The Naperville rule
The City's Guide to Building Permits (revised October 2022, read 26 October 2026) and its Residential Room Addition & Alteration Permit page:
| Remodel work | Permit in Naperville? |
|---|---|
| Kitchen, bathroom or basement remodel | Yes: "Remodeling of a building (i.e. kitchen, basement and bathrooms)" |
| Basement build-out | Yes: named on the alteration permit page |
| Structural repairs, including foundation repairs | Yes; "most structural work will require a design prepared by an IL licensed design professional" |
| Replacing roof or wall sheathing, removing EIFS | Yes |
| Window or door that changes size or style, or in a new location | Yes |
| Moving or adding plumbing: traps, drains, water, waste or vent pipe, fixtures | Yes |
| Electrical work beyond lamp replacement and low-voltage | Yes |
| New water heater or a change of fuel; new furnace or AC | Yes; in-kind replacements need none |
| Painting, wallpapering, carpeting, trim work | No: "Cosmetic improvements" |
| Clearing stoppages, repairing leaks, removing and resetting a toilet | No |
| Vinyl, aluminum or fibre-cement siding; asphalt shingles over existing sheathing | No |
Kitchen remodels often bring separate trade permits with them: the City's Building Permits page says a project with several features gets a permit for each, and staff create the extras once you apply for the main one. Homes in the historic district also need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior work (Naperville historic district rules).
Who may do the work
Illinois does not license general contractors or remodelers. The trades inside a remodel are licensed:
- Electrical: "A state-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City of Naperville must perform all electrical installations" (Electrical Contractor Registration).
- Plumbing: plumbing contractors file their state contractor registration with "every building permit application involving plumbing work" (Plumbing Permit); check the plumber on IDPH's verification.
- You: the City's guide says "A homeowner may perform most ordinary repairs and limited types of construction, as specified, on their dwelling unit without a permit". It also warns owners to "be wary of contractors who suggest that the permits obtained list the homeowner, rather than the contractor", because the permit record shows the person named as the one who did the work.
More in the Naperville contractor license lookup.
What it costs
From the Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule (effective 1 February 2019):
| Remodel fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Clerical fee | $18 |
| Plan review | $25 per plan page |
| Inspections | $50 each, number set at plan review |
| Reinspection | $68 |
| Revised plans | Clerical fee plus $25 per revised sheet |
So the fee follows the drawings, not the job value. Example (our arithmetic): 6 plan pages and 4 inspections = $18 + $150 + $200 = $368, about 0.8% of the usual $46,300 remodel. Admin and review fees are due when you apply; inspection fees at issue.
How to apply
- Apply in the Civic Access portal for a Residential Room Addition/Alteration permit, uploading plans that meet the City's electronic submittal requirements.
- Review. Plans submitted on or after April 1, 2026 are checked against the 2024 International Residential Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code, among others. Staff ask for resubmittal if something is missing.
- Post the permit visible from the street and keep a stamped plan set on site.
- Inspections. The portal lists the ones required; book online or on 630-420-6100 (option 1), at least 72 hours ahead.
What 1,057 Naperville remodel permits show
| Measure | Naperville remodels |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,057 |
| Firms | 467 |
| Firms with one permit only | 318 (68.1%) |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 240 |
| Usual filed value | $46,300 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $25,000 to $77,000 |
| Finaled (permits a year or more old) | 77.7% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 175 |
| Five busiest firms' share | 16.4% |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | May (118) / November (86) |
Remodeling is spread thin in Naperville: the five busiest firms hold 16.4% of permits, and 68.1% of firms filed just one. Most bidders will have a short Naperville record, so look at how many of theirs reached final. Filing is nearly flat through the year (May 118, November 86), unlike fences and driveways. Prices by firm are on Naperville remodel cost.
See every Naperville remodeler by permits finaled →
Related
Compare remodelers on the Naperville remodel list; counts by month on Naperville permit statistics. The hiring checklist is in hiring a remodeling contractor; national prices in home remodel cost; other cities in do I need a permit for a home remodel. Past permits: Naperville building permit search.
What this does not tell you
"Remodel" here is the City's alteration and repair permits; a kitchen's separate electrical and plumbing permits are counted in those trades. Filed values are the applicant's estimate. We show no license status because Illinois has none for remodelers. Permits from the City's older system count toward totals but are not timed. Data stops at September 2026.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the City of Naperville's Guide to Building Permits (revised 10/31/2022), its Residential Room Addition & Alteration, Building Permits, Electrical Contractor Registration and Plumbing Permit pages; fees from the Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule; read 23 and 26 October 2026. The $368 example is our arithmetic. Counts are City of Naperville remodel and repair permits, October 2023 to September 2026; "finaled" uses permits a year or more old.
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 remodel a kitchen or bathroom in Naperville?
Yes. Naperville's Guide to Building Permits names 'Remodeling of a building (i.e. kitchen, basement and bathrooms)' as work that needs a permit. Painting, wallpaper, carpet and trim work do not.
- How much is a remodel permit in Naperville?
Under the City's residential fee schedule a remodel or finished basement is an $18 clerical fee plus $25 per plan page, and $50 per inspection. A 6-page plan set with 4 inspections comes to $368 by our arithmetic. A reinspection is $68.
- Can a homeowner do their own remodel in Naperville?
The City's guide says a homeowner may perform most ordinary repairs and limited construction on their own home without a permit; work on the permit list still needs one. Electrical work must be done by a state-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City, and plumbing by an IDPH-licensed plumber.
- How long does a remodel permit take in Naperville?
Review time depends on scope; the City cites three to four weeks for a complex project such as a new house and under a week for simple ones. The usual remodel permit in our file reached final 175 days after issue.
- Do I need a permit to finish a basement in Naperville?
Yes. The Residential Room Addition & Alteration Permit page says residents must get permits before an addition or alteration, 'including a basement build-out', and the fee schedule prices finished basements with remodels.
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 remodel a bathroom? The rule in 14 cities, and what is exempt
- Do I need a permit to remodel my house? The rule in 14 departments, and what gets filed
- Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen? The rule in 18 cities, and what is exempt
- Naperville historic district rules: Fast Track vs Commission COAs, and what each costs you in time
- Foundation repair in Waco: the Repairs & Alterations permit, retaining walls over 48 inches, and who does the work
For one city
- City of Naperville Guide to Building Permits (revised 10/31/2022) (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Residential Room Addition & Alteration Permit — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- 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)
- Electrical Contractor Registration — City of Naperville (2026-10-23)
- Plumbing Permit — City of Naperville (2026-10-23)
- Plumbing License Verification — IDPH (2026-10-23)