recent building permits…
Illinois has 6,566 building permits on file, with 2,519 new permits filed in the last 30 days. That's steady work coming through the system. Chicago dominates permit activity in the state, making it the primary source for construction leads across all trades. Electrical work leads the pack with 1,982 permits, followed by other permit types at 1,692. Roofing comes in at 912 permits and renovation at 861. HVAC, plumbing, and general contracting all show consistent activity. If you're working in any of these trades, Illinois permits represent real jobs with owners who've already committed to construction. Permit data works for contractors because it shows you who's building before they call your competitors. When you track permits in your market, you're seeing projects at the moment they become official. That's when owners are actually ready to hire subs and specialty contractors.
Building permits are the fastest way to find new construction leads in Illinois. When a permit is filed, the project is approved and moving forward. DigPermit's database tracks all permits filed in the state, updated regularly so you see new projects as they're submitted. Filter by trade type, city, and filing date to find jobs that match your services. Electrical contractors, roofers, HVAC specialists, and plumbers all use this data to contact property owners and general contractors before the work is bid out to a full list of vendors.
Chicago is by far the most active city for building permits in Illinois, accounting for the entire permit volume in our current database at 6,566 permits. This makes Chicago the primary market for contractors looking for consistent lead flow. The city's mix of residential, commercial, and renovation work means there's demand across electrical, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, and general contracting. If you service the Chicago area, permit data is your direct line to active projects.
Electrical permits are the most common in Illinois with 1,982 permits on file, making it the top trade by volume. Other permits account for 1,692 filings, roofing has 912, and renovation permits total 861. Commercial permits represent 378 filings. This breakdown tells you where the work is concentrated. Electrical contractors have the largest lead pool, but roofing and renovation also represent solid opportunity. Track permits by type to focus on the work that fits your business.
7,876 recent building permits filed in Illinois.
7,876 permits
Installing a new channel letter sign using existing electrical access for connection
Existing four-story, type iii-a construction single-family house: interior renovation, new 3-story steel porch structure, new masonry stair to existing garage roof, new windows, ma…
Purpose: new/replacement installation. wood fence - 6'-0' ' (height) x 139'-0' ' (length). location: fence around property.
Scope: nonstructural interior remodel of two existing bathrooms. locations: 1 residential unit(s), 0 non-residential unit(s), 2nd floor only
Purpose: new/replacement installation. vinyl/pvc fence - 6'-0' ' (height) x 77'-0' ' (length). location: side and rear yard of the property.
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Temporary scaffolding: qty: 5, max. length: 50 ft., max. height: 155 ft. location: north and west. permit expiration date: 365 days from permit issued date
Painted mural with business logo and identifier
Wreck and remove a 4 story masonry building
Repair (26% to 50%) for wood porch (open) (quantity: 1, location: rear of building).
Purpose: new/replacement installation. wood fence - 6'-0' ' (height) x 87'-0' ' (length). location: replacing fence on north side.
For permit b200457586: replacement plumbing contractor. new contractor(s) listed under "other applicants and contractors" on permit certificate.
Spr 2019 cbrc: photovoltaic roof mount system. 18 modules, roof-mounted. 7.200 kw dc, 6.480 kw ac.
For permit b200416586: replacement electrical contractor. new contractor(s) listed under "other applicants and contractors" on permit certificate.
Installing a new channel letter sign using existing wires for connection.
Wreck and remove a 4 story masonry building incluoding the rooftop water tank
Install solar panels on roof of principal building. roof type: sloped (2:12 to 5:12). inverter output: 6 kw. array output: 8.36 kw. location: rooftop. icc distributed generation in…
Spr 2019 cbc: revision to permit # 101075545 to relocate door s2-1b (20-minute rated) and provide adjacent 45-minute rated window at adjacent opening to maintain separation between…
Electrical maintenance permit. occupancy: residential. start date: 5/21/2026. end date: 6/20/2026. all work under this permit must be performed by employees of the listed electrica…
For permit 101076270: replacement electrical contractor. new contractor(s) listed under "other applicants and contractors" on permit certificate.
Tuckpointing and unit masonry repair / replacement: 150 sq. ft., lintel qty. 5, max. length 6. location: front of building.