MEP permit drawings in Illinois.

Most Illinois municipalities adopt their own building, mechanical and electrical codes. Two things apply statewide: the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, administered by the Capital Development Board and based on the IECC, and the Illinois State Plumbing Code from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The City of Chicago enforces its own Chicago Construction Codes, including its own electrical, plumbing and energy codes.

• Building & residential — IBC and IRC adopted locally in most suburbs and downstate cities
• Electrical — NEC adopted locally; Chicago uses the Chicago Electrical Code
• Plumbing — Illinois State Plumbing Code statewide; Chicago uses the Chicago Plumbing Code
• Mechanical — IMC adopted locally; Chicago uses the Chicago Mechanical Code
• Energy — Illinois Energy Conservation Code (IECC-based) statewide; Chicago enforces the Chicago Energy Transformation Code; some towns adopt the optional Illinois Stretch Energy Code

Illinois plumbing doesn't follow the IPC or UPC, so plumbing drawings need to be designed to the Illinois State Plumbing Code.

• Chicago — Chicago Department of Buildings, with its own construction, electrical, plumbing and energy codes
• Cook County suburbs — Evanston, Schaumburg, Oak Park, Skokie and other village building departments
• Naperville & Aurora — each city's Transportation, Engineering and Development or building division
• Joliet — Building & Inspectional Services Division
• Rockford & Springfield — each city's community and economic development or building department
• DuPage, Lake, Will & Kane counties, Peoria & Champaign — plus every other Illinois city, village and county

Chicago's codes differ enough from the rest of the state that we treat Chicago projects as their own jurisdiction, from code references to sheet notes.

• Energy code compliance — envelope, HVAC and lighting compliance under the Illinois Energy Conservation Code, or the Chicago Energy Transformation Code inside Chicago.
• Illinois plumbing design — sizing, venting and fixture requirements under the Illinois State Plumbing Code, which differs from the IPC and UPC.
• Cold-climate HVAC — Manual J/S/D for climate zones 4 and 5, with heat pump and furnace sizing.
• Chicago electrical requirements — the Chicago Electrical Code's wiring-method and service rules, a frequent source of comments for out-of-town designers.
• Restaurant and retail build-outs — coordinated kitchen exhaust, grease interceptor and electrical drawings for tenant improvements.

• Electrical — power and lighting plans, panel schedules, load calculations and single-line/riser diagrams (NEC or Chicago Electrical Code)
• Plumbing — fixture layouts, water supply sizing, DWV isometrics and gas piping (Illinois State Plumbing Code or Chicago Plumbing Code)
• HVAC / mechanical — duct layouts, equipment schedules, ventilation and Manual J/S/D load calculations (IMC or Chicago Mechanical Code)
• Energy compliance — Illinois Energy Conservation Code or Chicago Energy Transformation Code compliance, with Manual J/S/D calculations
• 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.

Illinois requires sealed drawings from an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer for many commercial projects, and Chicago has its own rules for who can file permit documents. Many residential projects outside Chicago can be permitted without a seal. Your building department confirms what applies.

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. Free consultation — tell us about the project, the address and the permit office.
2. Send your plans — architectural floor plans in PDF or DWG (sketches work for small residential jobs).
3. Code check & fixed quote — we confirm the code editions and submittal checklist your Illinois AHJ uses, then send a fixed price and timeline.
4. Drafting & your review — residential sets usually take 5–7 business days, light commercial 7–14. You mark up, we revise.
5. Submittal & plan-review comments — you get PDF and DWG files ready to upload; if the reviewer issues comments, we revise the drawings at no extra charge until approval.