Plan check guide · Chicago

Chicago plan check guide

Chicago’s Department of Buildings reviews plans against the city’s own numbered construction codes rather than a state or ICC edition adopted as-is, submitted through the E-Plan portal. This guide collects what DOB and its published forms say: review paths, code basis, submission rules, and what the compliance matrix and other checklists ask designers to show.

In Chicago, the Department of Buildings (DOB) reviews building plans under the Chicago Construction Codes, its own numbered titles (14A-14X of the Municipal Code) built on ICC model codes with heavy local amendment, submitted through the E-Plan portal. Most projects use Standard Plan Review with simultaneous discipline reviews, though eligible projects can use Self-Certification, Express Permits, or Developer Services instead; most corrections go through the mandatory Certified Plan Corrections program, and more than two review cycles triggers a required mediation meeting before a third.

Chicago at a glance

The facts to confirm before you submit

Chicago plan check at a glanceSwipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
QuestionWhat the official source saysSource
Who reviews building plans?The Department of Buildings (DOB), with Planning and Development/Zoning, the Fire Department, Water Management, Transportation, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities reviewing the scopes that touch their systems.City of Chicago - Department of Buildings (home page)
Which code applies?Chicago writes its own numbered Chicago Construction Codes rather than adopting a state or ICC edition as-is. The 2019 Chicago Building and Rehabilitation Codes have been mandatory since August 1, 2020, and Phase 3 of the modernization, updating mechanical, fuel gas, fire prevention, and energy codes, was adopted June 17, 2026.City of Chicago - Modernizing Chicago's Construction Codes
How are plans submitted?Through E-Plan, the city’s ProjectDox-based system: unlocked, flattened PDFs, one sheet per file, with a blank 3-by-3-inch space on every sheet for the city’s review stamp.City of Chicago - Prepare Files (E-Plan User Guide)
What review paths exist?Standard Plan Review is the default, with simultaneous discipline reviews. Eligible projects can instead use Self-Certification (a registered design professional certifies compliance directly), Express Permits for smaller scopes, or Developer Services for the largest projects.City of Chicago - Standard Plan Review Permit Program
How do I respond to corrections?Most non-zoning, non-geotechnical corrections go through the mandatory Certified Plan Corrections program: revise the drawings with each change bubbled and dated, add a signed Form 420 summary sheet, and upload it to the Certified Plan Correction folder.City of Chicago - Certified Plan Corrections
What if corrections keep coming back?More than two plan review cycles triggers a required Correction Mediation Meeting between the design professional of record and DOB before a third review cycle can begin.City of Chicago - Certified Plan Corrections

Sources reviewed September 12, 2026. Requirements change; confirm the current version with City of Chicago Department of Buildings.

Who reviews

Who comments on a Chicago permit set

DOB reviews the building code disciplines. Other departments review zoning, fire protection, stormwater, transportation, and accessibility, several of which must clear before DOB can complete the permit.

Department of Planning and Development (DPD), Bureau of Zoning / Zoning Ordinance Administration

Reviews every building permit application that includes plans for compliance with the Chicago Zoning Ordinance; zoning approval is required before a Standard Plan Review or Self-Certification intake appointment. An expedited in-person zoning review (minimum $1,500 fee) is available outside Planned Developments.

Source

Chicago Fire Department (CFD), Fire Prevention Bureau

Fire Prevention Engineers review sprinkler system plans for new or remodeled construction, emergency generator plans, and above-ground flammable liquid storage tank plans, and hold pre-construction meetings on fire safety issues. Fire alarm system permits are a separate Express Permit Program application reviewed in E-Plan.

Source

Department of Water Management (DWM)

Issues sewer permits and administers the Stormwater Management Ordinance; a Regulated Development (generally disturbing 15,000+ sq ft or creating 7,500+ sq ft of new impervious surface) needs an approved stormwater management plan, submitted through E-Plan, before a building or sewer permit issues. DWM also handles hydrant use permits and lead service line replacement.

