County Building Permits
Will County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Will County, Illinois. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Serves all unincorporated areas of Will County.
- Department
- Land Use Department, Building Division
- Address
- 58 E. Clinton St., Suite 100, Joliet, IL 60432
- Phone
- (815) 727-8634
Online Permit Portal
Platform: SmartGov • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Application Process
- Create SmartGov account.
- Apply for permit and upload digital documents.
- Pay plan review fee ($50).
- Review process (15 business days initial).
- Notification of approval and final fees via portal.
- Pay online and print permit.
Typical processing time: 15 business days.
General Requirements
Any structure over 120 sq ft, structural changes, plumbing, electric, HVAC, decks, fences, pools.
Required Documents
- Plat of Survey
- Construction plans
- Health Dept septic/well sign-off (if applicable)
- Permit validity
- 1 year.
- Building code
- IBC 2021, IRC 2021, IEBC 2021, NEC 2023.
- Owner-builder
- Allowed for primary residence.
- Contractor requirements
- Must be registered with County ($10,000 bond).
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- Varies; ~$2,700 for new res.
- Plan check fee
- $50.00 minimum.
- Permit fee formula
- Sq footage/valuation based.
- Trade permit fee
- Included in permit fees
- Reinspection fee
- Varies.
- Penalty (no permit)
- Varies
- Payment note
- Online via SmartGov.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective March 2026).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Portable sheds under 120 sq ft (zoning check still required).
- Painting, floor covering.
- Non-structural maintenance.
Important: Exempt from building permit does not mean exempt from zoning and planning requirements. Confirm edge cases with the Land Use Department before proceeding.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- SmartGov Portal (online)
- Scheduling deadline
- Must have inspection card on-site.
- Inspection hours
- Monday - Friday
- Time windows
- Standard business hours
Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence: Footing, Roughs, Insulation, Final.
Remote video inspections may be used for certain inspection types at the county's discretion.
Additional Resources
- Building code: IBC 2021, IRC 2021, IEBC 2021, NEC 2023.
- Verify contractor license: Illinois Department of Revenue (Contractor Registration)
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- SmartGov Portal
- 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 Land Use Department, Building Division before applying.
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