of the same type
• Adding an additional electrical contractor, mason contractor, plumbing contractor, or other construction subcontractor to perform a clearly defined scope on an active building permit
• Switching from a licensed general contractor or mason contractor to owner-as-contractor (where eligible)
• Switching from a licensed plumbing contractor to owner-performed plumbing (where eligible)

• Adding a contractor on a suspended building permit (apply to reinstate the underlying permit first)
• Removing a contractor without identifying a replacement
• Having more than one contractor responsible for the same scope of work
• Having more than one general contractor on the same project at the same time

• Identifying a new owner associated with an active building permit
• Identifying an additional owner associated with an active building permit

• Identifying a new or additional owner associated with a suspended building permit (this will be handled as part of the application to reinstate the suspended permit)

• Repairing an existing communications equipment site
• Decommissioning an existing communications equipment site and removing all equipment and support structures

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Altering an existing communications equipment site, without changing the location on the property or increasing the overall height (example: swapping out antennas)

• Establishing a new communications equipment site
• Working on an existing communications equipment site that was not originally installed under a valid permit
• Working on equipment that is located on, over, or below a public street, sidewalk, or alley (public way)
• Changing the location of where equipment is installed on the property (for example: relocating equipment from the east wall to the west wall)
• Increasing the overall height of equipment installed on the property

• Installing a single-level trailer for temporary use as an office or storage area associated with ongoing (permitted) building construction, rehabilitation, or demolition activity
• Installing a single-level trailer for temporary use as a sales center associated with ongoing (permitted) building construction or rehabilitation activity
• Extending a similarly issued permit while the associated construction or rehabilitation activity remains ongoing

• Installing a trailer for a purpose not associated with ongoing permitted construction, rehabilitation, or demolition activity
• Installing a multi-story or multi-level trailer
• Installing a trailer on a permanent basis

• Building a new structure with a hip or gable roof and a floor area not exceeding 600 square feet, using wood or light-gauge metal frame construction, that is capable of storing at least one passenger car, on a lot in a residential (R) zoning district
• Demolishing an existing detached garage on the site where a new detached garage will be built
• Reusing an existing foundation to build a new detached garage

• Building on a lot in a non-residential (non-R) zoning district
• Building a structure that is not capable of storing at least one passenger car (including access via an alley or permitted driveway)
• Building a garage intended for commercial vehicle repair or storage of commercial vehicles
• Building a garage that is attached to or part of another building
• Building a garage with masonry walls
• Building a garage with a flat or low-sloped roof (less than 2:12)
• Building a garage with a gambrel (barn-type) roof
• Building a garage with an upper level, storage loft, or mezzanine
• Building a garage with heating or air-conditioning equipment
• Building a garage with new plumbing
• Excavating more than 5 feet below existing grade

• Replacing a window in an existing wall opening in a building up to 7 stories tall
• Replacing an exterior door in an existing wall opening with the same type of exterior door in a building up to 7 stories tall
• Replacing a skylight in an existing roof opening in a building up to 7 stories tall

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Performing similar work in a building taller than 7 stories

• Creating a new opening in an exterior wall or roof for a new window, door, or skylight
• Replacing a window or door that has or is required to have fire-rated glass
• Replacing a window or door within 10 feet of a fire escape
• In a building with more than 3 stories, replacing a window in a wall that is within 2 feet of a lot line that separates two properties
• Installing a new window, door, or skylight that does not meet minimum energy efficiency requirements of the Chicago Energy Transformation Code

• Installing a front yard fence up to 4.5 feet (54 inches) tall
• Installing a front yard fence up to 6 feet tall, so long as the fence is at least 80% open
• Installing a backyard fence, up to 6 feet tall
• Installing a fence up to 15 feet tall, with zoning approval
• Legalizing a fence built without a required building permit

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Building a wall or fence using masonry (brick, stone, or concrete) construction
• Building or replacing a trash enclosure

• Installing a fence or trash enclosure that violates any requirement of the Chicago Zoning Ordinance
• Installing a fence or trash enclosure that is more than 15 feet tall
• Installing a roofed trash enclosure structure
• Excavating more than 5 feet below existing grade

• Remodeling (nonstructural) up to 2,000 square feet, without adding, removing, or reconfiguring walls or doorways for rooms other than closets
• Performing electrical work, including new electrical service up to 400 amps
• Performing mechanical (HVAC) work, including adding new air conditioning
• Performing plumbing work, including adding up to 5 water supply fixture units (WSFUs) of demand (example: adding a washing machine is 2 WSFU; adding a private bathroom is 4 WSFU)