Source

Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT)

Issues driveway and alley-access permits (curb cuts over 25 ft at the property line need CDOT Plan Review Committee approval), building address (house number) certificates, and reviews public-way infrastructure changes; foundations, excavations or earth-retention systems deeper than 12 ft also need CDOT's Office of Underground Coordination.

Source

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), Accessibility Compliance Unit

Examines and permits plans for compliance with the accessibility provisions of the Chicago Building Code and the Illinois Accessibility Code using the MOPD Project Data Form, and offers pre-permit accessibility plan review guidance for a nominal fee.

Source

Review paths

Choose the right plan check path

Standard Plan Review Permit Program (SPR)

The main path for plan-based permits (new construction, additions, alterations, rehab and repairs). Each application gets a DOB project manager as single point of contact and is routed for simultaneous 'discipline' reviews (architectural, structural, electrical, plumbing, ventilation, etc.) plus concurrent zoning and other-department review; a new restaurant, for example, can need at least 10 reviews. Limited to new construction up to 80 ft high, non-residential projects up to 150,000 sq ft, residential projects under 50 units, and school (Group E) projects up to 60,000 sq ft.

Source

Self-Certified Permit Application Program (Self-Cert)

For eligible residential, business, mercantile and assembly projects, a registered self-certification professional (an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer who completed DOB's additional training, offered roughly every two years) takes full responsibility for code compliance and certifies the drawings directly, skipping full discipline review. Permit expediters may not upload self-certified applications.

Source

Express Permit Program

A web-based platform, launched November 6, 2023 (replacing the Easy Permit, Solar Express and Short Form processes) and expanded September 16, 2024, covering most building repairs, small improvement projects, administrative changes to issued permits, and specialty applications such as fire alarm systems and Stormwater Management Plan filings.

Source

Developer Services Permit Program (DS)

Required for high-rises over 80 ft, non-residential projects over 150,000 sq ft, residential projects with 50+ dwelling/sleeping units, schools over 60,000 sq ft, or projects with two or more basement levels. A Project Administrator is the single point of contact; most plan review is performed by a private third-party firm selected by competitive bid among the City's approved reviewers, paid for by the applicant in addition to the building permit fee. 75% bid drawings are required before the intake appointment.

Source

Direct Developer Services

A 2016 pilot offering further-streamlined plan review for large development projects, available by emailing the Developer Services team to request a meeting with the Managing Deputy Commissioner.

Source

Structural Peer Review Program

Optional under Standard Plan Review (mandatory for some Self-Cert project types): a Registered Structural Peer Reviewer (RSPR), chosen and paid for by the applicant, reviews the structural drawings and submits a peer review report that lets DOB perform only a cursory review instead of a full conventional structural plan examination.

Source

Self-Certified applications are typically issued a permit within 10 business days after zoning approval, provided all contractor licenses are valid and there are no building violations or stop-work orders on the property. (source) If an applicant does not respond to corrections or complete outstanding tasks within 120 days, the permit application is considered withdrawn and archived; DOB cannot reinstate a withdrawn application, so a new one must be started. (source) Once a permit application is subject to more than two plan review cycles, the design professional of record must attend a real-time Correction Mediation Meeting with plan examiners and/or DOB supervisors before a third review cycle begins. (source) After a permit is ready for payment, the applicant has 120 days to pay; once paid, plan-based permits allow 180 days to begin work (365 days for Express Permits) before the permit lapses, though a six-month start extension is available for a fee equal to 25% of the original permit fee, as is reinstatement after a stoppage of more than 365 days. (source) An expedited in-person zoning review carries a minimum $1,500 fee (more for work areas over 10,000 sq ft), versus the standard queued zoning review folded into the $75 initial zoning review fee paid when starting an E-Plan application. (source) Registered Structural Peer Reviewers must complete an in-person training class every 6 years, with classes offered roughly every two years (next class 2026); using Structural Peer Review is meant to reduce the time DOB otherwise spends on conventional structural plan examination, though DOB does not publish a specific number of days saved. (source) A new driveway permit applicant should expect to wait at least 30 days for issuance, since the process needs Zoning Department approval plus field inspections from the Bureau of Electricity, Bureau of Forestry, Department of Water Management and CDOT, and alderman sign-off (granted by default if the alderman does not respond within 20 days). (source)

