Interior Alteration (Nonstructural Interior Work)
Interior Alteration
(Nonstructural Interior Work)
The Express Permit Program offers a streamlined way to obtain a permit for nonstructural interior alterations affecting up to 2,000 square feet of floor area for many types of spaces, including homes, offices, and stores.
Eligibility Summary
Additional terms, conditions, and limitations may apply.
Work within a single residential unit
Eligible
- 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
Not Eligible
- 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”
Work within a single non-residential unit
Eligible
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)
Not Eligible
- 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”
Work in a common area or work in more than one unit
Eligible
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)
Not Eligible
- 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
When is a building permit not required?
Before beginning an Express Permit Program application for interior alterations, please review:
What Types of Work Do Not Require a Building Permit? : Interior Finishes and Furnishings
Important Considerations
Use of space
This type of permit is only available if the space being worked on is classified as a Group A (Assembly), Group B (Business), Group M (Mercantile), Group R (Residential) or Group U (Utility/Miscellaneous) occupancy per Chapter 3 of the Chicago Building Code.
This type of permit is not available if the space being worked on is classified as a Group E (Educational), Group F (Factory/Industrial), Group H (High Hazard), Group I (Institutional), or Group S (Storage) occupancy.
Area of work
This type of permit is only available if the area being worked on does not exceed 2,000 square feet for most types of single-occupant spaces.
The area of work is limited to 500 square feet for work in Group A (Assembly) occupancies and work in common areas or affecting more than one unit in a building.
The area of work is determined by drawing a continuous boundary around all work on each floor level. Where work will occur on more than one floor level, the area of work on all floor levels must be added together. Incidental work that must be performed in an electrical, mechanical, or utility room/space that is not immediately adjacent to the remainder of the work may be excluded from this measurement.
No shared mechanical (HVAC) equipment
This type of permit cannot be used for work involving mechanical (HVAC) equipment serving common areas or more than one unit in a building.
Terms and conditions
See the full Terms and Conditions for Express Permit Program : Nonstructural Interior Work for further limitations on this type of permit.
Before You Apply
The Express Permit Process is available for a limited range of straightforward, nonstructural alteration projects in already-occupied spaces. Please review the terms, conditions, and limitations of this permit type carefully before assuming that you will be allowed to use the Express Permit Process for your project.
You should also gather required documents, select required contractors and professionals (if any), and have their license or registration numbers before starting the online permit application.
Required Documents
All applications
For all applications, you must upload:
- Existing condition photograph (at least 1)
- Energy and water efficiency compliance form
Work in a single residential unit, no reconfiguration
If the scope of work is limited to a single residential unit and does not include reconfiguration of doors and walls, other than for closets, you must upload:
- Floor plan, drawn to scale
The floor plans may be drawn by the contractor or any responsible person. There should be two separate floor plans for each story where work will take place: one showing existing conditions and one showing proposed conditions. The floor plans must include labels and notes explaining all proposed work.
Reconfiguration of doors and walls or non-residential work
If the scope of work includes reconfiguration of doors and walls, other than for closets, or involves multiple residential units, a non-residential unit, or work in a common area, such as a lobby or hallway, you must upload:
- Drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer
There must be two separate floor plans for each story where work will take place: one showing existing conditions and one showing proposed conditions. The floor plans must include labels and notes explaining all proposed work. Additional types of drawings must be included, per industry standards, based on the specific scope of work.
New air conditioning equipment
If the scope of work includes installation of new (not replacement) equipment for air conditioning, you must upload:
- HVAC load calculation
The HVAC load calculation may be prepared by any responsible person in accordance with industry standards, such as ACCA Manual J for residential load calculations.
Work on condominium property
If the work to be permitted is on property that is part of a condominium association (including work in an individually owned condominium unit) you must upload:
- Condominium association approval letter
This letter must briefly describe the work to be performed (example: interior renovations in unit 9A) and be signed by an authorized representative of the condominium association, such a property manager or officer of the association.
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.
Work required to address fire damage
If work is required to address fire damage, you must have the Department of Buildings assess the scope of fire damage before you apply for a building permit. The Department’s assessment will be documented on a form called the “Tax and Demolition Form,” per the Illinois Insurance Code. You must upload:
- Tax and demolition form
Property owner as general contractor or property owner as plumber
If the property owner will be acting as general contractor or self-performing plumbing work, you must upload:
- Owner as contractor form (Form 401)
- Copy of government issued identification
The government issued identification must show that the property owner lives at the address where work will be performed.
Required Contractors
A licensed general contractor (any class) is always required. In some cases, an owner may act as general contractor.
If the scope of work includes electrical work, a licensed electrical contractor (general) is required.
If the scope of work includes plumbing work, a licensed plumbing contractor is required.
Required Design Professionals
Drawings prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer are required for:
- Work in a single residential unit that involves relocating doorways or walls other than for closets
- Work in a non-residential unit
- Work in a common area or more than one unit
That architect or engineer must be identified in the Additional Applicants section of the application.
Ordinances and Rules
Chicago Construction Codes Administrative Provisions, Section 14A-12-1204.2 (Stand-alone permit fees)
2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, Chapter 14N-C5 (Commercial buildings—Existing buildings)
2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, Chapter 14N-R5 (Residential buildings—Existing buildings)
2019 Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code, Chapter 14R-5 (Prescriptive compliance method)
2019 Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code, Chapter 14R-6 (Classification of work)
Chicago Plumbing Code, Table 18-29-604.10.1 (Demand weight of fixtures in fixture units)