Arlington Heights · 2026

Building permits for remodeling in Arlington Heights, IL

When you need a permit

Kitchen, bath, and basement remodels all require a building permit, and "Addition - Residential" is a distinct permit type for residential additions. The Village publishes dedicated submittal checklists for Bathroom Remodel - Residential and Basement Remodel - Residential; the Building Permit Application also lists Kitchen Remodel, Basement Remodel, Bathroom Remodel, Single Family - Interior, Crawl Space Conversion, and Demolition (Interior) as distinct project types. The electrical permit instructions state "A permit must be obtained for all installations or alterations of electric equipment" and "before the work is started." A list of cosmetic-work exemptions (e.g., paint, flooring) is not published on the official site.

How to apply

All applications go through the Village's Civic Access Portal (Tyler EnerGov self-service portal at vilofarlingtonheightsil-energovweb.tylerhost.net): "Anyone seeking a permit in the Village of Arlington Heights, will be required to utilize the Civic Access Portal," and all initial building permit submittals must be electronic. Applicants use the Apply tab, search by keyword, and must pick the correct permit type ("Selecting the wrong permit will result in your application being declined, and you will need to restart the process"). Required contacts (applicant, owner, and each trade contractor) must each have a portal account, and contractors must hold a valid Village contractor license. Typical remodel submittals require: Building Permit Application, Plumbing Permit Application (with Illinois 055 plumber license copy and a sealed/notarized Letter of Intent), Electrical Permit Application (with electrician registration copy), Contractor List (if more than one contractor), Tax Assessor Supplemental Information form, fully dimensioned scaled plans (architect/engineer seal not required for bath/basement remodels), and the contractor's proposal with scope and cost. Plans must be uploaded as a single compiled attachment. Additions also need a current plat of survey and a Construction Fence/Silt Fence Acknowledgment. Homeowners acting as their own general contractor must submit the "Homeowner as General Contractor" form. Building & Life Safety Dept: 847-368-5560, [email protected], 33 S. Arlington Heights Rd.

Review times

Per the current (April 2026) residential Addition packet: "Once placed into review, the typical time frame allotted for initial review or revisions is 10 business days. Not all reviews require the full amount of time allotted." Older remodel checklists likewise say "Please allow 10 working days for the plan review. Each revision or re-submittal can take an additional 10 working days." After approval and payment, plans and the permit placard are emailed within 24 hours (per the remodel checklists). Contractor registrations are reviewed and issued in 24-48 hours.

Inspections

Inspections are required and are scheduled through the Civic Access Portal. Requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance (the permits page states 48 hours for final inspections); "All inspection requests for the following business day must be submitted before 4:00 pm"; same-day inspections are not offered; inspections are scheduled for a morning or afternoon window. "All inspections require a hard copy of the approved stamped documents on site" (approved plans and permit placard must be printed and available). For additions/ground-disturbing work, silt fence and construction fence must be installed and inspected before work starts, with a fence-removal inspection at completion (interior remodeling with no exterior exposure is listed as work where these fences are not required in practice). Electrical work must pass inspection before being energized. A published step-by-step inspection sequence (rough/insulation/final) for interior remodels is not published on the pages reviewed.

Fees

Building permit fees: not published as a schedule. The Village states "Fees are not pre-set based on project type" — the detailed permit cost is shown in the approval/pick-up notification; additional fees may be added once all reviews are completed. An electrical inspection fee is based on the apparatus listed on the application and must be paid before the permit is issued; the plumbing permit fee is likewise based on the fixtures listed on the application. Contractor registration: $130 annual fee ($65 half-year starting in July); electrical, plumbing, and alarm contractors are exempt from the $130 fee.

Contractor registration

Yes — Village contractor licensing/registration is mandatory. Registration is submitted online through the Civic Access Portal (create account, Apply, select trade); allow 24-48 hours for review and issuance. Fee is $130/year for most trades ($65 half-year from July); all registrations expire December 31 each calendar year. The Village of Arlington Heights contractor license number must be listed on permit applications, and "All Contractors must be licensed prior to the issuance of the permit" with the license valid through the project's duration; the GC is responsible for ensuring all subs are licensed locally and at state level. General contractors do not need a certificate of insurance or surety bond; surety bonds are required only for demolition/excavation contractors ($20,000) and sewer contractors ($10,000). Plumbers must hold the Illinois 055 license and submit a Letter of Intent with every plumbing permit; electricians must submit a copy of their registration with each application. The Village publishes a downloadable Licensed Contractors list (PDF).

Worth knowing

Design review: the Planning & Community Development Department reviews building permit applications for compliance with the Village's "standards for architecture and aesthetics"; single-family Design Commission applications are reviewed case-by-case to determine administrative staff approval vs. formal Design Commission approval (factors: location, scale, context, design), and "All projects require building permit approval after design approval is obtained" — relevant mainly to exterior work like additions, not stated to apply to interior remodels.
Choosing the wrong permit type in the portal gets the application declined and you must restart.
Plans must be one compiled PDF attachment, and a printed hard copy of stamped approved documents is required on site.
A Tax Assessor Supplemental Information form (square footage/bath/bedroom counts) is required with remodel applications.
Historic districts: no historic-district permit requirements are published on the official site (not published).
Owner must generally be listed as a contact on the permit and needs their own portal account.

We handle the permits for you

On every GS Construction remodel in Arlington Heights, we prepare the application and drawings, register with the village where required, track the plan review, and schedule every inspection through to final sign-off — you never stand in line at village hall. See how the GS process works or talk to us about your project.

Planning a project here? See Remodeling in Arlington Heights.

Official sources

Last verified against official Arlington Heights sources: 2026-07-14. Requirements and fees change — confirm with the village before you build.

Remodeling in Arlington Heights? We pull the permits.

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