The Naperville rule
The City's Building Permits page (read 26 October 2026) says residents must get permits "before starting any new construction project", and handles houses differently from smaller jobs: "For new single-family houses and duplexes, or for residential building additions that result in an increase of 50% or more of the existing gross floor area, please email Building Permits for information on how to submit." Everything else goes straight into the Civic Access portal.
| Step | What Naperville says |
|---|---|
| Submittal | Email Building Permits first for the new-house submittal process; questions to 630-420-6100, option 2 |
| Codes | Plans submitted on or after April 1, 2026 are reviewed to the 2024 International Residential Code and other 2024 I-codes, the 2023 National Electrical Code and the Illinois Energy Conservation Code (Ordinance 26-010) |
| Review | "Complex projects, such as a new single-family home, may be reviewed within three to four weeks"; longer at the busiest times |
| Departments | "multiple departments may review the application" for building and zoning compliance |
| Issue | The approved permit and plans are in the portal; print the permit, post it visible from the street, keep a stamped plan set on site |
| Inspections | Listed in the portal; book online or on 630-420-6100, option 1, at least 72 hours ahead |
| Moving in early | The City has a Temporary Occupancy Request form for single-family, duplex and townhouse units |
Structural design: the City's Guide to Building Permits notes that most structural work "will require a design prepared by an IL licensed design professional". In the historic district, new construction also goes through the Historic Preservation Commission (Naperville historic district rules).
What it costs
From the City's Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule (effective 1 February 2019):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Clerical fee | $18 |
| Permit fee | $182 |
| Plan review | $25 per plan page, 4-page minimum |
| Inspections | $50 each; reinspection $68 |
| Sub-permit inspection fee, one-time per sub-permit ("5 to 6 sub-permits are typical") | $50 to 2,000 sq ft; $72 to 3,000; $96 to 4,000; $120 to 5,000; $138 to 6,000; up to $228 over 9,000 |
Example (our arithmetic): a 3,500 sq ft house with a 20-page plan set and six sub-permits is $18 + $182 + $500 + 6 × $96 = $1,276 before per-inspection fees. The schedule adds that "Additional fees related to land development, utility services, and school/park donations may also apply and are not included", and for a new house on a new lot those can outweigh the permit itself; ask Building Permits for the full list for your lot.
Who may build it
Illinois does not license general contractors or home builders. Naperville's guide lists the licensed trades as electricians, plumbers, irrigation contractors and roofing contractors, and electricians must also register with the City (Naperville contractor license lookup). For a builder, the permit history is the main record you can check.
What 955 Naperville new home permits show
| Measure | Naperville new homes |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 955 |
| Firms | 92 |
| Firms with one permit only | 37 (40.2%) |
| Busiest firm's share / five busiest | 49.5% / 73.9% |
| Usual filed value | $255,600 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $300,000 to $950,000 |
| Finaled within a year (permits a year or more old) | 14.0% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 672 |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | July (158) / October (48) |
Two markets share this file. One production builder, Pulte Group, holds 49.5% of all new home permits, and the top five hold 73.9%; their subdivision houses file at lower values, which is why the overall usual value ($255,600) sits below the middle half of firms ($300,000 to $950,000). The other 37 single-permit firms built one house each, so a custom builder's Naperville record may be thin; ask for permits in neighbouring towns too. A house takes most of two years from permit to final here (672 days usual), so only 14.0% of permits finaled within a year; read that as build time, not abandonment. Prices are on Naperville new home cost.
See every Naperville home builder by permits →
Related
Compare builders on the Naperville home builder list; counts by month on Naperville permit statistics. What to ask a builder: hiring a home builder. National prices: new home construction cost. Other cities: do I need a permit to build a house. Past permits on a lot: Naperville building permit search.
What this does not tell you
Filed values are the builder's construction estimate, not land or sale price. Permits from the City's older system count toward totals but are not timed. The fee schedule dates from 2019 and excludes impact and utility fees. Data stops at September 2026.
How we know this
Submittal, review and inspection rules are quoted from the City of Naperville's Building Permits page and Guide to Building Permits; fees from the Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule; read 26 October 2026. The $1,276 example is our arithmetic. Counts are City of Naperville new single-family and duplex permits, October 2023 to September 2026; "finaled within a year" uses permits a year or more old in the City's current system.
Numbers come from City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to build a new house in Naperville?
Yes. Naperville requires a building permit for any new building, and new single-family houses and duplexes are submitted by arrangement: the City asks applicants to email Building Permits for how to submit rather than applying straight through the portal.
- How much is a building permit for a new house in Naperville?
The City's residential schedule charges an $18 clerical fee, a $182 permit fee and $25 per plan page (four-page minimum), $50 per inspection, and a one-time inspection fee for each sub-permit based on house size, from $50 up to 2,000 square feet to $228 above 9,000. Land development, utility and school/park donation fees can apply on top.
- How long does it take to get a new home permit in Naperville?
The City says complex projects such as a new single-family home may be reviewed within three to four weeks, longer in busy periods. The build then keeps the permit open: the usual new home permit in our file reached final 672 days after issue.
- Who builds the most new homes in Naperville?
By permits in the last 12 months of our data, Pulte Group led with 116; one firm holds 49.5% of Naperville's new home permits over three years.
- Does a home builder need a license in Naperville?
Illinois has no state license for general contractors or home builders, and Naperville's guide names only electricians, plumbers, irrigation contractors and roofers as licensed trades. Electricians must also register with the City.
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 a permit to build a house? Yes. What 12 departments ask for, and how long it takes
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Scottsdale? The custom-home permit, review times and the per-square-foot fees
- Building a new house in Tyler, TX: the permit, $0.47 a square foot, plan review and inspections
For one city
- Building Permits — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule (effective 1 February 2019) — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- City of Naperville Guide to Building Permits (revised 10/31/2022) (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Permitting, Plans and Licensing (Civic Access) portal — City of Naperville (2026-10-23)