Will County, IL permit planning guide

• Start with the parcel location. County authority can differ inside the same county depending on whether the site is in an incorporated city, village, town, or unincorporated area.
• Use this page as a readiness checklist before any phone calls so you can submit complete, accurate information to the right office.
• Flag overlays early—shoreland, floodplain, roads, drainage, septic, and access approvals can add extra approvals that are easy to miss.
• Gather owner information, a rough site plan, and project scope details before contacting agencies.
• Validate the final office list with Permit Check once your parcel and project context are captured.

1. Confirm the parcel, municipality, project scope, and any county or state overlay before choosing an application.
2. Gather the site plan, project dimensions, ownership information, and any trade or contractor details the office requests.
3. Resolve prerequisite zoning, shoreland, floodplain, sanitary, access, or land-use reviews before the building application when applicable.
4. Submit each approval to the office that issues it and keep the records together through inspections and closeout.

A practical preparation order

1. Confirm the parcel, municipality, project scope, and any county or state overlay before choosing an application.
2. Gather the site plan, project dimensions, ownership information, and any trade or contractor details the office requests.
3. Resolve prerequisite zoning, shoreland, floodplain, sanitary, access, or land-use reviews before the building application when applicable.
4. Submit each approval to the office that issues it and keep the records together through inspections and closeout.

Offices that may be involved

• Will County Land Use Department: Accessory Dwelling Unit Permit

Permit triggers

• Zoning / Land-Use Review: A Will County Development Review (Current Planning & Zoning) confirms the Ch. 155 § 155-3.30/§ 155-2.30 district setbacks, Max Building Coverage %, height and use before a permit issues on UNINCORPORATED county land. A Water Resource Ordinance site-development review may also apply.
• Building Permit (Deck): Any deck requires a building permit (2-inspection) + plat of survey. Zoning: accessory rear/side setback 5 ft (§ 155-3.30 S4); principal-yard rules if the deck is attached; the district setbacks (§ 3) otherwise.
• Fence — NO permit required (zoning height limits apply): NO permit is required for a fence in unincorporated Will County — "No permits are required for fences" (§ 155-14.90(E)). Zoning height limits still apply: side/rear <=7 ft; street yard <=4 ft (5 ft in ag street yards); double-frontage rear <=6 ft. Barbed/razor/electric wire is prohibited in residential (except E-1/E-2 animal containment).
• Building Permit (Shed / Accessory Building): A shed / accessory building requires a permit. Max accessory floor area per § 155-3.30 B2 (R-3 1,500; R-4/R-5/R-6 1,200; E-1/E-2 3,000; R-1/R-2/R-2A 1,800; A-1 none; A-2 3,000); rear/side setback 5 ft (S4); accessory height <=25 ft (attached garages exempt).
• Building Permit (Detached Garage): A detached garage requires a permit (accessory building). Same § 155-3.30 accessory rules as a shed (B2 max area by district; 5 ft rear/side; height <=25 ft; attached garages are exempt from the accessory-height limit).
• Building Permit (Addition): Any addition requires a building permit and must meet the district principal-building setbacks / Max Building Coverage % / height (§ 3.1). A project in the floodplain triggers the Water Resource Ordinance.

Packet requirements

• Online permit application (SmartGov Public Portal): Apply on the SmartGov Public Portal (co-will-il.smartgovcommunity.com); upload documents, schedule inspections, pay fees, print the permit.
• Plat of survey (3 copies): Plat of survey (3 copies) depicting the lot lines, setbacks, existing structures and the proposed construction, drawn to scale. May be combined with the site plan.
• Site plan (3 copies, PE-sealed): Site plan (3 copies) signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer, unless exempt under Water Resource Ordinance §500.1; a site-development fee applies in addition to the building permit fee.
• Building / structural plans (3 sealed sets): Building/structural plans (3 sealed sets) sealed by an appropriate design professional; otherwise submit manufacturer design & specifications.
• Contractor / subcontractor list (county-registered, GL/WC/BD): All contractors and subcontractors must be registered with the County (GL/WC/BD); unregistered => the permit may be revoked.
• Water supply / sanitary system disclosure: Public/Well water and Sewer/Septic disclosure; Health Department well & septic requirements apply.

Fee schedules

• Swimming Pool Permit (in-ground): Base fee $300 · minimum $300 · Seeded as in-ground $300 (§ 158.02(3)(b)). Above-ground pool/hot tub/spa $175 ((3)(a)) and public pool $500 ((3)(c)) noted here (one flat per permit_id). A protective barrier >=5 ft is required; an electrical permit is separate.
• Building Permit (residential): Will publishes DIFFERENT flat fees by structure type that cannot share one building-permit row: deck $125 ((2)(a)); shed <200 sf w/o concrete $75 ((1)(a)); new accessory <400 sf $125 / >400 sf $200+$5/100 sf ((8)); addition <500 sf $450 ((6)); new SF home <3,000 sf $2,700 ((7)); solar 0-100 kW $125 ((14)) — recorded on the family trigger notes. Do not present $0; confirm the applicable § 158.02 line. Fences require NO permit (§ 155-14.90(E)) => no fence fee.

• Illinois statewide code source

Confirm the current office instructions, application version, and adopted fee schedule before filing.