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Remodeling (nonstructural) up to 2,000 square feet, including adding, removing, or reconfiguring walls or doorways

• Performing structural work (see Terms and Conditions for definition)
• Installing new interior stairs
• Rearranging existing interior stairs
• Performing exterior work, such as replacement of exterior windows or doors
• Changing the occupancy of an existing space (example: converting a storefront to a residential unit)
• Converting unheated space, such as an unheated attic or garage, into living space
• Performing work in a space that has never been legally occupied, such as the initial buildout of a “shell” or “vanilla box”

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Remodeling (nonstructural) up to 2,000 square feet in a non-assembly (non-Group A) occupancy
• Remodeling (nonstructural) up to 500 square feet in an assembly (Group A) occupancy
• Performing electrical work, including new electrical service up to 400 amps
• Performing mechanical (HVAC) work, including adding new air conditioning
• Performing plumbing work, including adding up to 5 water supply fixture units (WSFUs) of demand (example: adding a breakroom sink is 3 WSFU)

• Performing structural work (see Terms and Conditions for definition)
• Installing new interior stairs
• Rearranging existing interior stairs
• Performing exterior work, such as replacement of exterior windows or doors
• Working in an educational (Group E), factory/industrial (Group F), high hazard (Group H), institutional (Group I), or storage (Group S) occupancy
• Constructing or remodeling space for a new food establishment or food establishment operator
• Changing the occupancy of an existing space (example changing an office to an event space)
• Performing work in a space that has never been legally occupied, such as the initial buildout of a “shell” or “vanilla box”

With drawings prepared by a licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Remodeling (nonstructural) up to 500 square feet total
• Performing electrical work, including new electrical service up to 400 amps
• Performing plumbing work, including adding up to 5 water supply fixture units (WSFUs) of demand (example: adding a drinking fountain is 0.5 WSFU)

• Performing structural work (see Terms and Conditions for definition)
• Installing new interior stairs
• Rearranging existing interior stairs
• Performing exterior work
• Working in an educational (Group E), factory/industrial (Group F), high hazard (Group H), institutional (Group I), or storage (Group S) occupancy
• Constructing or remodeling space for a new food establishment or food establishment operator
• Changing the occupancy of an existing space
• Performing mechanical (HVAC) work

• Performing routine maintenance and repair for masonry walls, such as tuckpointing, up to 50,000 square feet of work
• Replacing the outer wythe of a masonry wall
• Replacing a lintel with a span up to 6 feet
• Rebuilding a masonry parapet wall, up to 2,500 square feet of work
• Performing routine maintenance and repair for concrete structures, up to 100 square feet of work

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Replacing a lintel with a span over 6 feet, but not exceeding 25 feet
• Performing routine maintenance and repair for concrete structures, up to 5,000 square feet of work

• Constructing a new masonry structure
• Rebuilding all wythes of the exterior wall of a building
• Replacing a lintel with a span exceeding 25 feet
• Rebuilding a parapet wall with a height exceeding 48 inches (4 feet)
• Reconfiguring concrete building elements, such as lowering a basement floor slab
• Performing work not specifically described in the permit

• Replacing existing mechanical (heating, ventilation, or air conditioning or “HVAC”) equipment with equipment performing the same function (OK to change energy source)
• Installing a new heat pump or air conditioning system serving a single residential or nonresidential unit, based on appropriate HVAC load calculations

With a structural evaluation letter prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Installing or replacing rooftop equipment
• Installing or replacing equipment attached to a truss

With specifications prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect, structural engineer, or professional engineer:

• Installing new refrigeration equipment serving more than one residential or nonresidential unit
• Installing new refrigeration equipment for food cooling

• Installing a new type of mechanical equipment not specifically identified in the “eligible” section (for example, installing an exhaust hood where one did not exist)
• Reconfiguring existing commercial kitchen exhaust ductwork
• Performing mechanical (HVAC) work in a hazardous (Group H) or institutional (Group I) occupancy
• Installing new refrigeration equipment in an educational (Group E), factory/industrial (Group F), or storage (Group S) occupancy
• Creating a new or expanded penetration or opening in a wall or floor that separates a residential unit or non-residential unit from another unit, a shared corridor, or a stairway
• Installing any piping, ductwork, or equipment in an enclosed exit stairway or other type of exit
• Installing equipment that does not meet the minimum energy efficiency requirements of the Chicago Energy Transformation Code

• Repairing or replacing an existing plumbing fixture
• Repairing or replacing existing plumbing piping (supply or drain/waste/vent) inside a building
• Repairing or replacing existing plumbing risers (supply or drain/waste/vent) inside a building
• Repairing or replacing an existing hot water heater

