Glen Ellyn Building Permits: When a Deck Job Needs One
What this comes down to
- Replacing rotted deck boards with equivalent ones usually needs no Glen Ellyn permit, but altering the structure does.
- The village's permit list names decks, porches, stoops, stairs, sheds, fences, arbors and pergolas.
- Ordinary repair skips the permit only when materials match, structure is untouched and loads do not increase.
- Permit applications received after January 1, 2024 are held to the 2018 International Residential Code.
- A deck application needs three copies of the plat of survey and three sets of construction plans.
- Contractors must meet Village Code Section 4-1-11 on license and insurance, or risk a stop work order.
Inside Glen Ellyn, deck permits come from the village itself. It publishes its own list of work that needs a building permit. The deck rules sit inside that list. Unincorporated areas follow the county permit application guide instead.
This guide reads the village's list for a deck owner. It covers what counts as ordinary repair, which code applies and what the application asks for. It also covers who may do the work. It ends with what only the village can answer.
Do I need a building permit in Glen Ellyn?
Yes, for any new deck, porch, stoop or stair. The Glen Ellyn Community Development Department keeps a village permit list that names each of them. It also names sheds, fences, arbors and pergolas.
The list covers a new structure of any size, type or use. It also covers enlarged, altered or remodeled outdoor structures. Stairs get a line of their own. A deck that grows or gets new stairs is no longer a repair.
Does a deck repair need a permit in Glen Ellyn?
Often not, when the repair is like for like. The same department says ordinary repair and maintenance typically needs no permit. Replacement materials must be equivalent to the existing ones. Structural components must stay unaltered and loads must not increase.
Three rotted boards replaced with three matching boards fit that test. A joist swapped for one of the same size and grade is a gray area, so ask first. A moved beam, a hot tub or a wider deck is a permit job.
The village also says its list is not complete. The Building and Zoning Official interprets the code. That official can confirm a specific property from a full description of the work. The state view is in the guide to Illinois deck permit rules.
What other work in Glen Ellyn needs a permit?
Several jobs that often come with a deck. A patio or other paving over 100 square feet needs one. So does replacement roofing over 300 square feet or 20 percent of the roof. Siding and cladding follow the same limits.
Gutter downspouts and waterproofing at grade are on the list. So are new or altered doors and windows. Any work in or within 30 feet of a designated flood area needs a permit as well. A neighboring town sets its own limits, as the Wheaton permit rules show.
Which building code does Glen Ellyn enforce?
The 2018 International Residential Code, for permit applications received after January 1, 2024. The village's adopted code list also names the 2018 building, fire and mechanical codes.
The same list adds the 2017 National Electrical Code. The 2024 energy code applies as amended by Illinois. The village attaches local amendments to these codes, so the model code is only the starting point. The Illinois deck building code guide covers the state layer.
What does the code require of the deck itself?
Sound materials, set on footings below the frost line. The International Code Council's 2018 residential code puts decks in section R507. The code's deck chapter spells out the rules. Wood must be No. 2 grade or better.
Wood must also be preservative treated or naturally durable lumber. Plastic composite boards must carry an ASTM D7032 label showing allowable load and span. Flashing must be corrosion resistant metal at least 0.019 inch thick. An approved nonmetallic material also works.
Composite boards also go in under the manufacturer's instructions. Footings must extend below the frost line, which keeps a post from heaving when the ground freezes.
What does a Glen Ellyn deck permit application require?
The village's permit application form for outdoor structures lists what must be submitted. The Community Development Department asks for these items, listed here in the form's order:
- A permit application signed by the property owner.
- A plan review fee, in an amount the permit clerk sets at submission.
- A contractor listing sheet, completed on the application packet.
- Three copies of the plat of survey, marked with the work and its distances from the house and lot lines.
- Three copies of construction plans containing the construction details.
Two more plans depend on size. A tree preservation plan is required when more than 300 square feet is disturbed. It is also required when a structure grows by 20 percent or more. A drainage or stormwater plan is required when more than 300 square feet is disturbed.
Who is allowed to do the work?
A contractor who meets the village's license and insurance rules. The application says every contractor must comply with Village Code Section 4-1-11. Each must be named when the application is submitted.
The same page warns of a Stop Work Order, or suspension or revocation of the building permit. Ask any deck contractor to name the license and insurance on file before work starts.
What gets inspected, and when?
Each stage listed on the permit. The application's certification covers inspections. Each stage must be requested and approved before the next stage begins on site.
