Winnetka — Title 15 Ch. 15.36 Certificates of Occupancy § 15.36.010
Certificate of occupancy required
Operative Text
A. Permit work or construction activity. A certificate of occupancy, indicating completion of the permit work or other construction activity, shall be obtained from the Village, as provided in this section, prior to any use or occupancy of a structure. B. Accessory dwelling unit. Except as provided in Section 17.72.020 of this code, a certificate of occupancy shall be obtained from the Village prior to the occupancy of any accessory dwelling unit. No certificate of occupancy or use shall be required for any accessory dwelling unit that is lawfully registered under Section 17.72.030 of this Chapter as of March 20, 2012.
Winnetka § 15.36.010 establishes that a certificate of occupancy (CO) must be obtained from the Village before any structure—or any accessory dwelling unit (ADU)—can be occupied or used following permit work or construction activity. For ADUs specifically, a CO is required unless the unit was lawfully registered under Section 17.72.030 as of March 20, 2012, in which case no CO or use certificate is needed. The rule applies both to new construction and to completed permit work on existing structures.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Winnetka § 15.36.010, compliant property operators secure a certificate of occupancy from the Village before allowing any tenant, resident, or occupant to move into or use a structure where permit work or construction has been completed. For accessory dwelling units, operators similarly obtain a CO prior to occupancy unless the ADU was lawfully registered under Section 17.72.030 as of March 20, 2012. Keeping documentation of the CO—or of a qualifying registration exemption—on file is a standard practice for demonstrating compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Winnetka § 15.36.010 gives prospective occupants a basis to verify that a structure or accessory dwelling unit has received a certificate of occupancy from the Village before move-in. If a unit lacks the required CO and does not qualify for the March 20, 2012 registration exemption under Section 17.72.030, that may constitute a code violation that can be raised with the Village's building or code enforcement office. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Illinois municipal housing codes can help explain what options may be available when a CO has not been issued.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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