Short answer: under Chicago's current list, a one-story shed up to 150 sq ft and 15 feet tall with no plumbing, and a fence no more than 5 feet tall that meets zoning, don't need a building permit. Every new porch or deck needs a plan-based permit. Structural porch repairs (joists, beams, columns, stringers, footings) always need a permit with plans by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer.
Chicago's housing stock is full of two-flats, three-flats, wooden back porches, and narrow lots with alleys.
That shapes its permit rules. The city is especially strict about porches, because rear porches in multi-unit buildings serve as exit routes, and it runs an Express Permit Program for many common projects.
This guide covers the Chicago building permit patterns for porches and decks, sheds, and fences, based on the City of Chicago's homeowner guide and permit instructions. Rules change, so confirm with the Department of Buildings for your address. See our disclaimer.
Chicago at a glance
| Project | Chicago pattern |
|---|---|
| Storage shed | Single-story detached shed with a footprint up to 150 sq ft, no more than 15 ft tall and without plumbing, listed as no-building-permit work (zoning still applies) |
| Fence | Fences no more than 5 ft above the ground, measured on both sides, that meet the zoning ordinance, listed as no-permit work (landmark properties may differ) |
| Small porch | In-kind repair or replacement of a porch, deck, or stair system no more than 6 ft above ground with a landing of 50 sq ft or less, in residential buildings up to 4 stories (landmarks may differ) |
| New porch or deck | Plan-based permit; not eligible for Express Permits |
| Porch or deck repairs | Often Express Permit, sometimes with drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer |
Sources: Chicago homeowner guide to permits, fence permit instructions, porch and deck permit instructions. The homeowner guide dates from 2019. Where the city's current list of work that doesn't require a building permit differs, this guide follows the current list.
Porches and decks
Porches are Chicago's signature permit topic. The city runs a dedicated porch and deck safety program, because overloaded or deteriorated porches have failed with tragic results. Key patterns:
- New porches and decks are not eligible for Express Permits; the city says installing "a new structure where one did not previously exist" requires a plan-based permit.
- Repairs to existing porches can often use the Express Permit Program, but some repairs need drawings "prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer," such as switching between combustible and noncombustible materials, replacing railings to meet code, or larger rebuilds.
- Small porches: the city's current list says repairing or replacing, in kind, an entire porch, deck, or stair system no more than 6 feet above the ground, with a landing of 50 square feet or less, doesn't need a building permit in residential buildings up to four stories. That's a repair rule, not permission to build a new porch, and landmark properties may not qualify.
See our general deck permit guide.
Sheds
Chicago's current list says a single-story detached tool or storage shed, playhouse, or open gazebo doesn't need a building permit if its footprint is 150 square feet or less, it's no more than 15 feet tall, and it has no plumbing. The 2019 homeowner guide used a 70-square-foot limit, so you may still see that number quoted. A typical 8x10 or 10x12 shed now falls under the line, but zoning still applies, and landmark properties may not qualify. Detached garages always need a permit. See our shed permit guide.
Fences
The city's current list says a fence no more than 5 feet above the ground, measured on both sides, doesn't need a building permit if it meets the zoning ordinance. The older 2019 guide also excluded chain-link and masonry fences from that exemption, so ask about those materials. Fences that do need a permit can use the Express Permit Program, which covers:
- Front-yard fences up to 4.5 feet (54 inches), or up to 6 feet if at least 80% open
- Back-yard fences up to 6 feet
- Fences up to 15 feet with zoning approval
Chicago's fence instructions add that "a licensed general contractor (any class) is always required" for the permit, masonry fences need drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer, and fences over 6 feet need a property survey and scaled site plan. See our fence permit guide.
Other common no-permit items
The homeowner guide also lists shingle roofing on residential buildings of three units or fewer (slope 5 in 12 or steeper), nonstructural siding on residential buildings three stories or less, in-kind replacement of non-fire-rated windows and doors in buildings with three units or fewer, and interior painting. See siding permits and roof permits.
Contractors and licensing
Chicago leans heavily on licensed contractors: electrical work needs a licensed electrical contractor, roofing needs an Illinois roofing license, and masonry work is limited by license class. Owner-builder options are narrower than in many cities. See owner-builder permits.
Porch repairs: how Chicago sizes the job
If you're fixing an existing porch rather than building a new one, the Express Permit Program asks you to put the work in one of three buckets (Chicago porch and deck repair instructions):
- Limited Repair: replacing up to 25% of the porch's elements that are damaged or worn out.
- Repair: replacing 26% to 50% of the elements.
- Full Rebuild: replacing more than 50%. A full rebuild is held to new-construction standards, with only the limited exceptions in the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code.
The program won't take a new porch where none existed, and it won't take a rebuild that changes the size, location, or layout, such as bigger landings or wider stairs. Those need a plan-based permit. Also, any permitted repair has to correct existing problems with railing height, opening size, stair dimensions, or structural capacity, because Chicago's minimum requirements for existing buildings apply no matter when the porch was built.
| Your porch job | Chicago path | Professional plans? |
|---|---|---|
| Power washing, painting | No permit | No |
| Deck boards, stair treads, railing pickets (no violation on file) | No permit | No |
| In-kind replacement of a porch up to 6 ft high with a landing of 50 sq ft or less (buildings up to 4 stories) | No building permit (landmarks may differ) | No |
| Limited Repair: up to 25% of elements | Express Permit | Depends on the work; structural parts need them |
| Repair: 26% to 50% of elements | Express Permit | Depends on the work; structural parts need them |
| Full Rebuild: more than 50% | Express Permit, held to new-construction standards | Yes, plus a sealed survey |
| New porch, or a rebuild that changes size, location, or layout | Plan-based permit (not Express) | Yes |
Source: Chicago porch and deck repair instructions and Chicago porch and deck safety.