What DOB asks for

What Chicago’s published compliance matrix and submittal checklists ask for

Chicago does not publish a numbered correction sheet like Los Angeles. These items come from DOB’s Sample Code Compliance Matrix, the E-Plan Create Drawings checklist, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Project Data Form. Paraphrased from the department’s published documents, grouped by topic. The documents do not rank items by how often they are issued.

Chicago published plan check itemsSwipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
TopicWhat the published document asks forCode citedSheets that usually changeWhere it appears
Code analysisEvery drawing set must include a Chicago Zoning Ordinance compliance matrix and a Chicago Construction Codes compliance matrix or narrative that points the reviewer to the sheet where each requirement is met, and the front matter must prominently list the edition of each code used.Cover sheet / code compliance matrix sheetE-Plan Create Drawings checklist, Front Matter section
Code analysisThe compliance matrix calls for stating both the proposed and existing occupancy classification(s) and flagging any special occupancy conditions that apply.14B-3-302.1; 14R-3-302.6; Chapter 14B-3; Chapter 14B-4Code compliance matrix / cover sheetSample Code Compliance Matrix (rev. 7/29/2020), items B.03.01-B.04.01
Occupant load and egress widthOccupant load calculations and egress capacity (width) calculations must both be shown, not just the resulting exit counts.14B-10-1004.1; 14B-10-1005.1Code analysis sheet; egress planSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.10.01-B.10.02
Travel distance and common pathDrawings must demonstrate compliance with the common path of egress travel distance table and the overall exit access travel distance limit for each space.Table 14B-10-1006.2.1; 14B-10-1017.2Egress / life-safety planSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.10.03 and B.10.11
Number and separation of exitsThe matrix asks whether the project is relying on a single-exit condition and requires the separation between an exit and its exit access to be shown and dimensioned.14B-10-1005.3.3; 14B-10-1007.1Egress planSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.10.04-B.10.05
Number and separation of exitsPhase 3 of the Construction Codes Modernization (adopted June 17, 2026) authorizes space-saving stairway designs intended to preserve simultaneous occupant evacuation and emergency response while allowing more flexible apartment layouts, alongside amendments extending some four-story sprinklered-building provisions to five-story buildings.Egress plan; stair plans and sectionsDOB/Mayor's Press Office release, Phase 3 Construction Codes Modernization (April 15, 2026), 'Build More Housing' section
Stairs, handrails, and guardsHandrail and guard details must be shown on the drawings to satisfy the stair and ramp handrail/guard provisions.14B-10-1014; 14B-10-1015Stair plans, sections and detailsSample Code Compliance Matrix, item B.10.10
Fire-rated assembliesFire wall, occupancy separation, fire area separation, control area, incidental use, dwelling unit separation and corridor/smoke barrier ratings must each be identified, along with the rating and continuity of vertical shaft enclosures.14B-7-706 through 14B-7-713 (various subsections)Fire/life-safety plan; wall type legend; rated assembly detailsSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.07.05-B.07.16
Rated openings and penetrationsOpenings and penetrations in shaft enclosures, penetrations of other rated construction, opening protectives (doors/windows), and duct or air-transfer openings must each be addressed on the drawings.14B-7-713.7-.8; 14B-7-714; 14B-7-716; 14B-7-717Rated assembly details; door and damper schedulesSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.07.17-B.07.20
Fire separation distanceExterior wall fire-resistance rating, wall projections, wall openings and parapets are checked against tables keyed to the wall's fire separation distance, tying the code analysis back to the property-line dimensions shown on the site plan.Tables 14B-6-601, 14B-6-602; 14B-7-705.2, .8, .11Site plan (property-line dimensions); exterior elevations; code analysis sheetSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.07.01-B.07.04
Accessible toilet roomsFor alterations affecting an area containing a primary function, the MOPD form separately confirms whether accessible toilets and an accessible drinking fountain are provided along the route to the altered primary function.Chapter 14B-11; ICC A117.1-2009; 2018 Illinois Accessibility CodeEnlarged restroom plans; accessibility route planMOPD Project Data Form, Schedule (A), Alterations Affecting an Area Containing a Primary Function
Path of travel in alterationsAlterations affecting an area with a primary function trigger a path-of-travel obligation capped at 20% of the cost of alterations to that area; the MOPD form has the architect calculate that 20% figure and certify compliance directly on the form.Chapter 14B-11; Section 14R-3-305Cover sheet / accessibility compliance dataMOPD Project Data Form, Schedule (B), Total Cost of Alterations Affecting an Area Containing a Primary Function calculation
