Recreational Vehicles 

Recreational vehicles & watercrafts that are less than 25 feet in length and 10 feet in height maybe allowed in a residential zoned area under the following conditions:

• The vehicle may not exceed 25 feet in length or 10 feet in height.

• The vehicle must be parked on a paved surface consisting of asphalt, concrete or brick pavers.

• The vehicle must not be parked in front of the home. Most side or rear yards are okay.  

• One per residential lot.

Permitted Recreational Vehicles: boats, camping trailers, jet skis, motor homes, mini-motor homes, pop-up campers, travel trailers, truck campers, snow mobiles & van campers.

Recreational vehicles and watercraft exceeding 25 feet in length or 10 feet in height, exclusive of bumpers, spare tires, hitching equipment, antennae or ventilation equipment, shall not be considered permitted accessory uses and may not be stored in a residential zoning district out of doors. This shall not prohibit loading, off-loading or incidental maintenance not exceeding 72 consecutive hours in duration. Parking in yards. No motor vehicle shall be parked on any yard except upon a driveway or parking space designed and constructed according to the standards of the City.

Commercial Vehicles

The outdoor storage of commercial vehicles, including but not limited to:

• School buses

• Semi-trucks & trailers

• Commercial trucks

• or any wheeled apparatus having more than two axles or a gross weight in excess of 5,000 pounds.

Shall not be considered a permitted accessory use and is not a permitted use in a residential zoning district.

Portable Storage Containers 

The outdoor storage of moving containers (portable storage units, PODS, etc.) shall not be a permitted accessory use and may not be stored in a residential zoning district out of doors. This shall not prohibit normal loading and off-loading not exceeding 72 consecutive hours in duration as long as no more than two (2) separate occasions (maximum) are utilized within one (1) calendar year per residence.**

Phone: (815) 724-4050 Email: zoning@joliet.gov

Dogs

The maximum number of dogs per household is two.

• Dogs cannot be on any public street, sidewalk, alley or other public place unless the dog has a collar firmly attached around its neck with a license tag for the current year attached to the collar.

• Dogs are not permitted to run at large.

• It is a violation to permit a dog to bark, growl, howl, or whine in a loud manner disturbing the quiet, peace, and peaceful enjoyment of others.

Municipal Code For Dogs

Farm Animals

Generally, unless you live on a farm (as designated by the City of Joliet) you cannot own, harbor, or keep any farm animal (animals typically found on a farm, including but not limited to horses, asses, donkeys, mules, cattle, sheep, goats, fowl (which includes turkeys, geese, chickens and ducks) and bison, but does not include cats, dogs and other household pets).

Municipal Code for Animals

Zoning - Phone: (815) 724-4050 Email: zoning@joliet.gov

Joliet Township Animal Control - Phone: (815) 725-0333

In recent years, Joliet has experienced an influx of unattended collection boxes located primarily on commercial sites in the City. Collection boxes are not a permitted use and are not a recognized accessory structure in Joliet, yet the number of unattended boxes has grown.

Collection boxes have been located in designated parking spaces and placed in areas which blocked traffic visibility. Further, the proliferation of collection boxes creates an unsightly appearance in our commercial areas.

The Joliet City Council approved a new ordinance to address these concerns. With the adoption of the new, unattended collection box ordinance, Joliet joins a growing number of communities who are taking positive steps to regulate collection boxes.

Important features of the ordinance include the following:

• Maximum box size is 4 ft. x 5 ft. x 6.5 ft. tall

• Box must display box operator information

• Spacing requirements apply to box locations

• Box permit may not be transferred

• First year fee is $250.00; each following year, the fee is $50.00

• Box must be constructed of metal or resin material

• Box must be maintained and free of debris

The new collection box ordinance will help promote the attractive appearance of our commercial areas. The cooperation of collection box owners is appreciated. If you have questions or wish to obtain a permit application for an unattended collection box, please contact Zoning Enforcement Officer, Sonia Jaime-Ulloa at (815) 724-4128.

Collection Box Ordinance #17738 [PDF]

Collection Box Permit Application [PDF]

Phone: (815) 724-4050 Email: zoning@joliet.gov

Downloadable Joliet Zoning Map [PDF] - ***NOTICE: This map is only updated annually. 

Joliet Public Access Map

The Public Access Map Viewer helps members of the public determine zoning for properties located in the City. Properties can be searched by address.  For further zoning inquiries, call the Zoning line at 815-724-4055.

According to Section 47-5.3 (c) of the City of Joliet Zoning Ordinance, Home Occupations are allowed as a permitted accessory use as long as the following conditions are met:

(1) The home occupation is operated entirely within the principal dwelling and only by the person or persons maintaining a residence therein; and

(2) The home occupation does not have a separate entrance from outside the building; and

(3) The building is not altered in such a way that any portion thereof is no longer suitable for residential use; and

(4) The home occupation is limited to no more than twenty-five percent 25% of the total floor area on any one level; and

(5) The home occupation does not utilize equipment except that which is customarily found in residential dwellings; and

(6) There is no external evidence of the home occupation, (including, but not limited to, commercial vehicles and outdoor storage) except for one (1) non-animated, non-illuminated wall sign having an area of not more than one (1) square foot.

