Village of Downs

McLean County, Illinois

Last verified September 17, 2026

Village of Downs is a jurisdiction in McLean County, Illinois, which does not currently list an online permit database — contact the department directly by phone or email. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Contact

Phone: 309-378-3221
Email: info@villageofdowns.org
Department Site: Village of Downs Building Department (opens in a new tab)

Source: villageofdowns.org (opens in a new tab)

Permit Search

No online permit database on file — contact the department directly by phone or email.

Certificate Holder Mailing Address

Village of Downs
211 S. Seminary Street
Downs, IL 61736

Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Additional Notes

Downs is an incorporated village and handles its own building permits (McLean County's Building & Zoning department explicitly covers only unincorporated areas, per mcleancountyil.gov). The village site lists a 'Building' section at villageofdowns.org/building.htm, but that specific page returned a server error when checked directly during this research; phone and email were confirmed instead from the village's official homepage/contact information.

What You Need Before Applying for a Permit

Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — Village of Downs's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.

Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.

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