Water Certifications

- Non-metered / Condo Accounts 
- Metered Accounts
- Release of Lien
- Bill Reductions/Judicial Sales Deeds 

Zoning Certifications

Building Registration

Business License Renewal

Certificates of Occupancy

Duplicate Tax Bills

Estimates Of Redemption

Freedom of Information Requests

Court Filings

Transfer Stamps

I. Water Certifications

Please note: The Department of Water charges $50 for all water certifications plus the cost of any outstanding bill.

A. Non-metered / Condo Accounts - Time Period: 24 Hours

These accounts are billed to the property every six months and generally can be obtained the same day they are brought to the water department. However, some properties need to be processed through the City of Chicago’s field review department. Those properties include:

·         Corner parcels

·         New constructions

·         Properties that have multiple PIN numbers

These accounts tend to take an extra ten days to be completed.

Condominiums, townhomes and co-ops need a paid letter of assessment, (notarized if hand written), and can generally be obtained the same day they are brought down to the water department. For properties with no association or if each unit is individually billed, a final bill must be obtained. These particular cases take 10-15 days to be completed.

B. Metered Accounts

The Department of Water requires a final meter reading if the meter has not been read in the last 60 period. Metered accounts take anywhere from 10-15 days to complete. To avoid any delays the access information must be filled out with current active phone numbers so that the Department of Water can make contact with someone who can give the Department of Water access to the meter. In the cases of New Construction, Commercial, Industrial, and Vacant properties and any property that is used for both commercial and residential purposes the Department of Water requires a legal description.

C. Release of Lien

For the release of a lien, the Department of Water requires that the water bill be paid and a water certification completed. The whole process of releasing a lien takes approximately 10 days.

D. Bill Reductions or Judicial Sales Deeds

Before the Department of Water adjusts any water bill, property sale transfers such as VA, HUD, Tax Deeds, Sheriff Deeds, etc., require a certified copy of the deed. If a certified copy of a deed is required, Legal Runners, Inc. will obtain the copy from the Cook County Recorder’s Office for an extra $25.

II. Zoning Certifications

The City of Chicago charges $90 for 1-5 unit zoning certifications. In order to acquire a zoning certification, please provide Legal Runners, Inc with the following information:

·         Address of Premise

·         PIN Number

·         Number of Dwelling Units

·         Front/Rear Building distinction

·         Owner/Seller Information (Name & Full Address)

·         Contact Person (Name, Phone, & Fax)

Single Family (1 dwelling unit) buildings can be certified on the same day, while buildings with multiple dwelling units require six business days to complete. In addition, any building with 4 or 5 dwelling units must be registered every year.

Please take note:

In some cases, the Zoning Department will deny a request for a zoning certification due to a discrepancy in the number of dwelling units for the requested property. In these cases, Legal Runners, Inc. will contact you with information on how to proceed. If another zoning certification is needed with the adjusted number of dwelling units, the City of Chicago will charge an additional $90.

III. Building Registration

The City of Chicago Requires that buildings with four or more units must be registered every year. In order to complete this process, the complete address, P.I.N. number, number of dwelling units, and name and phone number of both the buyer and the seller must be included. Legal Runners, Inc. can register a building on the following business day after the request if all the information is provided.

IV. Business License Renewal

Your business license must be renewed annually (bi-annually for liquor licenses). Renewal periods are based on your business zip code. Approximately 30 days before the expiration date of your license certificate, you will be mailed a renewal package. If there have been changes to your business, such as change of location, change of business name, or change of officer/owner, you must indicate this information in writing. If you fail to receive a renewal packet, call the Department of Revenue at (312) 747-IRIS (4747).

V. Certificates of Occupancy

The provisions of Chapter 13-36-040 of the Chicago Building Code, and Article 11.6 of the Chicago Zoning Ordinance, require that a Certificate of Occupancy be obtained prior to occupying new buildings, or the additions or alterations to existing buildings.

There are 3 basic types of Occupancy Certificates:

1) “Full” Occupancy, which covers an entire building.

2) Advance or “Partial” Occupancy, which covers a specific, completed portion of a multiple dwelling building under construction.

3) “Temporary” Occupancy, which is generally reserved for special events or circumstances in buildings other than residential buildings.

Rules Regarding Certificates of Occupancy

In general, Occupancy Certificates are required for the following types of buildings:

--All new or remodeled multiple dwellings consisting of four or more dwelling units.

--Newly constructed non-residential buildings over 4,000 square feet.

--Alterations or repairs of non-residential buildings exceeding $400,000 in estimated cost.

--Work in existing buildings resulting in a change of occupancy, as “occupancies” are defined in Chapter 13-56 of the Chicago Municipal Code.

--Any work performed in a new or existing building of Institutional or Assembly use.

VI. Duplicate Tax Bills

The Cook County Treasurer will only provide duplicate tax bills to property owners. Legal Runners can only obtain a duplicate tax bill with a properly executed power of attorney.

VII. Estimates of Redemption

An estimate of redemption must be obtained if your taxes have been sold. In order to protect your controlling interest in the property you must pay the delinquent taxes plus any penalties, costs, or fees assessed. The Cook County Clerk’s Office charges $10 for each estimate of redemption. Please be specific as to which years you are requesting the redemption for. Legal Runners, Inc.’s fee for this service is $25

VIII. Freedom of Information Requests

For all FOI requests please include all of the following:

--Name, Mailing address, and phone number of the requestor.

--Description of the records being requested

IX. Court Filings

For all general filings, Legal Runners, Inc. recommends a 24-

Hour notice for filings. In the case of same day pickups, Legal Runners, Inc. will charge an expedited fee. Legal Runners, Inc. will advance any fee up to $50 and invoice the attorney after completion of the filing for reimbursement. Reminder: Attorney’s checks are required to complete all transactions over $100.

X. Transfer Stamps

Legal Runners, Inc. requires 24-hour notice before purchasing

a transfer stamp. Legal Runners, Inc. also requires an attorney’s check for the amount of each transfer stamp prior to completion of the request. After a request has been made for any transfer stamps, Legal Runners, Inc. will contact you with the necessary information because each municipality has different requirements. All municipalities have different procedures for purchasing transfer stamps.

*Billing Procedures

All bills are to be paid by the attorney/title company (not their

client) submitting the request for service. Legal Runners, Inc. will invoice the specific job, and bill the attorney/title company every two weeks. Payments are due by the date noted on the bi-monthly bill.