51,700 permits from 6,261 contractors across 13 kinds of work in Chicago, October 2023 through September 2026: about 17,233 a year. Electrical is the biggest trade with 12,436 permits. The busiest month for filings is September.
Firms are distinct business names on the file. A linked usual filed value opens what that work costs. Finished is the share of permits a year or more old that the city closed out. Days to finish run from issue to the city's completion date, not from application.
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Active last 12 mo | Usual filed value | Finished | Days to finish | Busiest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 12,436 | 855 | 604 | $3,500 | 38.2% | 235 | September |
| Renovation | 7,764 | 2,592 | 1,266 | $65,000 | 35.6% | 666 | October |
| Plumbing | 6,680 | 645 | 438 | $6,350 | 26.7% | 705 | April |
| Masonry & Tuckpointing | 5,706 | 563 | 401 | $9,600 | 41.0% | 391 | September |
| HVAC | 5,358 | 1,139 | 669 | — | 21.2% | 1,099 | April |
| Solar | 5,027 | 58 | 37 | $17,784 | 74.3% | 57 | August |
| Garage | 1,821 | 286 | 130 | $26,312 | 66.3% | 106 | May |
| Roofing | 1,586 | 433 | 226 | $18,693 | 69.7% | 207 | August |
| Fence | 1,583 | 303 | 141 | $5,000 | 84.3% | 160 | June |
| Interior Remodel | 1,355 | 710 | 315 | $20,388 | 12.1% | 1,244 | April |
| New Home | 1,090 | 458 | 211 | $440,000 | 38.7% | 621 | August |
| Porch & Deck | 797 | 285 | 175 | $10,000 | 40.2% | 145 | September |
| Windows & Doors | 497 | 296 | 124 | $8,000 | 55.7% | 227 | April |
The file we publish splits exactly into the last 12 months on file and the 24 months before them, so these are 12-month periods ending September 2026, not calendar years. Per year scales each period to 12 months. Counts cover the 13 kinds of home work we track, not every permit Chicago issues.
| Period | Months | Permits | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2023–Sep 2025 | 24 | 33,528 | 16,764 |
| Oct 2025–Sep 2026 (last 12 months) | 12 | 18,172 | 18,172 |
Share of filings by month, 100 = an average month (the thin line). The 12 biggest trades (every trade with 500 or more permits), October 2023 through September 2026. A tall bar is a busy month at the permit counter, which usually means a longer wait for a contractor.
12,436 permits · busiest September, quietest December
7,764 permits · busiest October, quietest December
6,680 permits · busiest April, quietest December
5,706 permits · busiest September, quietest December
5,358 permits · busiest April, quietest December
5,027 permits · busiest August, quietest February
1,821 permits · busiest May, quietest January
1,586 permits · busiest August, quietest January
1,583 permits · busiest June, quietest January
1,355 permits · busiest April, quietest August
1,090 permits · busiest August, quietest January
797 permits · busiest September, quietest December
| Trade | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 88 | 80 | 98 | 107 | 97 | 105 | 113 | 108 | 125 | 116 | 84 | 79 |
| Renovation | 98 | 91 | 91 | 113 | 104 | 90 | 111 | 103 | 107 | 121 | 95 | 77 |
| Plumbing | 96 | 92 | 98 | 118 | 97 | 97 | 109 | 111 | 109 | 107 | 88 | 78 |
| Masonry & Tuckpointing | 68 | 79 | 99 | 112 | 106 | 107 | 110 | 117 | 122 | 117 | 97 | 66 |
| HVAC | 95 | 88 | 101 | 121 | 96 | 90 | 106 | 108 | 108 | 114 | 96 | 77 |
| Solar | 73 | 70 | 81 | 71 | 98 | 97 | 140 | 146 | 117 | 113 | 102 | 93 |
| Garage | 23 | 43 | 140 | 140 | 145 | 135 | 141 | 123 | 132 | 86 | 64 | 28 |
| Roofing | 36 | 57 | 83 | 122 | 128 | 119 | 121 | 164 | 152 | 97 | 71 | 50 |
| Fence | 30 | 52 | 81 | 146 | 147 | 169 | 151 | 132 | 120 | 70 | 62 | 42 |
| Interior Remodel | 116 | 91 | 131 | 140 | 104 | 109 | 97 | 68 | 109 | 88 | 68 | 78 |
| New Home | 66 | 82 | 100 | 106 | 86 | 94 | 115 | 121 | 112 | 121 | 106 | 91 |
| Porch & Deck | 77 | 40 | 88 | 110 | 116 | 89 | 122 | 147 | 170 | 125 | 79 | 36 |
For each trade, the month with the most permit filings and the month with the fewest, October 2023 through September 2026. Trades do not all peak together, so the busy season depends on the job. Busiest is not the same as best: these are counts of filings, not prices or weather, though a quiet month at the permit counter can mean contractors have more room in the schedule.
