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Sangamon County

Sangamon County Department of Building and Zoning

In short

Sangamon County Department of Building and Zoning issues 4 permits we publish for Sangamon County, last verified 2026-10-24. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building Permit (including Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinkler and HVAC)only if it applies to youSangamon County Department of Building and ZoningCommercial Building/Alterations $0.51 per sq. ft.; Commercial Accessory or Cold Storage $0.255 per sq. ft.; Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinklers and HVAC $0.10 per sq. ft. each; Commercial Demo $150; Commercial Erosion Control $250; any permit not mentioned $150; work begun without a permit is charged 150% of the feeper permit2026-10-24
Commercial Sign Permit (Electric Included)only if it applies to youSangamon County Department of Building and Zoning"Commercial Sign Electric included": $1 per sq. ft., minimum $250per sign2026-10-24
Zoning Certificate of Compliance (O, B and I Districts)only if it applies to youSangamon County Department of Building and Zoning$100 per application in the O, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1 and I-2 zoning districtsissued before a new use, new construction or alteration begins (Code 17.60.010)2026-10-24
Zoning Petition (Variation, Amendment, Conditional Permitted Use or Appeal)only if it applies to youSangamon County Department of Building and ZoningVariation, amendment or conditional permitted use: $250 for the first 5 acres plus $5 for each additional acre or portion; appeals $250; administrative variances of 10% or less $100; the applicant also pays for the legal publicationper petition2026-10-24

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Commercial Building Permit (including Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Sprinkler and HVAC)

Code Chapter 15.05 applies to buildings and structures located outside the limits of cities, villages and incorporated towns (15.05.020). The building page lists Buffalo, Cantrall, Grandview, Illiopolis, Leland Grove, Williamsville, Jerome, Curran and New Berlin as municipalities with an intergovernmental agreement with the county building department, and Rochester for commercial projects only, and advises contacting the municipality to satisfy any zoning requirements before applying. Commercial building or alteration work is $0.51 per square foot, commercial accessory or cold storage $0.255 per square foot, and electrical, plumbing, fire sprinkler and HVAC work $0.10 per square foot each; a commercial demolition is $150, commercial erosion control $250 and any permit not otherwise listed $150, per Sangamon County Code 15.05.200 (commercial fee table; history lines show amendments by Res. 7-1 on 12/10/2024, Res. 4 on 5/12/2026 and Res. 3 on 9/1/2026). Work begun without a permit is charged 150% (15.05.210). The department's "Building fees Revised 10-2026" sheet lists the same per-square-foot rates.

Commercial Sign Permit (Electric Included)

Code 17.62.040 states that, unless the ordinance provides otherwise, "all signs shall require permits and payment of fees", that no permit is needed for maintenance or a change of copy, and that permitted signs display stickers issued by the county zoning administrator. Code 15.05.200 lists "Commercial Sign Electric included" at $1 per square foot with a $250 minimum, and the Department of Building and Zoning's "Building fees Revised 10-2026" sheet lists "Sign (electric included): (minimum fee:$250) Sq. Ft. x $1". This applies where the county zoning ordinance governs; a sign inside a city or village with its own zoning is permitted by that municipality.

Zoning Certificate of Compliance (O, B and I Districts)

Code 17.60.010 requires a zoning certificate of compliance "before any new use of land is established, before the construction of any new structure or building is initiated and before the alteration of any existing structure or building is initiated", and 17.60.030 requires the certificate to be presented to the public utility before it provides initial or increased service. Code 17.70.010 sets the application fee in the O, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1 and I-2 districts at $100, per the ordinance text on the county's code site (amended by Res. 9-1 on 4/8/2024). The county zoning ordinance applies to the county outside cities, villages and incorporated towns with their own zoning ordinances (17.02.010), so a business opening in unincorporated Sangamon County applies to the Zoning Administrator at the Department of Building and Zoning.

Zoning Petition (Variation, Amendment, Conditional Permitted Use or Appeal)

Code 17.70.010 requires any application for a variation, amendment or conditional permitted use, for all uses except agricultural use, to be accompanied by a fee of $250 for the first five acres and $5 for each additional acre or portion; appeals are $250 and administrative variances of 10% or less are $100, per the ordinance text on the county's code site (amended by Res. 9-1 on 4/8/2024). Each applicant pays for the legal publication, and the filing fee is non-refundable after publication except where the board of appeals or planning commission determines that a hearing is not necessary. A business seeking a rezoning or conditional use for a site in the county's zoning jurisdiction (17.02.010) files this petition.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Sangamon County
Phone
(217) 753-6760

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. BuildingSangamon County Department of Building and Zoning · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  2. Building fees (Revised 10-2026)Sangamon County Department of Building and Zoning · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  3. Sangamon County Code Chapter 15.05 Building Construction, Alteration And MaintenanceSangamon County, Illinois · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  4. Sangamon County Code Chapter 17.60 Certificates Of ComplianceSangamon County, Illinois · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  5. Sangamon County Code Chapter 17.70 FeesSangamon County, Illinois · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24
  6. Sangamon County Code Title 17 ZoningSangamon County, Illinois · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-24

Other offices serving Sangamon County

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Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.