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Residential district

Chicago RM5.5 Zoning: Residential Multi-Unit 5.5

Mid-density multi-unit residential district with 1,650 SF minimum lot area, 400 SF lot area per dwelling unit, 2.50 FAR, and up to 60-foot maximum height (5 stories on larger lots).

48 ac

mapped in this district

0.0%

of Chicago's districted land

10

governing sections

67

shared rules that apply

Where RM5.5's rules live

The district's own sections in Chicago Municipal Code, Title 17 (Chicago Zoning Ordinance):

  • §17-2-0104-C
  • §17-2-0207
  • §17-2-0301
  • §17-2-0303
  • §17-2-0304
  • §17-2-0305
  • §17-2-0306
  • §17-2-0308
  • §17-2-0309
  • §17-2-0311

Shared rules that apply in RM5.5

Off-street parking and loading (full chapter) §17-1025 of 25 districts
Transit-served location parking exemptions/reductions §17-10-0102-B25 of 25 districts
Off-street parking schedule 1: neighborhood districts §17-10-020725 of 25 districts
Parking group A ratios §17-10-0207-A25 of 25 districts
Parking group B ratios §17-10-0207-B25 of 25 districts
Parking group C ratios §17-10-0207-C25 of 25 districts
Parking group D ratios (downtown) §17-10-0207-D25 of 25 districts
Parking group E ratios §17-10-0207-E25 of 25 districts
Parking group F ratios §17-10-0207-F25 of 25 districts
Parking group G ratios §17-10-0207-G25 of 25 districts
Parking group H ratios §17-10-0207-H25 of 25 districts
Parking group I ratios §17-10-0207-I25 of 25 districts
Parking group J ratios §17-10-0207-J25 of 25 districts
Parking group N ratios §17-10-0207-N25 of 25 districts
Parking group Q ratios §17-10-0207-Q25 of 25 districts
Parking group S ratios §17-10-0207-S25 of 25 districts
Parking group T ratios §17-10-0207-T25 of 25 districts
Parking group U ratios §17-10-0207-U25 of 25 districts
Off-street parking schedule 2: downtown districts §17-10-020825 of 25 districts
General building setback standards §17-13-030225 of 25 districts
Artist live/work space definition and standards §17-17-021225 of 25 districts
Lot area measurement rules §17-17-030225 of 25 districts
Lot frontage measurement rules §17-17-030325 of 25 districts
Lot area per unit measurement rules §17-17-030425 of 25 districts
Floor area ratio measurement rules §17-17-030525 of 25 districts
Front setback measurement rules §17-17-030625 of 25 districts
Rear setback measurement rules §17-17-030725 of 25 districts
Side setback measurement rules §17-17-030825 of 25 districts
Features allowed in required setbacks §17-17-030925 of 25 districts
Building wall separation measurement rules §17-17-031025 of 25 districts
Building height measurement rules §17-17-031125 of 25 districts
Adult use location restrictions §17-9-010125 of 25 districts
Bed and breakfast standards §17-9-010325 of 25 districts
Community home standards §17-9-010425 of 25 districts
Container storage standards §17-9-010525 of 25 districts
Foreign consulate standards §17-9-010825 of 25 districts
Lodge and private club standards §17-9-011125 of 25 districts
Philanthropic institution standards §17-9-011325 of 25 districts
Residential support services standards §17-9-011425 of 25 districts
Shelter facility standards §17-9-011525 of 25 districts
Strip center site plan review and standards §17-9-011625 of 25 districts
Waste-related, recycling, intensive manufacturing use standards §17-9-011725 of 25 districts
Coke and coal bulk material use standards §17-9-0117-B25 of 25 districts
Manganese-bearing material operation standards §17-9-0117-D25 of 25 districts
Wireless communication facility standards §17-9-011825 of 25 districts
Cannabis business establishment standards §17-9-012925 of 25 districts
Conversion unit standards §17-9-013125 of 25 districts
Accessory uses, buildings and structures §17-9-020025 of 25 districts
Coach house standards §17-9-0201-F25 of 25 districts
Residential front setback requirements §17-2-030511 of 25 districts
Residential accessory uses and structures §17-2-050011 of 25 districts
Residential coach house standards §17-2-0500-H11 of 25 districts
Residential conversion unit standards §17-2-0500-I11 of 25 districts
Residential shared housing unit standards §17-2-0500-J11 of 25 districts
Residential minimum lot area table §17-2-0301-A10 of 25 districts
Residential minimum lot frontage table §17-2-0301-B10 of 25 districts
Residential contextual lot frontage standard §17-2-0302-B10 of 25 districts
Residential lot area per unit table §17-2-0303-A10 of 25 districts
Residential two-flat/multi-unit density standards §17-2-0303-B10 of 25 districts
Residential Type A unit density exemption §17-2-0303-C10 of 25 districts
Residential FAR table §17-2-0304-A10 of 25 districts
Residential FAR bonuses §17-2-0304-B10 of 25 districts
Residential FAR contextual standard §17-2-0304-C10 of 25 districts
Residential side setback requirements §17-2-0309-B10 of 25 districts
Residential building height table §17-2-0311-A10 of 25 districts
Residential building height contextual standard §17-2-0311-B10 of 25 districts
Residential rear yard open space §17-2-0313-B10 of 25 districts

Other residential districts in Chicago

RM4.5 Residential Multi-Unit 4.5RM5 Residential Multi-Unit 5RM6 Residential Multi-Unit 6RM6.5 Residential Multi-Unit 6.5RS1 Residential Single-Unit (Detached House) 1RS2 Residential Single-Unit (Detached House) 2RS3 Residential Single-Unit (Detached House) 3RT3.5 Residential Two-Flat, Townhouse and Multi-Unit 3.5RT4 Residential Two-Flat, Townhouse and Multi-Unit 4

Is your parcel in RM5.5? Check an address and ask what you can build, with the section behind each answer.

Check an address

Sources: Chicago Municipal Code, Title 17 (Chicago Zoning Ordinance); City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development “Zoning Boundaries” layer, last edited Feb 11, 2026. Research only, not legal advice. Back to Chicago zoning.