Residential solar permits in Chicago, IL
213 residential solar permits issued by Chicago, the 8 weeks ending Oct 16, 2026. Oct 16, 2026 is the latest issue date the source has published.
Quick answer. In the 8 weeks ending Oct 16, 2026, 213 residential solar permits were issued in Chicago, IL, according to public records from Chicago. The busiest ZIP codes were 60620 (28 permits), 60652 (23 permits), 60628 (19 permits). The median declared value was $22,955 across 213 permits that list one. The latest permit date published is Oct 16, 2026.
What a solar permit means in Chicago
A residential solar permit means a PV system (often with a battery) is going on that house. For a solar installer the signal is the neighborhood: once one panel array goes up, neighbors start asking, and installers that pull permits here are your direct competition.
In Chicago, permits were issued on 32 different days in the window; the most recent were Oct 16, 2026, Oct 15, 2026, Oct 14, 2026. The busiest ZIPs were 60620 (28), 60652 (23), 60628 (19).
By residential solar permit count, Chicago ranks #6 of the 74 solar pages on this site.
- Canvass and mail the same street while the install is visible.
- See system sizes and battery attach rates in each ZIP to price your offer.
- Pass the address to electricians and roofers: panel upgrades and re-roofs often come before or with solar.
Other work on the same permits
Share of these 213 permits whose type or description also matches another trade. These are the follow-on and partner trades on Chicago jobs.
- battery storage: 209 permits (98%)
- general remodel: 1 permits (0%)
- garage: 1 permits (0%)
Weekly trend
Permits per 7-day period, ending Oct 16, 2026. n/c = not collected yet (before our pipeline started pulling this source). It is not zero. Striped bars are partly collected weeks.
Top permit types
| Permit type / subtype | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | 212 | 100% |
| PERMIT - RENOVATION/ALTERATION / STANDARD PLAN REVIEW | 1 | 0% |
Busiest ZIP codes
| ZIP | Permits | Share | 8-wk avg / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60620 | 28 | 13% | 5.38 |
| 60652 | 23 | 11% | 4.50 |
| 60628 | 19 | 9% | 3.75 |
| 60617 | 18 | 8% | 3.12 |
| 60643 | 15 | 7% | 3.25 |
8-wk avg / week is the trailing 8-week weekly average we quote in coverage checks for that ZIP and trade. It counts every source in the ZIP and includes permits with unknown use, so it can be higher than this page's residential count.
System stated in the permit
| System | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| battery | 209 | 98% |
| 10 kW PV | 157 | 74% |
| 11.5 kW PV | 48 | 23% |
| 13 kW PV | 1 | 0% |
| 11.4 kW PV | 1 | 0% |
Parsed from the permit's own type and work text. A permit can state more than one; many state none.
Sample rows
Anonymized: street address, permit number and any names removed. Subscribers get the full row with address, permit number and source link.
| Issued | ZIP | Permit type | Scope | System | Declared value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-16 | 60634 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 10 kW PV; battery | $15,260 |
| 2026-10-06 | 60643 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 9 kW PV; battery | $22,710 |
| 2026-09-24 | 60628 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 10 kW PV; battery | $22,955 |
| 2026-09-22 | 60620 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 10 kW PV; battery | $25,520 |
| 2026-09-16 | 60634 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 11.5 kW PV; battery | $34,070 |
| 2026-08-28 | 60643 | PERMIT – EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM / EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM | solar + battery | 10 kW PV; battery | $25,375 |
Source
- Chicago: Permit records on data.cityofchicago.org (dataset ydr8-5enu), published by Chicago. Source dataset. Collected window(s): Aug 22, 2026 – Oct 16, 2026. Last pulled Oct 18, 2026.
Metric: Residential = the source marks the permit's use as residential (permits with commercial or unknown use are not counted). Solar = the permit's type or work description matches the Curbside Signal solar rules. Counts exclude void or cancelled permits. Dates are the jurisdiction's permit issue date. Records are deduplicated on source and permit number. How we count. Part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro: every trade × city page there.
The honest limit. A permit usually means the job is already sold. We say that up front. The value is what happens around it:
- Neighbor marketing around active jobs: same-age houses on the same street.
- Cross-trade follow-on demand: new roof → solar, gutters, insulation; remodel → HVAC, electrical, landscaping, pool; new build → pest, security, landscaping.
- Competitor intelligence: which contractors pull permits where (where the jurisdiction publishes it), and who to recruit as subs.
- Early-stage projects for commercial trades and GC subs.
Follow-on: Solar installs drive electrical (panel and battery) and roofing (penetration and warranty) work. Pro Signals carries all trades so you can partner with both.
Other trades in Chicago, IL
Residential permits in the same window, by trade.
Questions
How many residential solar permits were issued in Chicago, IL recently?
213 residential solar permits in the public records we pulled, the 8 weeks ending Oct 16, 2026. Source: Chicago.
Which Chicago ZIP codes have the most solar permits?
60620 (28 permits), 60652 (23 permits), 60628 (19 permits), by residential solar permit count the 8 weeks ending Oct 16, 2026. 31 ZIP codes had at least one permit.
What is the median declared value of a residential solar permit in Chicago?
$22,955, across 213 permits that list a valuation. Declared values are what the applicant stated on the permit, not the contract price.
How do I get the Chicago solar permit list, and what does it cost?
Request a free sample for your ZIPs first. ZIP Pack is $29/mo for one trade and up to 5 ZIPs every Monday; Metro Feed is $99/mo for a whole metro and up to 3 trades, with daily alerts. Guarantee on every package: If a weekly file is late or missing, that month is free. If a month delivers under half the 8-week average permit count for your ZIPs and trade, the next month is free.
Chicago solar leads, every Monday
Send your trade and ZIP codes. We'll reply with a real sample from the public records we pull, or tell you plainly that we don't cover you yet.