Change Owner (Administrative Change)

Change Owner

(Administrative Change)

 

The Express Permit Program offers a streamlined way to notify the Department of Buildings that the owner or tenant listed as the permit holder on a plan-based building permit has changed. You will receive a supplemental permit to document this change.

Eligibility Summary

Additional terms, conditions, and limitations may apply.

Eligible

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

Not Eligible

  • 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)

Important Considerations

Do you need to change the owner?

Verify that you need a new owner listed on the permit. This is not generally required by the Department of Buildings in order to complete inspections or to issue a Certificate of Occupancy. The Department of Buildings does need to be notified of a new owner before the completion of work if the old owner was acting as general contractor or mason contractor or self-performing plumbing work.

Terms and conditions

See the full Terms and Conditions for Express Permit Program : Administrative Change for further limitations on this type of permit.

Before You Apply

You may want to check with the Department of Finance to verify that the new owner to be listed on the permit does not owe debt (old parking tickets, inspection fees, license fees, taxes, etc.) to the City of Chicago. The Department of Buildings may require you to provide proof of this before issuing a permit to change owner.

You should also gather required documents before starting the online permit application. 

Required Documents

All applications

For all applications, you must upload:

  • Ownership change letter
  • Ownership change supporting document

The ownership change letter must be a letter from the old owner addressed to the Department of Buildings requesting transfer of a specific building permit to the new owner. The ownership change supporting document must show a legal change of ownership (including a contract to sell), such as a real estate sales contract, deed, or HUD-1 closing statement.

Project owned by a government entity

If the work to be permitted in being undertaken by or for a local, state, or federal government entity (such as Chicago Public Schools) you must upload:

  • Government ownership or funding letter

If the government entity has a permit fee waiver ordinance, include a copy of that ordinance as part of this upload.

Project receiving construction funding from a government entity

If the work to be permitted or is receiving construction funding from a government entity (such as a Small Business Improvement Fund grant) you must upload:

  • Government ownership or funding letter

The letter must be from the government entity providing the construction funding.

Ordinances and Rules

Municipal Code of Chicago, Section 1-23-400 (Issuance of licenses and permits prohibited)

Chicago Construction Codes Administrative Provisions, Section 14A-4-410.3 (Permits—Applications—Required information)

Chicago Construction Codes Administrative Provisions, Section 14A-12-1204.2 (Stand-alone permit fees)