The Department of Buildings supports the safety and quality of life for the residents and visitors of the City of Chicago through enforcement of the Chicago Building Code. The permitting and inspection process promotes high quality design standards as well as the conservation, rehabilitation and reuse of the City’s existing buildings.

What They Do?

Building permits give you, your insurance company, neighbors and the City assurance that specific minimum standards are met in constructing, repairing or altering your home or building by complying with the Chicago Building Code. These standards are intended to protect the integrity of the buildings, the welfare of the public and your safety.

The City of Chicago’s Life Safety and High Rise Sprinkler Ordinances will better protect the lives of building occupants in pre-1975 high-rise buildings by requiring enhanced, more stringent and effective safety measures in both residential and commercial high-rise buildings. In addition to requiring sprinklers in most commercial high-rise buildings, the ordinance also requires residential high-rise building owners to submit thorough Life Safety Evaluations to the City.

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