Metal buildings in Illinois.
Carports, garages, RV covers and machine sheds for Illinois properties, from Chicago suburbs to farm country. Permit rules are local here, so start with your city, village or county.
Your Illinois questions, answered.
Do you deliver anywhere in Illinois?
Yes. Our coverage includes the whole state.
Do I need a permit?
Ask your city or village, or the county if you are in an unincorporated area. Permits in Illinois are local, so rules differ a lot. Since 2025, any building code a city or county adopts must meet a state minimum, but the state itself does not issue permits. Suburban counties usually require permits for garages and accessory buildings; some rural counties only regulate zoning and floodplains.
Farm buildings on land used for agriculture are generally exempt from county zoning permits, and any permit a county issues for them must be free. Many counties use an agricultural exemption form. A garage for the house is not a farm building.
My property is in Chicago. What’s different?
Chicago has its own building code and permit process, and its own 811 system. Check the city’s permit requirements before ordering, and request utility markings through Chicago 811 rather than JULIE.
What snow load and frost depth should I plan for?
Ask your building office for both. Northern Illinois gets more snow and deeper frost than the south. Frost depth sets how deep footings go if you pour a slab or foundation. Tell us where snow drifts on your property.
Does southern Illinois need an earthquake review?
Ask your building office. The southern tip of the state is near the New Madrid seismic zone and has higher earthquake design requirements.
How do delivery and installation work?
We review your building, location and site details before confirming timing. You prepare a level site and arrange required local approvals. Alleys, tight suburban lots, field lanes, gates and overhead wires can make delivery harder. A quote request does not reserve an installation date.
Do I need to call 811 before installation?
Yes. Outside Chicago, contact JULIE at least two working days before work starts, and no more than 10 calendar days ahead. Inside Chicago, use Chicago 811. Tell them where the building will sit and that ground anchors will be installed.
Lines you own, such as power to a garage or a farm tile line, are not marked through 811.
Is a carport or metal building safe to shelter in during a tornado?
No. A carport or steel storage building is not a storm shelter. Shelter in your home, a basement or a safe room.
Useful Illinois resources
- JULIE ↗
Illinois utility markings outside Chicago.
- Chicago 811 ↗
Utility markings inside Chicago.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center ↗
Check the flood zone for the building location.