Chicago Construction Permits, May 2026: 668 Issued
The City of Chicago issued 668 construction permits in May 2026. The largest group was residential renovation, with 154 permits.
The same four steps, whether the buyer is a builder, a designer, an owner or a company you want to acquire.
Chicago construction permits in May 2026
| Measure | May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 668 |
| Previous month (April 2026) | 718 |
| Same month last year (May 2025) | 643 |
| Rank among 21 markets this month | 8 of 21 |
Against earlier months, May 2026 was down 7% on April 2026 (718) and up 4% on May 2025 (643).
| Building type and work | Permits |
|---|---|
| New Residential Construction | 45 |
| Residential Renovation | 154 |
| New Commercial Construction | 33 |
| Commercial Renovation | 150 |
| New Institutional Construction | 12 |
| Institutional Renovation | 28 |
| New Industrial Construction | 1 |
| Industrial Renovation | 2 |
The twelve months to May 2026, read October 9, 2026.
What it means for trades
A permit issued in May 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 May 2026?
668, read October 9, 2026 from Builtie's permit data.
Is Chicago construction up or down?
May 2026 was down 7% on April 2026 (718) and up 4% on May 2025 (643).
Which trades should be calling builders about May 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.