• Altering, reconfiguring, or extending an existing plumbing system (limited alterations may be possible as a “Nonstructural Interior Alteration”)
• Performing plumbing work in an institutional (Group I) occupancy, such as a nursing home, hospital, or jail
• Performing plumbing work more than 5 feet outside a building’s foundation
• Installing a plumbing fixture that does not meet the minimum water efficiency requirements of the Chicago Plumbing Code

• Filing an energy code compliance certification documenting post-construction National Green Building Standard or PHIUS compliance

• Any other type of post-construction filing, at this time

• Associating an Alternative Code Approval (ACAR) with a plan-based permit that was issued before the ACAR, when no changes are required to the approved plans

• Any other type of post-issuance approval

With drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer (uploaded to ProjectDox as part of a related plan-based building permit application):

• Applying for this permit after demolition plans have been uploaded for review as part of a plan-based building permit application using Standard Plan Review
• Removing mechanical, electrical, or plumbing equipment that only serves the part of the building covered by the permit

• Applying for this permit before demolition plans have been uploaded for review as part of a plan-based building permit application
• Applying for this permit if the plan-based building permit application is self-certified
• Applying for this permit if the plan-based building permit application is using Developer Services
• Removing or altering mechanical, electrical, or plumbing equipment that serves occupied areas of the building outside the area covered by the permit
• Demolishing structural elements of a building
• Demolishing exterior elements of a building or removing exterior windows or doors

• Removing a residential kitchen that was installed without a permit in an all-residential building with 1-3 legal residential units
• Removing a residential bathroom or toilet room that was installed without a permit in an all-residential building with 1-3 legal residential units
• Removing interior walls, HVAC equipment, or electrical work that was installed without a permit in an all-residential building with 1-3 legal residential units

• Removing work that was installed with a valid building permit
• Reducing the number of legally established residential units in a building (example: changing a legal two-flat to a single-family)
• Working in a building with any non-residential occupancy
• Working in a building with 4 or more legal residential units

• Performing roof repair (limited to 25% of roof area)
• Performing roof recover over 1 existing layer of roof covering
• Performing roof replacement (no structural work)

With drawings/calculations prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Installing an additional layer of roof covering (roof recover) over 2 or more existing layers of roof covering
• Performing structural repairs to the existing roof structure

• Having any person that does not have a valid Illinois Roofing Contractor license perform reroofing work
• Performing reroofing work on a building with an unpermitted rooftop feature (example: a rooftop deck installed without a permit)
• Using materials or installation methods that do not comply with minimum requirements in the Chicago Building Code
• Performing reroofing work that does not comply with minimum requirements for insulation in the Chicago Energy Transformation Code

• Erecting scaffolding 40 feet in height or more in the downtown area using an insured general contractor and properly trained workers
• Erecting scaffolding 80 feet in height or more outside the downtown area using an insured general contractor and properly trained workers

• Erecting scaffolding less than 40 feet in height (does not require a building permit)
• Erecting more than 10 scaffolds at the same property
• Erecting scaffolding on or over the public way without a Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) permit
• Erecting or maintaining scaffolding using workers without required scaffolding safety training

With drawings and calculations prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Installing a solar photovoltaic system with an inverter output of 13.44 kW or less
• Installing an energy storage system associated with a solar photovoltaic system, up to 20 kWh (10 kWh limit for some battery types)

Without drawings and calculations prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer:

• Removing an existing, permitted small-scale solar photovoltaic system and replacing it in the same configuration as a repair or in connection with reroofing

• Installing a solar photovoltaic system with an inverter output exceeding 13.44 kW
• Working on a building containing an institutional (Group I) or hazardous (Group H) occupancy
• Installing a solar photovoltaic system on a roof with an average height exceeding 40 feet
• Installing a ballasted solar photovoltaic system on a roof with an average height exceeding 15 feet
• Installing a ballasted solar photovoltaic system on a sloped roof
• Attaching a solar photovoltaic system to the building with adhesives instead of mechanical fasteners (screws, bolts)

• Installing a single-level tent, trailer, stage, or similar structure, covering up to 600 square feet, for no more than 180 days
• Installing a group of eligible structures where the total area of all structures does not exceed 2,500 square feet and there is at least 6 feet between each structure
• Extending a similarly issued permit for up to 180 additional days

• Installing a permanent structure
• Installing a structure that is more than 15 feet above the ground
• Installing a multi-story or multi-level structure
• Installing a temporary structure that is to be used for sleeping
• Installing a construction trailer (see Construction Trailer)