Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-630
Permit rescission (Chicago Building Inspection Code (Chapter 13-20))
Operative Text
The Commissioner shall have the power, pursuant to procedures set forth in Section 13-20-645 of this Code, to rescind any sign permit required by this Article that was erroneously approved by any City department as part of the application review process and subsequently issued by the Department of Buildings based on such erroneous approval. (Added Coun. J. 4-24-12, p. 25060, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 15) Editor's note - Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 17167, § 33, repealed a former § 13-20-630, which pertained to sign plan examination fees.
Chicago Municipal Code § 13-20-630 establishes that the Commissioner holds authority to revoke a sign permit that was issued by the Department of Buildings after an erroneous approval by any City department during the application review process. The rescission power is not unlimited—it must follow the procedural steps outlined in § 13-20-645. In effect, a permit that should not have been granted in the first place can be taken back through a defined administrative process.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 13-20-630, a sign permit that was issued based on a mistaken approval by a City department is not necessarily permanent, even after it has been granted. Property owners and managers who have received sign permits should be aware that the Commissioner retains authority to rescind such permits if an erroneous approval is identified in the review process. Operators generally maintain documentation of their permit applications and approvals so they can respond effectively if a rescission proceeding under § 13-20-645 is initiated.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 13-20-630 of the Chicago Municipal Code may be relevant to tenants who are concerned about signage on or near their building that was permitted through a flawed approval process. The provision gives the Commissioner the power to revoke such permits through the procedures in § 13-20-645, which means an administrative remedy exists when a permit was erroneously granted. Tenants who believe a sign permit was improperly issued may consider contacting the Chicago Department of Buildings or a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options are available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.