On a deck, the stages are usually the footings, the frame and the final. The permit itself lists the ones that apply. Footing holes come first, because concrete and posts hide them once poured.
Digging carries its own rule. The village's regulation list includes the Illinois underground utility damage prevention act. It is known as JULIE. Contact JULIE before any footing hole is dug, since a post hole can meet a buried line.
Which deck jobs need a permit in Glen Ellyn?
The table applies the village's list to common deck jobs. It is a reading of the published list. It is not a ruling, because the village decides each property itself.
| Job | Permit? | What the village list says | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace rotted boards with matching boards | Usually no | Ordinary repair with equivalent materials | That nothing structural changes |
| Replace a joist, same size and grade | Ask first | Structure unaltered, loads not increased | Whether a like for like swap counts |
| Rebuild or alter stairs | Yes | Altered stairs are named | The plans for the new stairs |
| Build a new deck | Yes | Decks are named | Survey, plans and footing depth |
| Enlarge an existing deck | Yes | Enlarged structures are listed | Whether the 20 percent plan limit applies |
| Add a pergola or arbor | Yes | Both are named | Distance from the lot lines |
| Install a new fence | Yes | Fences are named | Where the property line runs |
| Pour a patio over 100 square feet | Yes | Paving over 100 square feet | Drainage plan above 300 square feet |
What does the work cost around a permit?
The village sets its own fees, and the plan review fee is set by the permit clerk at submission. The work itself is priced separately. Starting prices for the common deck jobs are below.
| The work | Starting price | Wider market | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck board replacement over a sound frame | From $10 per sq ft | $12 to $25 per sq ft | Board type and access |
| Joist repair or sistering | From $125 per joist | $150 to $350 each | Joist count and span |
| Ledger board repair | From $495 | $600 to $1,500 | Length and flashing |
| Deck stair repair | From $225 | $250 to $750 | Stringers and treads |
| New pressure treated deck | From $24 per sq ft | $26 to $50 per sq ft | Size, height and footings |
| Minimum service call | $99 minimum | $120 to $200 typical | Time on site |
What cannot be determined without the village?
The permit fee. The plan review fee is set at submission, and the published form does not state an amount. Whether a specific repair counts as ordinary also stays with the village official. That official confirms it for a property.
How long review takes, and whether the form has changed. The application on the village site is a 2020 edition. Staff should confirm the current submission list. A deck near a flood area or large trees may add plans.
Glen Ellyn deck permit questions
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Glen Ellyn?
Yes. Glen Ellyn's list of work that requires a building permit names decks, porches, stoops and stairs. It covers any new structure of any size. The application needs a signed form, a fee, a plat of survey and plans. Like for like repairs follow a different test.
Do I need a permit to repair a deck in Glen Ellyn?
Often not. The village says ordinary repair typically needs no permit. Materials must be equivalent, structure unaltered and loads not increased. Matching boards fit that. New stairs, added size or altered framing do not. The village official confirms a specific property.
How does Perfect Work decide whether a Glen Ellyn deck job needs a permit?
Perfect Work Remodeling & Repairs reads the job against the village's published list before quoting. Like for like repairs are priced as repairs. New decks, stairs, enlargements and structural changes are priced with a permit. Any gray area is confirmed with the village official before work starts.
What does a Glen Ellyn deck permit application require?
A signed application from the owner, a plan review fee and a contractor listing sheet. Three copies of the plat of survey and of the construction plans are also required. Tree and drainage plans are added above 300 square feet disturbed. The contractor must meet Village Code Section 4-1-11.
What does a Glen Ellyn deck estimate from Perfect Work cover?
Perfect Work Remodeling & Repairs names the repair, materials and starting price in an estimate. Permit paperwork is scoped alongside it. The village's plan review fee is set by its permit clerk. It is listed apart from the work and confirmed at submission.
Who do I contact at Glen Ellyn about a deck permit?
The village Community Development Department handles building permits at 535 Duane Street. Its permit forms list 630-547-5250. The village official can confirm whether a repair needs a permit for that property. Staff can also confirm the current list of required documents.
Start with the village's list
A Glen Ellyn deck job usually comes down to one sorting question. Like for like repairs generally skip the permit. New structures, bigger decks, new stairs and structural changes do not. The village decides each case.
A visit from Perfect Work Remodeling & Repairs puts the frame and the village's list side by side. The job is sorted into a repair or a permit job before a price is given. Deck repair across the area is part of its deck services.
Call Perfect Work at 630-297-7888 · Book a deck check