Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-701.1 Scope.
14A-7-701.1 Scope.
Certificates of occupancy and other approvals required before occupancy must be obtained as provided in this chapter.
OCCUPANCY
Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 14A, ch. 14A-7
in effectMunicipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.1 Certificate required.
14A-7-702.1 Certificate required.
A building or structure may not be used or occupied, and a change of occupancy of an existing building or existing structure is prohibited, before the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy for the new occupancy as provided in Section 14A-7-702. Issuance of a certificate of occupancy does not authorize a violation of the Municipal Code.
Exceptions:
1. A certificate of occupancy is not required for a building classified as occupancy Group R-5 or U in accordance with Chapter 3 of the Chicago Building Code.
2. A certificates of occupancy is not required for work exempt from permits in accordance with Section 14A-4-402.
3. A certificates of occupancy is not required for rehabilitation work affecting 10,000 square feet or less of gross floor area that does not involve a change of occupancy.
4. The building official may adopt rules which exempt additional scopes of work in existing buildings from this requirement.
5. The building official may adopt rules which exempt new construction in specified occupancies based on floor area.
(Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 32180, Art. I, § 12)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.2 Certificate issued.
14A-7-702.2 Certificate issued.
After the building official inspects the building or structure and does not find violations of the provisions of the Chicago Construction Codes or other laws that are enforced by the building official, the building official is directed to issue a certificate of occupancy that contains the following:
1. The permit number.
2. The address of the building.
3. The name and address of the owner.
4. A description of that portion of the building for which the certificate is issued.
5. A statement that the described portion of the building has been inspected for compliance with the general, specific and structural requirements of the Chicago Construction Codes applicable to the building and the occupancy classification identified in the permit application.
6. The name of the building official.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.3 Temporary occupancy.
14A-7-702.3 Temporary occupancy.
Upon request of an owner or permit holder, the building official is authorized to issue a temporary certificate of occupancy for such time and under such conditions as the building official determines appropriate and consistent with the standards of public safety and welfare. The building official is authorized to issue a temporary certificate of occupancy for any portion of a building containing more than 3 dwelling units where that portion of the building is completely cut off from other parts of the building by fire-resistance rated construction and all provisions for means of egress required by the Chicago Building Code have been complied with. The cost of a temporary certificate of occupancy is not reflected in the permit fees provided under Chapter 4, and the building official may, by rule, establish fees for issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy reflecting costs of additional inspections and administration required to issue a temporary certificate.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.4 Revocation.
14A-7-702.4 Revocation.
The building official is authorized to, in writing, suspend or revoke a certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy wherever the certificate is issued in error, or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or where it is determined that the building or structure is in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of the Municipal Code that creates an unsafe condition for occupants or the public.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.5 Legal effect.
14A-7-702.5 Legal effect.
A person may not use or rely upon a certificate of occupancy or the information contained in a certificate of occupancy as a basis for legal action against the City.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-702.6 Authority to vacate.
14A-7-702.6 Authority to vacate.
Where a building is occupied in violation of Section 14A-7-702, the building official is authorized to notify the owner and occupants and order that the building must be vacated and not again occupied until shown to conform with all applicable requirements of the Chicago Construction Codes and the owner has obtained a certificate of occupancy as required by Section 14A-7-702.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-703.1 General.
14A-7-703.1 General.
A license may not be issued to any person to produce, operate, or offer for gain or profit any theatricals, shows, or amusements until the building official and the fire code official have certified in writing that the room or place where it is proposed to produce, operate, or offer such theatricals, shows, or amusements complies in every respect with the provisions of the Municipal Code relating to their respective departments.
(Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 32180, Art. I, § 13)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-704.1 Connection of service utilities.
14A-7-704.1 Connection of service utilities.
A person may not make connections from a utility, source of energy, fuel, or power to any building or system that is regulated by the Chicago Construction Codes and for which a permit is required until the building or system has been inspected by the building official and connection is authorized by the building official.
Exception: Electrical service entrance equipment and wiring, the meter and meter connection cabinet, and the meter wiring up to but not beyond the customer’s disconnecting switch or other disconnecting device may be electrically energized without authorization of the building official, provided the building official is notified and the customer’s disconnecting switch is sealed in the "off" position and tagged to indicate use of wiring beyond the disconnecting switch is unlawful until authorized by the building official.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14A-7-704.2 Temporary connections.
14A-7-704.2 Temporary connections.
The building official is authorized to allow temporary connections of buildings or systems to a utility, source of energy, fuel, or power in connection with construction activities.
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2661702Fetched: 10/24/2026