Deferred submittalsA project needing a variance from the Chicago Electrical Code can request Administrative Relief to obtain the permit subject to a later review and approval of shop drawings, such as for electrical switchgear, instead of holding up the entire permit for that item.Electrical general notes; permit applicationStandard Plan Review - Project Submittal Checklist (rev. 5/13/10), Electrical Items Required, Administrative Relief Request Letters
Sheet coordinationEvery sheet other than the cover needs a uniform title block aligned to the bottom or right edge, listing the same project address used on the permit application and a revision history whose entries are each clouded and keyed to a dated change; the set also needs a sheet index up front.Title blocks of all sheets; cover sheet indexE-Plan Create Drawings checklist, Front Matter and Title Block sections
Allowable height and areaThe matrix requires the grade plane, building height and number of stories above grade plane, and total building area to be shown, including any frontage increase claimed and how excluded basements were counted.14B-2-203.2 through .4; 14B-5-504.3-.4; 14B-5-506; 14B-5-506.1.3; 14B-5-506.3Code analysis sheet; exterior elevations; building sectionsSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.05.01-B.05.07
Allowable height and areaMixed-occupancy buildings must state which mixed-occupancy strategy is used and identify any accessory occupancies or incidental uses factored into the area/height analysis.14B-5-508; 14B-5-508.2; 14B-5-509Code analysis sheetSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.05.08-B.05.10
Accessible route and entrancesThe MOPD project data form separately tracks whether an accessible route runs from the parking lot to an accessible entry, the accessible entry itself, and the count of accessible parking spaces provided.Chapter 14B-11; ICC A117.1-2009; 2018 Illinois Accessibility CodeSite plan; accessible-route planMOPD Project Data Form (rev. 1/2/2020), Schedule (A)
Structural calculations and signaturesEvery drawing sheet must carry the seal (with license number and license expiration date) and the adjacent signature and date of an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer; electronic seals and signatures are accepted.Section 14A-4-411.4.1Title block of every sheetE-Plan Create Drawings checklist, 'Include an Illinois-licensed design professional's seal and signature on every sheet'
Geotechnical reportProjects meeting the Chicago Building Code's geotechnical thresholds must include a geotechnical report addressing the applicable subsurface investigation and reporting requirements.14B-18-1803.1; 14B-18-1803.6Foundation plan; structural general notesSample Code Compliance Matrix, item B.18.01
Energy complianceThe drawings must include energy code compliance data, with a Registered Energy Professional signing an Energy Transformation Code statement of compliance (or a 'Need Not Comply' statement) on the current residential or commercial compliance form.Section 14A-4-411.3.13Energy compliance sheet; cover sheet statementSample Code Compliance Matrix, item N.01.01; Guide to Building Permits Forms and Documents (Form 408C/408R)
Energy compliancePhase 3's 2026 Chicago Energy Transformation Code update aligns Chicago's energy-efficiency requirements with newer national model-code standards, adds clarity on applying energy rules to renovation projects, and keeps the electrification-ready and solar-ready requirements first adopted in 2022.Energy compliance sheet; mechanical/electrical general notesDOB/Mayor's Press Office release, Phase 3 Construction Codes Modernization, 'Save More Energy' section
Green buildingChicago folds most of its sustainability requirements into the Energy Transformation Code rather than a separate green code; the electrification-ready and solar-ready wiring/piping provisions retained from the 2022 code are the main 'green building' items checked at permit.Energy/electrical general notesDOB/Mayor's Press Office release, Phase 3 Construction Codes Modernization, 'Save More Energy' section
Plumbing fixture countPlumbing plans need a fixture schedule listing the type, count and location of every new fixture, consistent with the plumbing fixture-count section of the Municipal Code's plumbing chapter.Municipal Code of Chicago 18-29-403.1Plumbing plans; fixture scheduleSample Code Compliance Matrix, item P.04.01
Fire sprinklers and alarmsThe compliance matrix requires stating whether an automatic sprinkler system, an alternative automatic extinguishing system, a standpipe system, and a fire alarm system are provided, each tied to its own Chicago Building Code section.14B-9-903.2; 14B-9-904.2; 14B-9-905.3; 14B-9-907.2Fire protection plans; code analysis sheetSample Code Compliance Matrix, items B.09.02-B.09.06
Fire sprinklers and alarmsPhase 3's pro-housing amendments let five-story apartment buildings with a full automatic sprinkler system use construction provisions previously limited to four-story buildings, and give more flexibility for converting fully sprinklered buildings to residential use.Code analysis sheet; fire protection plansDOB/Mayor's Press Office release, Phase 3 Construction Codes Modernization, 'Build More Housing' section
Site plan informationA fully dimensioned site plan is required, showing property lines, every structure with its stories and use, curb cuts, parking and loading areas, landscaping, walks, alleys, fencing and trash enclosures, consistent with a current stamped property survey.Site plan; property surveyDPD Plan Examination page, documentation required for zoning plan review

