What needs a permit, and what doesn't
From the Department of Buildings' list of work that does not need a permit (read 23 October 2026):
| Job | Permit in Chicago? |
|---|---|
| Replacing a lamp (bulb), plugging in cord-and-plug equipment | No |
| Installing a low-voltage fixture: security camera, telephone, speaker, doorbell, thermostat | No |
| Low-voltage or communication wiring in a home up to 4 stories | No |
| Replacing a fixture, adding a fixture or receptacle on an existing circuit | Yes (express subtype: repair or alter devices) |
| New circuits from an existing panel, such as for an EV charger or air conditioner | Yes (express subtype: add circuits) |
| New or upgraded service or panel under 1,200 amps | Yes (express subtype: service or panel) |
| Permanent standby generator and its transfer equipment | Yes (express subtype: generator) |
| Solar panels | Yes, but on the separate solar express permit, not this one |
The exemptions "may not apply" to a Chicago Landmark or a property in a landmark district, and work done without a permit must still meet the Chicago Construction Codes.
Who can pull it
Only a licensed electrical contractor. The City's page Does my project require a licensed electrical contractor? says "A licensed electrical contractor is required to perform all electrical work that requires a building permit in Chicago", and it lists "one exception": Illinois-licensed private alarm contractors doing alarm work. There are two license types, general (any electrical work) and low voltage. That is stricter than the City's rules for plumbing, where an owner of a detached house may do their own work, and for masonry and general contracting, where an owner can act as contractor on a primary residence.
The five-minute check: search the firm under Electrical on Licensed Trade Contractors. More in the Chicago contractor license lookup.
How to apply, and what it costs
Most home jobs go through the Express Permit Program, launched in November 2023, which lets applicants "check application status, pay fees, and view inspection results online 24/7". Its Electrical Work category is for "stand-alone electrical work that is not associated with another building permit"; electrical work in a gut rehab rides on that project's permit instead. The express category cannot be used for space heating (that is Mechanical), water heaters (Plumbing), solar PV, or "work performed by multiple electrical contractors on a single permit".
Fees are set by section 14A-12-1204.2 (stand-alone permit fees). The City's Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit page links the 2026 Amended Building Permit Fee Tables (effective 6 January 2026) and the 2027 tables (effective 1 January 2027). We could not open the fee tables themselves, so we do not quote an amount; the express application shows the fee before you pay.
Once the job is booked, search your address on Building Permit and Inspection Records. The permit should name your electrician, not you.
What 12,436 Chicago electrical permits show
| Measure | Chicago electrical |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 12,436 |
| Firms that filed them | 855 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 604 |
| Usual filed value (permits with a value) | $3,500 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $2,400 to $6,000 |
| Marked complete (permits a year or more old) | 38.4% |
| Estimated usual days to completion | 235 |
| Busiest / quietest month | September (index 125) / December (79) |
Two things stand out. The busiest filer, Sunrun Installation Services Inc, held 10.9% of these permits, mostly the electrical side of rooftop solar, so the value figures mix solar wiring with panel swaps and circuits. And only 38.4% of permits a year or more old were marked complete: in Chicago an ACTIVE status long after the job is common, so compare one electrician with another rather than with other cities. Among the 215 electricians with 10 or more permits, the 10th-percentile firm had 17.4% marked complete and the 90th 56.3%.
See every Chicago electrician by permits marked complete →
Related
Choosing the electrician: hiring an electrician in Chicago. Other cities' rules: do I need a permit for electrical work, for a panel upgrade and for an EV charger. National prices: electrical work cost. Chicago counts by year and month: Chicago permit statistics and how long a Chicago permit takes. Older permits on the house: Chicago building permit search.
What this does not tell you
Chicago's permit file has no completion date, so our days figure is estimated from status and age. We do not match Chicago firms to the City's license list; run the license search yourself. A permit marked complete means the City closed it, not that the price was fair.
How we know this
Permit rules and the license requirement are quoted from the City of Chicago Department of Buildings' permit-exemption, licensed-contractor and Express Permit Program pages, and fee references from its Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit page, all read 23 October 2026. Counts are City of Chicago building permits on homes classified as electrical, October 2023 to September 2026. "Marked complete" uses permits a year or more old; usual days is an estimate because Chicago records no completion date.
Numbers come from City of Chicago building permits (Chicago Data Portal), data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can a homeowner pull an electrical permit in Chicago?
No. The Department of Buildings says 'A licensed electrical contractor is required to perform all electrical work that requires a building permit in Chicago', and the only exception it lists is for Illinois-licensed private alarm contractors. Chicago's owner exceptions exist for plumbing on a detached house and for acting as your own general or mason contractor, not for wiring.
- What electrical work can I do without a permit in Chicago?
Minor work such as replacing a light bulb or plugging cord-and-plug equipment into a permanent receptacle, and installing low-voltage fixtures such as a security camera, doorbell or thermostat. In a home up to 4 stories, low-voltage and communication wiring is also exempt. Anything on line voltage needs a permit.
- How much is an electrical permit in Chicago?
The fee is set by section 14A-12-1204.2 of the Chicago Construction Codes (stand-alone permit fees). The City's Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit page links the 2026 Amended Building Permit Fee Tables, effective 6 January 2026, and new tables effective 1 January 2027. The express permit takes payment online.
- How long does an electrical permit take to close in Chicago?
Our estimate of the usual time to completion is 235 days, and only 38.4% of Chicago electrical permits a year or more old were marked complete. Chicago records no completion date, so treat the days figure as rough.
- Do I need a permit to install an EV charger in Chicago?
Yes. Adding a circuit for EV charging is one of the Express Permit Program's electrical subtypes, filed by a licensed electrical contractor, and the City asks EV charging installers for an ICC certification number.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need an electrical permit in Anaheim? Panel upgrades, the utility meter spot, fees and inspections
- Do I need an electrical permit in Arlington, VA? What's exempt, who pulls it, how long it takes
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an electrical permit in Austin? The exempt list, the homestead permit, fees and inspections
- Do I need an electrical permit in Greensboro? Who can pull it, the fee schedule and inspections
- Do I need an electrical permit in Henderson, NV? Usually, and who may pull it
For one city
- What types of work do not require a building permit? Electrical Work — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Does my project require a licensed electrical contractor? — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Express Permit Program: Electrical Work — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Express Permit Program — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Calculate the Cost of a Building Permit — City of Chicago DOB (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Licensed Trade Contractors — City of Chicago (2026-10-22)
- Building Permit and Inspection Records — City of Chicago (2026-10-23)