County Building Permits
Alexander County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Alexander County, Illinois. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated areas of Alexander County only. Does not cover Cairo, Thebes, Tamms, or other incorporated municipalities.
- Department
- Alexander County Board
- Address
- 2000 Washington Ave, Cairo, IL 62914
- Phone
- (618) 734-7000
Online Permit Portal
Platform: • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Call Alexander County main number at (618) 734-7000 during business hours (Monday-Friday 8:00 am - noon, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm) and ask specifically whether building permits are required for construction in unincorporated areas and who issues them.
- If the county does issue permits, obtain an application from the County Clerk's office.
- Submit application with project details.
- Pay any applicable fees.
- Receive permit before beginning work.
Typical processing time: Unknown.
Source: Alexander County Board
General Requirements
Unknown -- no county building code or zoning ordinance was found in any online source. County may have no formal permit requirement for unincorporated areas (pre-PA 103-0510). Post-January 1, 2025, minimum ICC standards apply by state law regardless of local enforcement.
Required Documents
- Application
- Project details
- Permit validity
- Not published online.
- Building code
- No adoption found. Under PA 103-0510 (effective 1/1/2025), minimum baseline applies: IRC 2021 (residential), IBC 2021 (commercial), IEBC 2021 (existing buildings), Illinois Energy Conservation Code, Illinois Accessibility Code, Illinois Plumbing Code, NEC 2023.
- Owner-builder
- Illinois generally allows owner-builders for their primary residence. Verify with county.
- Contractor requirements
- State-licensed electricians and plumbers required by Illinois law regardless of county requirements.
Fees
- Payment note
- Unknown.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Alexander County Board to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- (618) 734-7000 (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Monday-Friday 8:00 am - noon, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Typical inspection sequence: Unknown.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No adoption found. Under PA 103-0510 (effective 1/1/2025), minimum baseline applies: IRC 2021 (residential), IBC 2021 (commercial), IEBC 2021 (existing buildings), Illinois Energy Conservation Code, Illinois Accessibility Code, Illinois Plumbing Code, NEC 2023.
- Verify contractor license: Illinois IDFPR Licensed Contractor Lookup
- Alexander County Official Site
- Illinois CDB Building Codes
- Illinois CDB Building Codes FAQ
- License lookup guide: Illinois Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Illinois Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Illinois hub: Illinois Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Alexander County Board before applying.
Need help with your project?
Navigating permits in Unincorporated Alexander County can be complicated.
Jaspector connects you with local experts who can review your scope, verify your contractor, and help you understand what permits your project actually needs.
Learn how Jaspector works