Respond and resubmit

Responding to DOB plan review corrections

  • For most Standard Plan Review applications, the Certified Plan Corrections program is mandatory (not optional) for addressing corrections issued after a full discipline review, unless the reviewer's comments show the plans were incomplete (for example, missing ventilation calculations, plumbing fixture placement, or an egress plan), in which case that discipline performs a full second review instead. Source

  • Certified Plan Corrections cannot be used for zoning corrections, geotechnical corrections, or corrections tied to the Stormwater Management Ordinance. Source

  • To use Certified Plan Corrections, the design professional(s) of record revise the drawings (each change bubbled, dated and initialed) and add a drawing sheet listing each correction, summarizing the change made and the sheet it appears on, together with a signed and sealed Form 420 Professional Certification of Corrections; the sheet is uploaded to the 'Certified Plan Correction' folder in ProjectDox and becomes part of the approved, stamped permit set, a copy of which must be kept on site. Source

  • If the project team disagrees with or does not understand a correction, they should first contact the plan reviewer directly; if unresolved, escalate by email to the Deputy Commissioner overseeing Standard Plan Review, including the 9-digit application number and project address in the subject line. Source

  • If the design team wants to make changes beyond what the corrections require, or must reconfigure the project to resolve zoning corrections, the project manager must be notified and may require a second full round of some or all discipline reviews rather than Certified Plan Corrections. Source

  • A permit issued through Certified Plan Corrections is a conditional permit, subject to field inspection. Source

  • Self-Certified projects generally bypass a DOB correction cycle altogether, since the registered self-certification professional certifies code compliance directly on the sealed drawings before submittal. Source

How to write a response letter the reviewer can verify

Official documents

DOB lists and checklists to work from

  • Sample Code Compliance Matrix - Chicago Zoning Ordinance and 2019 Chicago Construction Codes