Before you start the online application, the city says to have the property PIN (from the Cook County Assessor), the owner's contact details, a designated emergency contact, basic facts about the building, and the exact names or license numbers of your contractors and any design professional. Every application needs at least one photo of existing conditions, and you can upload up to five. If the work goes beyond a 50% repair, or the porch isn't entirely on one lot, you also need a survey sealed by an Illinois-licensed land surveyor.
Which porch repairs skip the permit
According to Chicago's porch and deck safety page, power washing and painting don't need a permit. If you haven't received a violation, neither does replacing non-structural parts like deck boards, stair treads, or railing pickets. Structural parts are a different story. Columns, beams, foundations, stringers, and floor joists always need a permit, with plans by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer. If you already have a violation for the non-structural items, you can get the permit to fix them through the Express Permit Program.
The same page explains what inspectors look at: joists, beams, columns, stairs, handrails and guards, ledger boards, connections, and footings. By ordinance, every part of a porch or deck must carry a 100-pound-per-square-foot live load. If you're worried about a porch in your building, the city asks you to call 3-1-1, and it will send a building inspector.
Can you act as your own contractor on a porch?
Sometimes. The porch safety page says you may act as your own general contractor if the building is your primary residence, no more than three stories tall, and has no more than six units. You then take on worker safety, scheduling inspections, and making sure the work meets the Chicago Construction Codes. Every other project needs a Chicago-licensed general contractor. Fences are stricter, because the city's fence instructions say a licensed general contractor is always required for a fence permit.
Yard work Chicago lists as permit-free
Chicago's current lists of work that doesn't need a building permit include several outdoor items homeowners ask about:
- A retaining wall no more than 4 feet tall from the bottom of the footing to the top, as long as it isn't holding back a surcharge or water (Chicago: fences).
- Grading or digging on private property no deeper than 5 feet below existing grade. You can go up to 10 feet if you stay at least 5 feet from any building and from the street, alley, sidewalk, or parkway (Chicago: site work and landscaping).
- Benches, planters, and other hardscape no taller than 4 feet with no plumbing or electrical, plus low-voltage landscape lighting at residential buildings up to four stories.
- A pool at a home with no more than three units, with water no deeper than 48 inches and a volume (measured at 90% full) of 5,000 gallons or less, plus playground equipment at residential buildings (Chicago: small permanent structures).
Two cautions from the same pages. First, anything in the public way, meaning the street, alley, sidewalk, or parkway, needs its own permits, and planting a tree in the parkway needs a forestry permit from Streets and Sanitation. Second, work done without a building permit still has to meet the Chicago Construction Codes and the zoning ordinance.
Some like-for-like replacements inside the house are on the list too. In residential buildings up to four stories, replacing a water heater, a furnace, or an air conditioning appliance in kind doesn't need a building permit (Chicago: plumbing work; Chicago: mechanical work).
FAQ
Do I need a permit for a shed in Chicago?
The city's current list says a single-story shed with a footprint up to 150 square feet, no more than 15 feet tall and without plumbing, doesn't need a building permit. Zoning still applies, and garages need a permit.
Do I need a permit to build a new porch in Chicago?
Yes. New porches and decks need a plan-based permit and are not eligible for Express Permits.
How tall can a fence be in Chicago?
Back-yard fences up to 6 feet are common through the Express Permit Program, and front-yard fences up to 4.5 feet (or 6 feet if mostly open). Taller fences need zoning approval.
Can I replace rotten deck boards on my back porch without a permit?
Yes, if you haven't received a building violation. Deck boards, stair treads, and railing pickets are non-structural. Joists, beams, columns, and stringers are structural and always need a permit with professional plans (Chicago porch and deck safety).
Do I need a survey to rebuild my porch?
You do if the work goes past a 50% repair, which includes a full rebuild, or if the porch isn't entirely on one lot. The survey has to be sealed by an Illinois-licensed land surveyor and show current conditions (Chicago porch repair instructions).
Is a 10-by-12 shed permit-free in Chicago now?
At 120 square feet, it's under the city's current 150-square-foot footprint limit for a single-story shed with no plumbing and no more than 15 feet tall (Chicago: small permanent structures). You still need to meet zoning, and a landmark property may not qualify for the exemption.
Can I be my own contractor for a porch in Chicago?
Sometimes. Chicago's porch safety page allows it if the building is your primary residence, no more than three stories, with no more than six units. Fences always need a licensed general contractor for the permit.
How much weight does a Chicago porch have to hold?
By ordinance, every part of a porch or deck must carry a live load of 100 pounds per square foot (Chicago porch and deck safety).
Bottom line
Chicago's permit-free thresholds are modest (150-square-foot sheds, 5-foot fences, and in-kind repair of small porches), porches get extra scrutiny, and licensed contractors are the norm. Use the Express Permit Program where you can, and confirm with our 10-minute AHJ permit checklist. Compare with our Houston, Austin, and Los Angeles guides.
Elsewhere in the Midwest, see our Indianapolis, Columbus, and Minneapolis building permit guides.
Last checked: October 2026.
Official sources
- City of Chicago: Homeowner guide to permits
- City of Chicago: Fence permit instructions
- City of Chicago: Porch and deck permit instructions
- City of Chicago: Porch and deck safety
- City of Chicago: Porch, deck, and balcony work that doesn't need a permit
- City of Chicago: Fence and retaining wall work that doesn't need a permit
- City of Chicago: Small permanent structures that don't need a permit
- City of Chicago: Site work and landscaping that doesn't need a permit
- City of Chicago: Mechanical work that doesn't need a permit
- City of Chicago: Plumbing work that doesn't need a permit
Comments
Post a Comment