Lake County

Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department

In short

Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department issues 7 permits we publish for Lake County, last verified 2026-10-07. 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
Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Commercial Building Permit, Plan Examination and Trade Permitsonly if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	Non-residential principal buildings or additions $67 per 1,000 cu ft (minimum $113); commercial repairs and alterations $24 per $1,000 of estimated cost (minimum $107); examination of plans, commercial/industrial, $226 per 50,000 cu ft (minimum $226); plumbing base charge $226 plus $36 per fixture; electrical $113 per 1,500 sq ft (minimum $226); heating $113 per 1,500 sq ft (minimum $113); air conditioning $59 per 1,500 sq ft (minimum $113); water supply and sewer disposal administration $59 each; commercial swimming pool $669 plus applicable plumbing and electric fees	per project	2026-10-07
Zoning Review of Non-Residential Permitsonly if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	Non-residential principal use or structure and additions (when site capacity and site plan review not required) $0.30 per sq ft, $559 minimum; non-residential accessory $0.15 per sq ft, $147 minimum; zoning review of a non-residential site development permit $131	per permit	2026-10-07
Use Permit (Commercial or Industrial)	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	$220 per Use Permit (Land or Building), commercial or industrial; zoning review, building and other permit fees may also apply	one-time, per new business or change of use	2026-10-07
Early Assistance Meeting (Nonresidential Projects)only if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	$291 per Early Assistance Meeting (nonresidential or subdivision projects); credited toward future permits for the presented project	one-time, per project	2026-10-07
Certificate of Occupancy (Commercial or Industrial)only if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	Certificate of occupancy, commercial or industrial, $79 per 1,500 sq ft (minimum team inspection $336); temporary certificate of occupancy (90 days maximum), commercial/industrial, $336	permanent for the permitted use; a temporary certificate lasts 90 days at most	2026-10-07
Sign Permitonly if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	Sign permit zoning review, all signs, $2.82 per sq ft ($116 minimum), plus the building code sign fee of $113	per sign	2026-10-07
Temporary Use Permit (Commercial Events and Temporary Uses)only if it applies to you	Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department	Events of public interest, commercial single event permits: $250 for the first event and $91 for each subsequent event during the calendar year; commercial multi-event permit allowed by a conditional use permit: $1,344 per year ($1,411 with structures); all other temporary uses and structures: $86 per year and $47 for each subsequent event during the calendar year; plus the building code portion of $59	per event, or per calendar year for a multi-event permit	2026-10-07

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, Plan Examination and Trade Permits

PB&D issues building permits in unincorporated Lake County; its permits page tells owners whose property is in a village or city to contact that office. A new non-residential building or addition costs $67 per 1,000 cubic feet (minimum $113), and commercial repairs and alterations cost $24 per $1,000 of estimated cost (minimum $107). Plan examination for commercial or industrial work is $226 per 50,000 cubic feet (minimum $226). Trade fees for commercial or industrial work are a $226 plumbing base charge plus $36 per fixture, electrical at $113 per 1,500 square feet (minimum $226), heating at $113 per 1,500 square feet (minimum $113), air conditioning at $59 per 1,500 square feet (minimum $113), and $59 each for water supply and sewer disposal administration. A commercial swimming pool is $669 plus applicable plumbing and electric fees. Figures are per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index.

Zoning Review of Non-Residential Permits

Non-residential building permits in unincorporated Lake County carry a separate PB&D zoning review fee. For a principal use or structure and additions, "when site capacity and site plan review not required", the fee is $0.30 per square foot with a $559 minimum; for a non-residential accessory structure it is $0.15 per square foot with a $147 minimum. Zoning review of a non-residential site development permit is $131. Figures are per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. A business inside a city or village goes through that municipality's zoning review instead.

Use Permit (Commercial or Industrial)

The PB&D Use Permits page states: "The County requires business owners to obtain a Use permit before they can operate a new business or change the use of any business in unincorporated Lake County. (151.110)". The permit checks parking, building and health code compliance, road access and, where the site is on Lake County Public Works sewer or water, whether sewer or water permit fees apply. The Land Development Fee Schedule lists "USE PERMIT (Land or Building) Commercial or Industrial" at $220, per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. The page adds that "Additional permits and fees, such as building or water, may also be required", and that an Early Assistance meeting will be required so staff can determine whether a Use permit is needed (see that record). Applications are submitted at 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville; a business inside a city or village applies to that municipality instead.

Early Assistance Meeting (Nonresidential Projects)

PB&D coordinates Early Assistance meetings for nonresidential projects in unincorporated Lake County, bringing the applicable county departments together to review a proposal before an application is finalized; requests go to a project manager at 847-377-2600. The Use Permits page states: "An Early Assistance (EA) meeting will be required so staff may determine if a Use permit will be required." The Land Development Fee Schedule lists "Early Assistance Meeting (nonresidential or subdivision projects)" at $291, with the footnote "Early Assistance Meeting fee purchase will be credited toward future permits for the presented project", per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. The PB&D page states that Early Assistance letters for residential projects are provided at no charge.

Certificate of Occupancy (Commercial or Industrial)

A commercial or industrial building in unincorporated Lake County is occupied under a PB&D certificate of occupancy. The Land Development Fee Schedule sets $79 per 1,500 square feet, with a minimum team inspection fee of $336, and $336 for a commercial or industrial temporary certificate of occupancy, which lasts 90 days at most. Figures are per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. Inside a city or village the municipality handles occupancy instead.

Sign Permit

A business sign in unincorporated Lake County is reviewed by PB&D under two lines of the Land Development Fee Schedule: the zoning review for "All Signs" at $2.82 per square foot with a $116 minimum, and the building code fee for "Signs" of $113. Figures are per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. A business inside a city or village applies to that municipality for sign approval instead.

Temporary Use Permit (Commercial Events and Temporary Uses)

Temporary uses in unincorporated Lake County, including commercial events and temporary food stands, need a PB&D temporary use permit under UDO § 151.114. Commercial single-event permits cost $250 for the first event and $91 for each subsequent event in the calendar year. A commercial multi-event permit allowed by a conditional use permit costs $1,344 per year, or $1,411 with structures. All other temporary uses and structures cost $86 per year and $47 for each subsequent event in the calendar year. The building code portion of a temporary use permit adds $59. Figures are per the Lake County Land Development Fee Schedule, a County Board fee schedule marked "Effective: December 1, 2025" and published on the PB&D Fee Schedule page, in effect from December 1, 2025; the schedule adjusts on December 1 each year by the lesser of 2 percent or the Lake County Consumer Price Index. Under § 151.114, temporary food stands may be allowed by temporary use permit in the General Commercial (GC) district for up to six months per calendar year. The Temporary Use Permit page states that events serving food also need a Temporary Food Event Permit from the Health Department, and events serving alcohol a permit from the Liquor Commission.

Contact

Jurisdiction: Lake County
Phone: 847-377-2600
Website: www.lakecountyil.gov/2046/Permits-Approvals-and-Early-Assistance

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.

Lake County Unified Development Ordinance § 151.113 et seq. (temporary uses, § 151.114)Lake County, Illinois (American Legal Publishing codification) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
Land Development Fee Schedule (Effective: December 1, 2025)Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
Permits & Approvals and Early AssistanceLake County Planning, Building and Development Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
Temporary Use PermitLake County Planning, Building and Development Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
Use PermitsLake County Planning, Building and Development Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07

Other offices serving Lake County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Business licenses in Lake County

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Illinois jurisdictions

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