Chicago Construction Permits, August 2026: 725 Issued
The City of Chicago issued 725 construction permits in August 2026. The largest group was residential renovation, with 181 permits.
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Chicago construction permits in August 2026
| Measure | August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 725 |
| Previous month (July 2026) | 749 |
| Same month last year (August 2025) | 682 |
| Rank among 20 markets this month | 7 of 20 |
Against earlier months, August 2026 was down 3% on July 2026 (749) and up 6% on August 2025 (682).
| Building type and work | Permits |
|---|---|
| New Residential Construction | 61 |
| Residential Renovation | 181 |
| New Commercial Construction | 57 |
| Commercial Renovation | 167 |
| New Institutional Construction | 12 |
| Institutional Renovation | 17 |
| Industrial Renovation | 2 |
The twelve months to August 2026, read October 9, 2026.
What it means for trades
A permit issued in August 2026 starts a clock. The early trades, site work, concrete, framing and structural steel, are bought in the next weeks; mechanical, electrical and plumbing a few months in; finishes and landscaping close to a year later on a typical build. Builtie tracks each project through those stages and shows it to a trade while its package is still open.
What the Chicago data covers
Chicago issues one combined permit per project, so the name on it is usually the general contractor or developer, which is the company a trade wants to reach.
← July 2026 · September 2026 →
All months: Chicago construction permits by month. Building types: new residential construction, residential renovation, new commercial construction, commercial renovation, new institutional construction, institutional renovation, industrial renovation.
Plans
Builtie's Starter plan is $79 per seat per month (CAD) for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds the LinkedIn and email outreach you run yourself. Opening a project spends one credit, and the decision makers, emails, phones and AI call script inside it are included. Your monthly credits reset at each renewal, and extra credit packs are valid for 30 days. The free trial runs 7 days with 10 projects. Custom, where Builtie's team runs the outreach for you, starts from CAD $1,500 a month on top of a Growth seat.
Frequently asked questions
How many building permits were issued in Chicago in August 2026?
725, read October 9, 2026 from Builtie's permit data.
Is Chicago construction up or down?
August 2026 was down 3% on July 2026 (749) and up 6% on August 2025 (682).
Which trades should be calling builders about August 2026 permits?
Early trades first: site work, concrete, framing, structural steel and site security. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing follow a few months in, and finishes later still.
What does Builtie cost?
Starter is $79 per seat per month for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds LinkedIn and email outreach. There is a 7-day free trial with 10 projects.