Winnetka — Title 15 Ch. 15.36 Certificates of Occupancy § 15.36.020
Application for certificate
Operative Text
The application for a building permit shall also be deemed to be an application for certificate of occupancy. Where no building permit is required, application for a certificate of occupancy shall be made directly to the Director, in writing. No fee shall be charged for an application for a certificate of occupancy for an accessory dwelling unit where no building permit is required.
Under Winnetka Title 15, Chapter 15.36, Section 15.36.020, a building permit application automatically serves as an application for a certificate of occupancy, so no separate filing is needed when a building permit is involved. When no building permit is required, a written application for a certificate of occupancy must be submitted directly to the Director. Notably, accessory dwelling units that do not require a building permit are exempt from any application fee for the certificate of occupancy.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 15.36.020, operators who are already pulling a building permit do not need to file a separate certificate of occupancy application, since the permit application covers both. When work on a property — including an accessory dwelling unit — does not trigger a building permit requirement, a compliant operator submits a written certificate of occupancy application directly to the Director. Landlords developing accessory dwelling units in that no-permit scenario generally take note that no fee is assessed for that specific application.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 15.36.020 establishes that a certificate of occupancy is a required step before a unit can be lawfully occupied, and it outlines how that certificate is obtained in Winnetka. Tenants in accessory dwelling units may find it relevant that the law waives the application fee for certificates of occupancy in cases where no building permit was required, which can affect whether a unit has been properly certified. Those with questions about whether a unit holds a valid certificate of occupancy may consider contacting the Director's office directly or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
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.
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