Chicago Construction Permits, February 2026: 509 Issued
The City of Chicago issued 509 construction permits in February 2026. The largest group was residential renovation, with 128 permits.
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Chicago construction permits in February 2026
| Measure | February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 509 |
| Previous month (January 2026) | 532 |
| Same month last year (February 2025) | 484 |
| Rank among 18 markets this month | 7 of 18 |
Against earlier months, February 2026 was down 4% on January 2026 (532) and up 5% on February 2025 (484).
| Building type and work | Permits |
|---|---|
| New Residential Construction | 31 |
| Residential Renovation | 128 |
| New Commercial Construction | 24 |
| Commercial Renovation | 119 |
| New Institutional Construction | 10 |
| Institutional Renovation | 15 |
| Industrial Renovation | 6 |
The twelve months to February 2026, read October 9, 2026.
What it means for trades
A permit issued in February 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.
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 February 2026?
509, read October 9, 2026 from Builtie's permit data.
Is Chicago construction up or down?
February 2026 was down 4% on January 2026 (532) and up 5% on February 2025 (484).
Which trades should be calling builders about February 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.