A Homeowners Guide


If you live in Orland Park and plan to replace your roof, update siding, add a deck, or remodel inside, you’ll be dealing with the Village of Orland Park Development Services – Building Division. They control permits, inspections, contractor licensing, and enforcement of building codes.

This guide walks through what that actually means for you as a homeowner, with sources cited.

1. Who sets the building codes in Orland Park?

The Development Services Department oversees the Village’s planning, building, and economic development functions, including code enforcement and permits (Village of Orland Park, 2025h).


According to a building-department summary, Orland Park has adopted these core codes, with local amendments:

  • 2012 International Building Code (IBC)
  • 2012 International Mechanical Code
  • 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC)
  • 2014 Illinois Plumbing Code
  • 2012 International Fire Code
  • 2012 International Property Maintenance Code
  • 2012 Illinois Energy Conservation Code

    (BuildingRecords.us, 2025)


In 2025, the Village also adopted the 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) into its Building Code to guide work on existing buildings (Village of Orland Park, 2025f).


A public notice explains that these codes establish minimum standards to protect health, safety, and general welfare, and that the Village periodically updates them to align with state changes and best practices (Village of Orland Park, 2025g).


2. When do you need a building permit in Orland Park?

The Village states that residents are required to obtain building permits before beginning any new construction project, including both exterior and interior work (Village of Orland Park, 2025i).

They list examples of projects requiring a permit:

  • New buildings
  • Additions and remodeling
  • Decks and patios
  • Fences and pools
  • Roofs and siding
  • Sheds
  • Windows and exterior doors
  • Water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, lawn sprinklers, driveways 
  •  (Village of Orland Park, 2025i)


Permit applications are submitted through the Civic Access portal, where homeowners and contractors can apply, upload documents, pay fees, and schedule inspections (Village of Orland Park, 2025a).


3. Roofing: New Roofs and Re-Roofs

The Village has a dedicated “Roof (New / Re-Roof)” permit page. It clearly states:

A permit is required for all new roofs and reroofs, with or without a tear off (Village of Orland Park, 2025b).


To apply, you must submit:

  • Contractor information (if using one)
  • Total cost of work
  • Signed contract by homeowner
  • Copy of applicant’s driver’s license
  • Any skylight documentation if applicable

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025b)

The page also notes:

  • Roofing contractors must be registered with the Village and current on their contractor registration fee (Village of Orland Park, 2025b).
  • Work cannot begin until the permit is approved and issued (Village of Orland Park, 2025b).
  • A final inspection is required for all roofs; flat roofs require an insulation inspection as well (Village of Orland Park, 2025b).

Illinois law separately requires roofing contractors to hold a state roofing license under the Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, 2024).


4. Siding, Gutters, and Fascia

Orland Park treats siding, gutters, and fascia as their own permit category. The “Siding / Gutters / Fascia” page explains:

  • A permit is required, with a set fee for single-family homes and a higher starting fee for multi-family or commercial (Village of Orland Park, 2025j).
  • Homeowners doing the work themselves must complete a Homeowner Affidavit (Village of Orland Park, 2025j).
  • A final inspection is required after completion; inspection requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance and are not taken over the phone (Village of Orland Park, 2025j).

Because Orland Park uses IBC and IECC-based building codes (BuildingRecords.us, 2025; Village of Orland Park, 2025f), siding work is expected to include proper weather protection, flashing, and compliant materials, even if those details are in the technical code documents, not on the permit page.

5. Decks and Pool Decks

The “Decks / Pool Decks” permit page states:

  • A permit is required for building any deck, and there is a flat deck-permit fee (Village of Orland Park, 2025c).
  • A plan review is required for all new decks (Village of Orland Park, 2025c).
  • A permit is also required for deck repairs, with the fee based on scope of work (Village of Orland Park, 2025c).

To apply, you must include:

  • Completed permit application
  • Recent plat of survey showing the house and lot lines
  • Deck drawing that lists size, post locations, pier diameters, joist and beam sizes, stair details, and materials
  • HOA approval letter if applicable
  • Signed “Deck Installation Rules and Requirements”
  • Zoning permit application

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025c)

Deck inspections:

The village requires:

  • A post hole inspection before piers are filled
  • A rough inspection before decking is installed
  • A final inspection after completion

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025c)

Decks must meet structural standards for posts, beams, joists, and railings. While the detailed structural specs live in the adopted codes, general Illinois guidance emphasizes frost-depth footings (around 42 inches), guardrails for elevated decks, and proper ledger and hanger connections (Hard Decks, n.d.).


6. Porches

Porches have their own permit category. The “Porches” page states:

  • A permit is required for the installation of all porches (Village of Orland Park, 2025d).
  • A plan review is required for every porch permit (Village of Orland Park, 2025d).