September: Chicago electrical permits peak in September (125 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (79). That is from 12,436 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule electrical work, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 235 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the electrical chart →
October: Chicago renovation permits peak in October (121 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (77). That is from 7,764 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule a home renovation, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 666 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the renovation chart →
April: Chicago plumbing permits peak in April (118 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (78). That is from 6,680 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule plumbing work, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 705 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the plumbing chart →
September: Chicago masonry & tuckpointing permits peak in September (122 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (66). That is from 5,706 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule masonry work, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 391 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the masonry & tuckpointing chart →
April: Chicago HVAC permits peak in April (121 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (77). That is from 5,358 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule HVAC work, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 1,099 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the HVAC chart →
August: Chicago solar permits peak in August (146 against an average month of 100, about 12% of a year's filings); February is the quietest (70). That is from 5,027 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule solar installation, February has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 57 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the solar chart →
May: Chicago garage permits peak in May (145 against an average month of 100, about 12% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (23). That is from 1,821 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule garage construction, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 106 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the garage chart →
August: Chicago roofing permits peak in August (164 against an average month of 100, about 14% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (36). That is from 1,586 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule roofing work, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 207 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the roofing chart →
June: Chicago fence permits peak in June (169 against an average month of 100, about 14% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (30). That is from 1,583 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule fence installation, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 160 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the fence chart →
April: Chicago interior remodel permits peak in April (140 against an average month of 100, about 12% of a year's filings); August is the quietest (68). That is from 1,355 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule a home remodel, August has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 1,244 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the interior remodel chart →
August: Chicago new home permits peak in August (121 against an average month of 100, about 10% of a year's filings); January is the quietest (66). That is from 1,090 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule new home construction, January has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 621 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the new home chart →
September: Chicago porch & deck permits peak in September (170 against an average month of 100, about 14% of a year's filings); December is the quietest (36). That is from 797 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule porch and deck work, December has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 145 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month. See the porch & deck chart →
April: Chicago windows & doors permits peak in April (126 against an average month of 100, about 11% of a year's filings); November is the quietest (67). That is from 497 permits, October 2023 through September 2026. If you can choose when to schedule window replacement, November has the fewest filings; the usual permit then takes 227 days from issue to sign-off. Busiest is not the same as best: this counts filings, not prices or weather, and we have no prices by month.
Top 10 by permits pulled in the last 12 months, all trades. This is volume, not quality: a busy firm is not a careful one. Pick what you value on the compare page to build a ranking.
| Contractor | Trades | Last 12 mo | All permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrun Installation Services Inc | Electrical, Solar, Roofing | 1,604 | 4,022 |
| Peerless Enterprises LLC | Fence | 207 | 589 |
| Frackiel Builders, Incorporated | Renovation, Masonry & Tuckpointing, Fence, New Home, Porch & Deck | 203 | 566 |
| Certified Electric LLC | Electrical, Solar | 180 | 228 |
| Blue Line Electrical Contracto | Electrical | 170 | 456 |
| Alvarez Electrical Tech | Electrical | 164 | 164 |
| Chavez Electric | Electrical, Solar | 145 | 478 |
| Garage 2017 LLC dba Danley's Garage World | Garage | 135 | 431 |
| Pure Power Electrical,Corp. | Electrical, Solar | 127 | 297 |
| Wirehaus | Electrical, Solar | 110 | 110 |
Each permit counted at its property's ZIP code, October 2023 through September 2026, for the 13 kinds of home work we track. The 10 busiest of 47 ZIP codes with 100 or more permits; each opens permits by trade and the most active contractors there.
| ZIP code | Permits | Share | Top trade | Usual home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60618 | 2,823 | 5% | Electrical | $590,000 |
| 60647 | 2,336 | 5% | Electrical | $640,000 |
| 60620 | 1,913 | 4% | Electrical | $120,000 |
| 60628 | 1,908 | 4% | Electrical | $110,000 |
| 60619 | 1,832 | 4% | Electrical | $126,000 |
| 60625 | 1,714 | 3% | Electrical | $521,000 |
| 60622 | 1,669 | 3% | Electrical | $950,000 |
| 60617 | 1,668 | 3% | Electrical | $121,000 |
| 60614 | 1,623 | 3% | Electrical | $1,380,000 |
| 60643 | 1,614 | 3% | Electrical | $170,000 |
Source: City of Chicago building permits (Chicago Data Portal). The window is October 2023 through September 2026; a permit filed after that isn't here yet.
A filed value is what the contractor wrote on the permit when they applied. It is not a quote and not the final bill.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits, and one permit can cover several visits.
Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. How the records work in Chicago →
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