    Itemized zoning and 2019 Chicago Building Code compliance items with section references: occupancy, building limitation/area/height, fire-resistance ratings, fire protection systems, means of egress, interior environment, roofs, plus a second table for structural design data, geotechnical report, MOPD accessibility data, mechanical, energy and plumbing fixture data

  • Create Drawings (E-Plan User Guide)

    Drawing-set and front-matter checklist for plan-based building permits: sheet size/orientation, title block and stamp-space rules, required index, zoning and construction-code compliance matrices, code-edition callouts, compliance and accessibility certification statements, and required drawing content by discipline

  • MOPD Project Data Form

    Accessibility compliance checklist for the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities: dwelling unit types (A/B/C/504), accessible parking and routes, accessible entries, and the 20%-of-cost path-of-travel calculation for alterations affecting a primary function

  • Standard Plan Review - Project Submittal Checklist

    Discipline-by-discipline submittal checklist (general/zoning, architectural, MOPD, structural, electrical, plumbing, stormwater, ventilation, environmental, refrigeration, energy, food protection, Certified Plan Corrections and Self-Certification items)

  • Prepare Files (E-Plan User Guide)

    Electronic file requirements for ProjectDox: PDF-only, unlocked, filename length/character/sequence rules, one sheet per drawing file, acceptable page sizes by folder type (drawings, documents, reference drawings)

Before you submit

Check the set before DOB does

Upload the drawings with the Chicago Construction Codes (Titles 14A-14X) PDFs that apply to the project. Groundbook compares the sheets with each other and with those references, and links each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.

Questions, answered

Chicago plan check FAQs

Which code edition will Chicago use to check my plans?

Chicago writes its own numbered construction codes (Titles 14A-14X) rather than simply amending a state or ICC edition. The current building and rehabilitation codes (2019 Chicago Building Code and Building Rehabilitation Code, based on the 2018 IBC/IEBC) have been mandatory since August 1, 2020, accessibility provisions since December 1, 2019, and the Energy Transformation Code (based on the 2021 IECC) since November 1, 2022. Phase 3, adopted June 17, 2026, updates the Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Interim Fire Prevention and Energy Transformation codes plus several egress and stair provisions.

What file format does Chicago's E-Plan system require?

Unlocked, flattened PDFs only, with filenames capped at 75 characters and ending in the permit application number. Drawing submittal files hold one sheet each, in landscape orientation, in a standard page size, and every sheet needs a blank 3x3 in space in the top right corner for the City's review stamp plus an Illinois-licensed design professional's seal and signature.

How do I respond to DOB plan review corrections?

For most non-zoning, non-geotechnical, non-stormwater corrections issued after a full discipline review, use the mandatory Certified Plan Corrections program: revise the drawings with each change bubbled, dated and initialed, add a summary sheet with a signed Form 420, and upload it to the 'Certified Plan Correction' folder. More than two review cycles triggers a required Correction Mediation Meeting before a third cycle.

What is Chicago's Self-Certification program?

Under the Self-Certified Permit Application Program, a design professional who has completed DOB's Self-Certification training certifies that the sealed drawings comply with the Chicago Construction Codes, letting DOB skip full discipline review; eligible applications are typically issued within 10 business days after zoning approval.

Does Groundbook approve permits or replace DOB plan check?

No. Groundbook surfaces potential conflicts and omissions in the drawings you upload, with links to the sources, for your team to verify before submitting. DOB reviews the application and makes every approval decision.

Official source directory

Keep the reference trail

Illinois plan review guide · All plan check corrections · Los Angeles plan check · San Francisco plan check · San Diego plan check · San Jose plan check · Seattle plan check · New York City plan check · Denver plan check · Portland plan check · Phoenix plan check · Boston plan check · Austin plan check

Find the corrections before the plans examiner does

Upload the drawing set with the code and local references that govern it. Groundbook links each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.