MEP permit drawings in Chicago, IL.

The City of Chicago enforces the Chicago Construction Codes, including its own Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical and Energy Transformation codes. Permits are reviewed by the Chicago Department of Buildings. Suburbs outside Chicago use their own adopted codes plus the Illinois statewide energy and plumbing codes.

• Chicago Building Code — based on the International Codes with major Chicago changes
• Chicago Electrical Code — NEC-based, with Chicago's own wiring-method rules
• Chicago Plumbing Code
• Chicago Mechanical Code
• Chicago Energy Transformation Code

• City of Chicago — Department of Buildings
• Evanston, Oak Park & Skokie — each village or city's building department
• Naperville & Aurora — each city's development services
• Schaumburg & Arlington Heights — each village's building department
• Cook, DuPage & Lake County suburbs — plus every Chicagoland jurisdiction

Chicago's electrical rules are among the most distinctive in the US, so we draw Chicago projects to Chicago's code, never to a generic NEC set.

• Chicago Electrical Code — wiring methods, service rules and panel details specific to Chicago.
• Energy Transformation Code — envelope, HVAC and lighting documentation.
• Two-flats and older buildings — renovation MEP for Chicago's older housing stock.
• Restaurants — kitchen exhaust, grease interceptors and gas piping.
• Cold-climate HVAC — Manual J/S/D for climate zone 5.

• Electrical — power and lighting plans, panel schedules, load calculations and single-line/riser diagrams (Chicago Electrical Code)
• Plumbing — fixture layouts, water supply sizing, DWV isometrics and gas piping (Chicago Plumbing Code)
• HVAC / mechanical — duct layouts, equipment schedules, ventilation and Manual J/S/D load calculations (Chicago Mechanical Code)
• Energy compliance — Chicago Energy Transformation Code documentation and Manual J/S/D
• Fire protection — sprinkler layouts, hydraulic calculations and fire alarm plans (NFPA 13/13R/13D, NFPA 72) where your project needs them

Trade-specific details: electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire protection permit drawings.

Chicago has its own rules on who may prepare and file permit drawings, and most commercial MEP sets need an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer of record. We confirm what your project needs before quoting.

Engineers who seal drawings in Illinois are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). If your project needs sealed MEP drawings, we confirm during scoping whether an Illinois-licensed engineer can seal your discipline and scope, and we put that in writing in your quote. If we can't arrange the seal for your project, we tell you up front, so you can have your own engineer of record review and seal the set. You never pay for drawings you can't submit.

1. Send your plans — upload architectural floor plans (PDF or DWG) on our quote page, by WhatsApp or by email.
2. Quick Zoom call (optional) — we confirm scope and the Chicago submittal checklist.
3. Fixed quote — price and delivery date in writing within one business day.
4. Drafting with updates — residential sets usually take 5–7 business days, light commercial 7–14, with progress updates on WhatsApp or email.
5. Submittal & plan-review comments — PDF and DWG files ready to upload; we revise for city comments at no extra charge until approval.