Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 13-20 § 13-20-565
Permits – Term (Chicago Building Inspection Code (Chapter 13-20))
Operative Text
(a) Any permit required under Section 13-20-550 may be revoked by the Commissioner under Section 13-20-645 under any of the following circumstances: (1) erection or alteration of a sign or sign structure without a valid permit in violation of Section 13-20-550 ; or (2) erection or alteration of a sign or sign structure contrary to the permit in violation of Section 13-20-590 ; or (3) abandonment of the sign or sign structure within the meaning of Sections 13-20-760 or 13-96-041 ; or (4) failure to obtain a public way use permit or to renew a public way use permit as required under Sections 10-28-010 or 13-20-555 ; or (5) loss of nonconforming status of the sign or sign structure pursuant to Chapter 17-15 of this Code; or (6) failure to display the permit number(s) on or adjacent to an on-premise or off-premise sign in violation of Section 13-20-620 ; or (7) making a false statement of material fact on a permit application or any supporting document or on a change of information form in violation of Section 13-20-560 (c). (b) Any permit that is voluntarily reported as abandoned pursuant to Section 13-96-041 (b) of this Code may be revoked by the Commissioner without any further notice or action. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing a change or alteration in a sign without a permit pursuant to Section 13-20-550 . (d) For purposes of this section, the term "alteration" shall have the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 13-20-510 . (Added Coun. J. 2-13-13, p. 47133, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 11)
Chicago Municipal Code § 13-20-565 establishes the circumstances under which the Commissioner may revoke a sign permit. Grounds for revocation include erecting or altering a sign without or contrary to a valid permit, abandoning the sign structure, failing to maintain required public way use permits, losing nonconforming status, failing to display the permit number, or submitting false information on a permit application. A permit that is voluntarily reported as abandoned may be revoked by the Commissioner immediately, without additional notice or process. The section also clarifies that nothing in it authorizes sign changes or alterations without the permit required under § 13-20-550.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who hold sign permits under Chicago Municipal Code § 13-20-565 generally maintain compliance by ensuring that all signs are erected and altered strictly in accordance with the terms of their issued permits, that permit numbers are visibly displayed on or adjacent to each sign, and that public way use permits are obtained and kept current. Operators typically take care to provide accurate information on all permit applications and supporting documents, since a material misstatement is an independent ground for revocation. When a sign structure is no longer in use, voluntarily reporting it as abandoned under § 13-96-041(b) triggers an immediate revocation pathway without further notice, so that decision warrants careful consideration of the permit's ongoing value.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
While § 13-20-565 primarily governs sign permits rather than residential tenancy rights, tenants in buildings where unpermitted or improperly permitted signage is present may find this provision relevant to broader code-compliance questions about the property. The Chicago Department of Housing and related city agencies can receive complaints about municipal code violations, and tenants may raise code-compliance issues through those channels or by consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Chicago's municipal code. Understanding that the Commissioner holds authority to revoke permits under § 13-20-565 for a range of violations—including false statements and abandonment—can inform how tenants document and report concerns about signage or related property conditions.
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.
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