Applications must include:

  • Completed building permit application
  • Recent plat of survey showing the existing building and setbacks, with porch location marked
  • Drawings showing porch size, pier/post locations and diameters, joist/beams, stairs, and materials
  • Contractor information (if using one)
  • Zoning permit application

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025d)

Inspections include:

  • Pre-pour inspection of base and forms
  • Rough inspections where required
  • Final inspection once work is complete

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025d)

7. Interior Work & Basement Remodels

The “Residential Remodels” page confirms that a permit is required for residential remodels, including basement finishing (Village of Orland Park, 2025e).

To apply, you must submit:

  • Building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permit applications as needed
  • Digital plans showing wall construction, existing and proposed layout, and room identification
  • Any planned changes to electrical or plumbing fixtures

    (Village of Orland Park, 2025e)

The Village links to Basement Remodel Requirements and a Residential Construction Inspections Chart, indicating multiple inspections during the project (Village of Orland Park, 2025e).

8. Inspections and seasonal rules

The Inspections page provides key information about how and when inspections happen:​

  • All inspection requests must be submitted online, by email, or in person; they are not accepted over the phone (Village of Orland Park, 2025k).
  • Requests are due by 3:50 p.m. the business day before the inspection date (Village of Orland Park, 2025k).
  • The Village publishes special cold-weather rules: once temperatures remain below 40°F, only specific types of concrete inspections (footings, foundation walls, deck holes, protected interior slabs, etc.) are allowed (Village of Orland Park, 2025k).

9. What happens if you start work without a permit?

Orland Park’s Building Permits and Fees chapter explains that:

  • If work has begun or is completed without a permit, inspection and plan review fees are increased.
  • For basic permit fees over $1,000, an additional percentage is added as a penalty.
  • Additional flat penalties are charged depending on whether the owner or a contractor filed the permit after the fact (Village of Orland Park, 2025c2).

This is on top of any potential code enforcement actions. The message is clear: starting work without a permit will cost more.

10. Contractor licensing and registration

Section 5-1-6 “Licensing and Insuring of Contractors” in the Village Code says:

  • All contractors performing construction within Orland Park must comply with Village codes and ordinances (Village of Orland Park, 2025b2).
  • Licensed contractors must provide a certificate of insurance naming the Village as certificate holder, with $1,000,000 minimum general liability and statutory workers’ compensation (Village of Orland Park, 2025b2).
  • No person may act as a contractor or subcontractor without first obtaining a Village contractor license from Development Services (Village of Orland Park, 2025b2).

The Contractors Information page reinforces that contractors must be licensed with the Village before permits can be issued and explains that they must register through the Civic Access portal (Village of Orland Park, 2025c3).


The contractor license page clarifies that each license is valid for one calendar year and provides links to the Contractor License Application and Registered Contractors list (Village of Orland Park, 2025d3).


11. What this means for you as a homeowner

Putting it all together:

  • You almost always need a permit for roofs, siding, decks, porches, basement remodels, and most significant interior changes.
  • Your contractor must be licensed with Orland Park, and for roofing, also licensed by the state.
  • You must follow the Village’s process: apply through Civic Access, submit all required documents, wait for approval, then schedule inspections.
  • Starting work without a permit can trigger penalty fees and extra inspections.
  • Because Orland Park has adopted multiple ICC codes and the 2018 IEBC, you can expect projects to be held to modern safety, structural, and energy standards.

References

BuildingRecords.us. (2025). Village of Orland Park, IL – Building department information. https://www.buildingrecords.us/municipalities/il/orland-park-il

Hard Decks. (n.d.). Illinois deck building codes: What homeowners should know. https://www.harddecks.com/deck-building-codes

Illinois Compiled Statutes. (2024). Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335. https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1360

Village of Orland Park. (2025a). Permits – Civic Access portal overview. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits

Village of Orland Park. (2025b). Roof (New / Re-Roof). https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits/roof-new-re-roof

Village of Orland Park. (2025b2). 5-1-6: Licensing and insuring of contractors. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/orlandpark/latest/orlandpark_il/0-0-0-12080

Village of Orland Park. (2025c). Decks / Pool Decks. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits/decks-pool-decks

Village of Orland Park. (2025c2). Village of Orland Park – Building permits and fees (Title 5, Chapter 2). https://ecode360.com/37401199

Village of Orland Park. (2025c3). Contractors information – Development Services. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections

Village of Orland Park. (2025d). Porches. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits/porches

Village of Orland Park. (2025d3). Contractor license. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/licenses/contractor-license

Village of Orland Park. (2025e). Residential remodels. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits/residential-remodels

Village of Orland Park. (2025f). Ordinance No. 6011 – Adopting the 2018 International Existing Building Code. https://ecode360.com/OR4276/laws/LF2434222.pdf

Village of Orland Park. (2025g). Building and health code updates listening session (event description). https://www.orlandpark.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/2258/19

Village of Orland Park. (2025h). Development Services overview. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services

Village of Orland Park. (2025i). Building permit information. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/building-permit-information

Village of Orland Park. (2025j). Siding / Gutters / Fascia. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/permits/siding-gutters-fascia

Village of Orland Park. (2025k). Inspections. https://www.orlandpark.org/departments/development-services/permits-licenses-inspections/inspections