Chicago Permit Stages for Contractors

By Metro Leads Daily Research · Updated October 23, 2026

A permit's issue date tells you a job exists. Its stage tells you who has an opening right now. Chicago publishes this in two fields, `permit_status` (Active, Complete, Suspended…) and `permit_milestone` (Permit Issued, Inspections, Inspection Eligible, Final Inspection, Complete, Certificate of Occupancy required). Inspections are requested and run through the Department of Buildings.

In one recent 45-day batch, about 2,480 permits were in Inspections, 1,020 were Inspection Eligible, about 360 were Complete and 96 were waiting on a Certificate of Occupancy. In Los Angeles, status comes from `status_desc` with a status date, for example "Issued," "Permit Finaled" or "Permit Expired."

Permit issued: subs and suppliers

The GC is already chosen. The opening is for subcontractors and suppliers who sell to that GC. The full playbook is in Chicago Building Permit Leads for Subs. Industry guides also tie permit issuance to site mobilization, when site services and early vendors get picked (Permit Beacon).

Inspections underway: finish trades

The work is in progress. Flooring, cabinets, paint, glass, low-voltage and post-construction cleaning companies should get in front of the GC now, before the finish schedule is set.

Near completion and certificate of occupancy: the follow-on window

This is the prime window for follow-on trades. The owner is about to move in, rent or open the space, and the GC's contract usually stops at the walls.

• Landscaping, fencing, concrete and sod after new builds and additions
• Window treatments, closets, security and AV
• Post-construction and recurring cleaning for commercial spaces
• Moving, storage and property management for new rentals

Get alerted when a Chicago job hits the stage that matters to you. Start your 14-day free trial. Plans are $29/mo for one trade or $49/mo for all trades. See pricing.

Complete: service plans and neighbors

A finished job leaves a new roof, furnace or kitchen that needs maintenance. Sell service plans and the next project, and use your own finished jobs as references for the rest of the block. Marketing guides for home-service contractors recommend timing neighbor mailers to a visible job while it's still fresh (Consent Resolve).

Stop-work: handle with care

Something went wrong, such as a violation, a dispute or an unpermitted change. Don't use it to cold-pitch a homeowner, and never imply you're connected to the City. Mostly this is a "watch and wait" stage.

Expired permits: where the main job can reopen

Work stalled or never finished, and the original contractor may be gone. It's one of the few stages where a GC or remodeler can win the main job. Send a plain "we finish stalled projects" mailer. Don't guess at the reason, and don't word it in a way that sounds like a threat.

Timing cheat sheet

How Metro Leads Daily tracks stages

Every lead carries a stage tag. Stage-change alerts fire for the key stages (stop-work, near completion, complete and expired), so you don't have to recheck saved jobs. Add notes and reminders to time your follow-ups, and use the Monday recap on the $49 all-trades plan to review the week. Los Angeles doesn't publish contractor names, so it has no "contractor listed" stage. For trade-specific timing, see Roofing Leads in Chicago.

Compliance: stay white-hat

• Permit data is not a contact list. It shows the address, the scope, the reported cost and the contractors on file, not homeowner phone numbers or emails. Contact contractors through their public business lines, and contact property owners by mail.
• Phone calls. Calls to consumers fall under the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule: scrub against the National Do Not Call Registry and keep your own do-not-call list. Most business-to-business calls are exempt, but if anyone asks you not to call again, put them on your list. Source: FTC, Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
• Email. CAN-SPAM has no B2B exception. Your sender and subject line must be accurate, the email must include a valid postal address and a clear way to opt out, and you have to honor opt-outs within 10 business days. Source: FTC, CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide.
• Door hangers and mailboxes. Unstamped flyers can't go in, on or hanging from a mailbox. Door slots are excluded (USPS Domestic Mail Manual 508). Local solicitation rules vary, so check them, respect "No Soliciting" signs, and never walk onto an active construction site.

Start tracking Chicago permit stages

Stop rechecking permits by hand. Start your 14-day free trial. Plans are $29/mo for one trade or $49/mo for all trades. See pricing. See how we read the City's data on our methodology page.

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