Permits and Licensing

The Village of Arlington Heights requires permits for certain building and construction projects, as well as other registration and licenses. Building permit applications and submittals must comply with Village building codes, which are established to provide safeguards for the public’s health and welfare.

Many Village forms and license applications that you need, whether remodeling your home, working on a commercial property, needing a business license or planning a community event, can be found in the searchable document center at the bottom of this page. 

Understanding the Building Permit Process
  • Find the permit you need in the Building Permit & Application Packet folder below
  • Read through packet
  • Submit application (in packet) via email at building@vah.com
  • Village Staff will assess your submission and will respond to your email 
  • Your permit will be routed for review and approval 
  • Once a permit is issued, inspections will be required
Permit Tracking
The Village of Arlington Heights' online permit platform allows users the ability to check the status of permits online. When checking on the status of a permit from Building & Life Safety, your permit application and PIN are required.
  
Scheduling inspections online will be available soon. Inspections are mandatory while work is in progress to ensure that construction complies with approved plans and code regulations. The inspections required for your project are listed on your permit placard. Inspections must be scheduled with the Building & Life Safety Department at least 24 hours in advance and 48 hours for final inspections. Please schedule your inspections at 847.368.5560.

Overview of Checking Permit Status Online
  • Select Permit
    Enter Permit Application Number and PIN number (The numbers are provided to the applicant at the time of permit submittal.)
  • Status detail – General information
    This is for the purpose of verifying application status. This selection will show various stages of review for permits, such as in plan check, approved, issued. “Issued”, as used here, indicates the application has been processed. Do not assume that permits are ready for pick up by reviewing this screen. The permit applicant will be notified by phone when the permit is ready to be picked up for work to begin.
  • View application fees
    This screen will show what fees are due and what fees have been paid. Additional fees may be added once all reviews are completed, and application is approved. Please note that for now, payments cannot be made online. 
  • Permit Status
    Click on appropriate permit such as building, electrical, and plumbing. This screen shows the general information on the permit. The information is for internal processing. The permit is released after all required departments have approved the submitted documents.

  • Inspection Status
    Click on appropriate permit to check scheduled inspections, date scheduled, status of inspection (approved, disapproved, etc) and the date of inspection results.

  • Plan Tracking Status
    This screen shows the status of reviews to date, as well as the results of the plan review by the various departments. On this screen click on the appropriate agency, then click on the action history for any plan review comments, notes etc. If there is a rejection by any agency, please wait until all reviews from all other departments are completed before you submit revisions; this simplifies reviews and speeds up the process.
  • Schedule/Cancel Inspection
    This feature will be available at a later date.
  • Email Us
    If you have questions regarding information viewed on this site you can e-mail building@vah.com. Please do not schedule an inspection through email. Please search "Building" in the Staff Directory to find our Village inspectors, or search by their name. Thank you, we look forward to assisting you.



Applications are available in a fillable PDF format below.  If you have any questions regarding submitting plans and applications electronically, please contact the Building & Life Safety Department at building@vah.com or 847.368.5560.

Department Assistance For Your Projects

Permit Documents & Guides
Below are documents regarding the Village's permits, including packets that contain all items needed for your permit.

Using the Search Feature
To search for documents, type in the permit you are seeking and click the dropdown menu to view search results.
Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category)
Documents sorted by _RECORDID in Ascending Order within category
Building Permit Application Packets
Business Licenses & Applications
Community Events Forms
Community Planning & Zoning Applications And Guides
Liquor License Applications & Forms
Residential & Commercial Permit Applications And Guides