Chicago building permits
Chicago's commercial permit activity is led by commercial alteration — 57% of the 203,968 permits PermitCore classifies across 7 commercial segments there. Reliable permit valuations total ≈$141B (across the 93% of filings with a valuation we can stand behind). Filing activity is up 18% over the last 90 days versus the prior 90 — a market heating up. Parcel-joined ~88%. 22 IBC segment tags. Field-level data-quality flags. Older history available via free signup or API; the recency module on this page surfaces the last 10 days.
203,968 permits classified · field-DQ-cleared · refreshed nightly
203,968 permits in Chicago. Use Explore the data below for the filterable view.
Where the value concentratesChicago
Permit mix by segment
- Commercial Alteration115,561
- Residential Solar12,155
Reliable value by segment
- Commercial Alteration$79.3B
- Residential Solar$5.5B
Filing momentum
+18% vs prior 90d
Top contractors by recent momentum
- BEAR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY-45% / 90d
- CLUNE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, L.P.-45% / 90d
- DOYLE SIGNS INC-50% / 90d
MAPPEDLast 10 days of permits · Parcel-joined ~88% · 22 IBC segments · field-level DQ flags
5 of 6 segments currentsee per-segment freshness →
index rebuilt today
Top contractors in Chicago
Ranked by permits indexed · Each links to that contractor in ChicagoFRACKIEL BUILDERS, INCORPORATEDCommercial Alteration4,825DOYLE SIGNS INCCommercial Signage Permits3,134SUNRUN INSTALLATION SERVICESResidential Solar2,924BEAR CONSTRUCTION COMPANYCommercial Alteration2,853O.A.K.K. CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.Commercial Alteration2,787CLUNE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, L.P.Commercial Alteration1,982MIDWEST SIGN & LIGHTING, INC.Commercial Signage Permits1,954ICON IDENTITY SOLUTIONSCommercial Signage Permits1,915
Why this data is real
We classify permits into real segments — and label what we don't know.
Classified, not scraped
We read each permit's work-type, scope, and occupancy fields to place it in a real segment — so “commercial HVAC in Chicago” means real HVAC work, not a keyword match.
Parcel-joined + enriched
Every permit is joined to its tax lot and geocoded, with roof & HVAC sized — you see the building, not just the address.
— and we flag what we don't know
Coverage is labeled, missing fields show —, and where there are too few reliable filings to stand behind a value we publish —, never a fabricated number.
Chicago by segment
Sourced from the segment-distribution artifact · Each links to that segment in ChicagoCommercial Alteration115,561Commercial Signage Permits54,618Residential Solar12,155Temporary Construction Support8,965Commercial New Construction8,903Multifamily New Construction3,765Multifamily Alteration1
15 segments: no permits in window.