Chicago Building Permit Search & History
Look up 2,662 recent Chicago building permits — addresses, permit types, contractors, and valuations, updated multiple times a day from the city's official records, with history back to January 3, 2006. Free email alerts when new permits match your filters.
Recent Chicago Permits
Showing 20 of 2662 recent permits.
Sign up to see all permits and set alertsChicago Permit Filing Trends
Weekly filing volume from the last 12 weeks of Chicago permit data:
| Week | Permits filed | Declared value |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2026 | 680 | $539.8M |
| July 6, 2026 | 661 | $269.0M |
| June 29, 2026 | 598 | $128.3M |
| June 22, 2026 | 713 | $128.1M |
| June 15, 2026 | 556 | $90.0M |
| June 8, 2026 | 613 | $98.7M |
| June 1, 2026 | 703 | $282.8M |
| May 25, 2026 | 517 | $310.1M |
| May 18, 2026 | 701 | $187.9M |
| May 11, 2026 | 661 | $101.8M |
| May 4, 2026 | 725 | $132.2M |
| April 27, 2026 | 610 | $154.3M |
Most common permit types in the last 90 days: PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM (5408) · PERMIT - RENOVATION/ALTERATION (1316) · PERMIT - SIGNS (567) · PERMIT - NEW CONSTRUCTION (409) · PERMIT - ELEVATOR EQUIPMENT (284) · PERMIT - WRECKING/DEMOLITION (173)
Most Active Chicago Contractors
The contractors named on the most Chicago permits filed in the last 90 days:
- JOYCE PAUL — 415 permits
- HARRIS BRADFORD JAY — 152 permits
- SKIFFINGTON, DAVID PATRICK — 103 permits
- ENGELMAN KELSEY — 76 permits
- ALVAREZ GIL — 62 permits
- SIMOTAS SOFIA — 54 permits
- WILMOT, ADAM R — 52 permits
- MILCHLING ROBERT — 49 permits
Chicago Building Permit History
Building permits are public records: every filing leaves a permanent paper trail of what was built, altered, or repaired at an address. The Permit Sheet's Chicago feed currently covers 24,237 permits going back to January 3, 2006, refreshed multiple times a day from the city's official database.
Issued-permit data on the Chicago Data Portal goes back to 2006; the Building Permit and Inspection Records tool reflects the Department of Buildings' electronic record system, and older paper records (post-1954) must be requested via FOIA.
Permits issued 1872-1954 are in 90 digitized ledger books (with an address card index) in the University of Illinois Chicago Library's Chicago Building Permits Digital Collection, with microfilm also available at the Chicago History Museum's Abakanowicz Research Center. For post-1954 permits and drawings not in the online system, file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Department of Buildings via chicago.gov.
To research a specific property, start with the address search on Building Permit and Inspection Records, then use our free permit lookup to see recent filings, contractors, and valuations side by side.
Each weekly Chicago digest also lists the biggest projects filed that week by address.
Chicago Building Department
City of Chicago Department of Buildings
Open the Building Permit and Inspection Records tool at webapps1.chicago.gov/buildingrecords and accept the brief user agreement. Enter the property's street number and street name to pull up the address, then view the associated permits, Department of Buildings inspections, code-enforcement cases, and alleged code violations for that building. For filtering or downloading issued permits in bulk, use the Building Permit Search on the Chicago Data Portal instead.
Which Chicago permit tool do I use?
The city runs several official tools; each answers a different question:
Weekly Chicago Permit Digests
Free weekly reports on the biggest Chicago projects filed, with addresses and valuations:
Chicago Permit Guides
About Chicago Building Permits
Building permits in Chicago are public records administered by the City of Chicago Department of Buildings. They cover new construction, renovations, demolitions, electrical work, plumbing, roofing, solar installations, and more. Every permit includes the property address, type of work, estimated valuation, and the applicant and contractor on record.
The Permit Sheet monitors Chicago's official permit records multiple times per day, so you can search recent filings on this page without paging through the city portal — and get an email the moment a new permit matches your trade, neighborhood, or valuation filters. Contractors use it to be first to new projects; investors and neighbors use it to see what's being built nearby.
How to search Chicago permits
- Browse the live feed above — the 20 newest filings with addresses, types, and valuations, refreshed all day.
- Look up a specific address — use the free permit lookup or the city's official Building Permit and Inspection Records to pull filings for one property.
- Set an alert — create a free account and get new Chicago permits matching your filters by email within minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up building permits in Chicago?
Two ways: search the city's official portal, Building Permit and Inspection Records (Open the Building Permit and Inspection Records tool at webapps1.chicago.gov/buildingrecords and accept the brief user agreement. Enter the property's street number and street name to pull up the address, then view the associated permits, Department of Buildings inspections, code-enforcement cases, and alleged code violations for that building. For filtering or downloading issued permits in bulk, use the Building Permit Search on the Chicago Data Portal instead.) — or browse the live feed on this page, which tracks Chicago filings continuously and adds contractor and valuation details.
How do I find the permit history of a Chicago address?
Search the address on Building Permit and Inspection Records for the city's official record. The Permit Sheet's Chicago feed goes back to January 3, 2006 with 24,237 permits tracked — each weekly digest also lists the biggest filings by address. Permits issued 1872-1954 are in 90 digitized ledger books (with an address card index) in the University of Illinois Chicago Library's Chicago Building Permits Digital Collection, with microfilm also available at the Chicago History Museum's Abakanowicz Research Center. For post-1954 permits and drawings not in the online system, file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Department of Buildings via chicago.gov.
How many building permits were filed in Chicago this month?
2662 building permits appear in our Chicago feed for the last 30 days. The most common type is PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM. The median declared valuation is $15,000.
Can I get email alerts for new Chicago building permits?
Yes. The Permit Sheet sends real-time email alerts within minutes of new permits being filed. Filter by permit type (roofing, electrical, solar, HVAC), valuation range, and neighborhood. Free tier available.
Where is the Chicago building department?
City of Chicago Department of Buildings, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 900 (City Hall, 9th floor), Chicago, IL 60602, 312-744-3449. 9th floor front desk at City Hall: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..