Naperville Updates Building Permit Process

The city council approved three new staff positions to enhance service and streamline building permit approvals.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People

Naperville Updates Building Permit Process

Live Poll

Do you trust online portals to provide better local government service than traditional face-to-face interaction?

Following customer feedback, Naperville officials implemented changes to the building permit process, including the addition of three new in-house staff positions. The city council approved these hires on August 18, 2026, as part of an effort to improve permit management.

Why it matters

Residents reported significant difficulties navigating the digital Civic Access portal and expressed a preference for working directly with city employees. These changes aim to address those frustrations by restoring live support and increasing internal oversight.

Naperville added a code official, a building inspector, and an engineering manager to its staff. These positions supplement existing operations while the city works toward target review timelines of 21 days for initial submittals.

The players

Naperville City Council

The Naperville City Council is the governing body responsible for legislative decisions and budgetary approvals within the city.

TED Department

The Transportation, Engineering, and Development department oversees infrastructure planning and building code enforcement in Naperville.

The details

Naperville has restored live phone support during business hours and appointed a deputy director as the primary point of contact for inquiries. The city also plans to enhance the two-year-old Civic Access portal and strengthen staff training to improve the overall approval process.

August 18, 2026: The city council approved the three new staff positions.
Summer and fall 2026: The city held customer listening sessions to gather feedback.
October 2024: The city implemented the Civic Access portal.

Market Landscape

Naperville's recent staffing increase highlights a broader municipal trend of balancing digital-first efficiency with human-led customer support. This move positions the city to maintain better oversight while competing for developer investment against neighboring suburbs.

Residents and developers can now access live phone support for permit inquiries rather than relying solely on the online portal. Applicants will also receive direct communication from staff regarding inspection dates that cannot be scheduled through the digital interface.

The takeaway

Naperville is blending technology with human expertise to address permit processing hurdles identified by its customers. Residents should utilize the restored phone support for complex questions that are not easily managed through the online portal.