Example Home Occupations

Allowable
- Home office
- Small catering business

Allowable with approved Variation of Use
- Daycare (more than seven children)
- Barber/beauty salon

Not Allowed
- Construction/ landscaping businesses (with commercial vehicles, equipment & outside storage)
- Retail sales business
- Junk peddlers
- Restaurant/ outside food sales
- Automobile repair
- Medical office

If you have any questions about home occupations please contact the Zoning Department at (815) 724-4055.

*Note: The Planning Division does not issue business licenses. Please contact Business Services for business license information. 

Business Resources

Joliet Business Services Department
Joliet City Hall, City Clerk's Office
150 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, Il 60432
815-724-3905 

Small Business Administration
Joliet Junior College - Small Business Development
(815) 280-1400
Website

Assumed Business Name Certificate
Will County Clerk's Office - (815) 740-4660
Website

Kendall County Clerk's Office - (630) 553-4104
Website

IRS Starting a Business Kit
(Tax ID Forms) - (800) 356-6302
Website

Get a Tax ID#
Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Area
Springfield, Illinois
(217) 785-3707
(800) 732-8866
(Takes 4 to 6 weeks)

Business that are incorporated or a corporation should file with the Illinois Secretary of State at (217) 782-7880 or http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/services/business.html

Click on the links below for information on each permit type:

Decks 

Fences

Garages And Carports

Gazebos, Pergolas & Roofed Structures

Patios

Paving -  (driveways & sidewalks)

Roofing-Siding-Windows

Pools 

Sheds

Truck & trailer parking in the City of Joliet is not a permitted use unless it is accessory to an approved business or industrial use and is onsite (off-street) parking only. Unauthorized truck parking within existing commercial and industrial parking lots is also prohibited and is subject to towing at the owner’s expense.   

Residentially zoned property and vacant lots:

The City of Joliet does not allow truck parking on residentially-zoned lots.  Homeowners that own and operate a semi-tractor cab are not permitted to park them at their home or on vacant property near their home. 

R-B (restricted business), B-1 (neighborhood business) and B-2 (central business) zoned properties:

The City does not allow truck parking on R-B , B-1 and B-2 lots as a permitted use.

B-3 (general business), I-1 (light industrial) and I-2 (general Industrial) zoned properties:

Truck parking (carting, express & hauling) on commercially and industrially zoned lots require a Special Use Permit approved through the Zoning Board of Appeals and City Council (approximately a 2 month process). Staff support for this use would depend on the circumstances of the site and the surrounding area in question. The majority of available B-3 lots would likely not be appropriate in the City. If the Joliet City Council approves a site for truck parking, the truck parking lot would be required to be developed to the City’s Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations, which requires adherence to landscape and screening;  parking lot paving and curbing; parking lot lighting; and, on-site stormwater detention requirements. These details would need to be depicted on a site plan filed as part of the Special Use Permit application. 

A Traffic Impact Study (TIS) may be required when deemed appropriate by the City’s Public Works Department.  It should also be known that if approved for truck parking, a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) fee would be required as per approved Ordinance #18194.

Phone: (815) 724-4050 Email: zoning@joliet.gov

***We do not provide zoning information for Unincorporated Will County***

Please include the following with any Zoning request:

• Address of the property in question

• Permanent Identification Number (PIN) example: 30-07-01-101-001-0000

• Contact Information for you (i.e. name, address, phone, & email address)

• To request a Zoning Verification letter please submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request, please go to the FOIA Request page.

To request Zoning information for a particular property within the City limits of Joliet please contact the City of Joliet Planning Division by email: zoning@joliet.gov or by phone: 815-724-4055

Zoning Request Forms

The seller of any real property located within the corporate limits of the City of Joliet shall, in the real estate sales contract signed by the parties to the contract or by written addendum thereto, disclose (a) the zoning classification of the property, (b) the existence of any special use permit, conditional use permit, variation, variation of use, special exception, or restrictive covenant enforceable by the City of Joliet, and (c) the status of the property as either a permanent or amortized legal nonconforming use; provided, however, that this Section shall not apply to the sale of lots of record improved with detached single-family dwellings.

Zoning Disclosure Request [PDF]

Zoning Disclosure for Real Property Sales [PDF]

Residential Transfer and Disclosure Form [PDF] - New Construction

In order to obtain Zoning Information for certain subdivisions within the City of Joliet, please download our Subdivisions Zoning PDF. This file contains Zoning for all Subdivisions since 1985. (PLEASE NOTE: Zoning obtained in the Subdivisions Zoning file only applies to zoning within those subdivisions as listed. For specific zoning for properties outside these subdivisions please use the Joliet Zoning Map Viewer.  Each subdivision is listed in alphabetical order and the spreadsheet contains information on the following:

• Year of Preliminary Plat approval
• General Location
• Number of Single-Family Lots
• Number of Duplexes
• Number of Multi-Units
• Acres
• School District
• Developer's Name