What Counts as a Bedroom in Illinois?

Is that extra room in your Glen Ellyn home truly a bedroom, or should you call it a den or office? If you are selling an older DuPage home, this question comes up a lot. You want to market your home accurately and safely while getting full value. In this guide, you will learn how bedrooms are defined in practice, what local code and appraisal norms expect, and simple fixes that can turn a “maybe” into a confident yes. Let’s dive in.

Bedroom basics in Illinois

Not every room with a bed is a bedroom. In Illinois, whether a room counts is usually decided by a mix of local building code, MLS listing rules, and appraiser and lender guidelines. In Glen Ellyn and DuPage County, the items that matter most are safe emergency egress, minimum room size and ceiling height, and basic habitability such as heat and finished surfaces.

A closet is a strong market expectation, but it is not a universal code requirement. If a room fails a key safety item, it is often listed as “possible bedroom,” “den,” or “non-conforming bedroom” rather than counted in the total.

Who decides in Glen Ellyn?

• Building officials enforce safety and habitability. If a room was created with permits and passed inspections, it is a legal bedroom. Older rooms can be legal but nonconforming to today’s code.
• MLS rules require accurate, non-misleading bedroom counts. Your listing agent should use qualifiers if a room is not certain to meet bedroom standards.
• Appraisers count bedrooms based on habitability, local norms, and lender guidance. If it lacks egress or is too small, they will likely exclude it from the bedroom count.

Code items that matter

Egress window or door

Bedrooms need an emergency escape and rescue opening. This is usually a window or an exterior door that opens to the outside. Typical standards include a net clear opening area of about 5.7 square feet for above-grade windows, minimum opening height of about 24 inches, minimum opening width of about 20 inches, and a windowsill no more than about 44 inches above the floor. Basement egress windows usually need a properly sized window well and a ladder if the well is deep. Many older DuPage homes have windows that do not meet these sizes.

Minimum size and height

A habitable room, including a bedroom, should be at least 70 square feet and at least 7 feet in any horizontal dimension. Standard ceiling height is generally about 7 feet for most of the room. Attic rooms with sloped ceilings can have limited lower-height areas, but there are minimums that must be met.

Light, ventilation, heat

Bedrooms typically need natural light and ventilation based on room size, unless approved mechanical systems are in place. The room should be served by the home’s permanent heating system. Space heaters are not considered a permanent heat source.

Alarms and electrical

Smoke alarms are required inside sleeping rooms, outside the sleeping area, and on each level of the home. Carbon monoxide alarms are required when the home has fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage. Bedrooms should have adequate electrical outlets and lighting.

Do you need a closet?

Building code does not universally require a closet for a room to be a bedroom, but buyers in suburban markets expect one. MLS fields and appraisers may not require it, yet adding a simple closet improves marketability and avoids confusion.

Older Glen Ellyn homes

Basements and attics

Basement and attic rooms are common in older Glen Ellyn homes. Many basements lack a code-compliant egress window, which is the most common reason a room cannot be counted as a bedroom. Attic rooms often have sloped ceilings that reduce the usable 7-foot-height area below the minimum.

Nonpermitted rooms

Some older rooms were finished without permits. That does not automatically make them unsafe, but it can make the bedroom classification uncertain. If you are selling, check permit history and update safety items like alarms and egress where needed.

Listing and appraisal reality

MLS best practices

Local MLS rules require accurate bedroom counts. If a room does not meet egress or minimum size, you should not list it as a bedroom without a qualifier. Phrases like “possible bedroom,” “den,” “office,” or “non-conforming bedroom” help buyers understand what they are getting.

How appraisers count

Appraisers look for egress, adequate size and ceiling height, heat, and finished surfaces. They also consider how similar homes are marketed in the neighborhood. If a room lacks egress or is too small, it is unlikely to be included in the appraised bedroom count, even if the seller called it a bedroom.

Quick fixes that help

• Install or enlarge an egress window. This is the single most effective upgrade to convert a basement or small upstairs room into a legal bedroom. Below grade, plan for a code-sized window well and ladder. Permits and inspections are typically required.
• Add an exterior door. Less common, but an exterior door that opens directly outside can meet egress needs with proper approvals.
• Build a simple closet. While not always required, a built-in closet or a well-fitted wardrobe increases buyer confidence.
• Improve heating and finishes. Ensure a permanent heat source, finished walls, flooring, and adequate lighting and outlets.
• Update smoke and CO alarms. Install or replace alarms inside bedrooms, just outside sleeping areas, and on each floor level.
• Gather documentation. If the room was permitted as a bedroom in the past, locate those permits and inspection records. If you made changes, talk with the village about permits to bring the space into compliance.

Seller checklist

• Confirm permit records with the Village of Glen Ellyn or DuPage County for any room conversions or finishing work.
• Measure window openings. Check clear opening size, width, height, and sill height compared with typical egress criteria.
• Verify room size. Confirm at least 70 square feet and 7 feet in any horizontal dimension. Measure ceiling height.
• Check habitability. Confirm permanent heat, finished surfaces, and adequate electrical outlets and lighting.
• Install or test alarms. Place smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in required locations and test them.
• Plan upgrades and permits. For egress windows or doors, get contractor estimates and obtain permits before marketing.

Buyer checklist

• Ask for permit history and any documentation showing the room was approved as a bedroom.
• During your tour, confirm a real escape path. Check that the window or door meets typical egress size and height expectations.
• Look at dimensions and ceiling height. Verify the room is at least 70 square feet and has 7-foot minimum dimensions.
• Check for heat and finishes. Look for a permanent heat source, safe electrical, and finished walls and floors.
• If the room is close, price the fix. Get contractor input on adding an egress window or a closet if needed.

When in doubt, communicate

If a room does not clearly meet all bedroom criteria, be transparent. Sellers should disclose known nonconformities and use accurate, non-misleading language in the listing. Buyers should request permits and ask inspectors to check egress, ceiling height, and alarms. A clean, well-documented room that meets safety and size requirements is easier to market and more likely to count with appraisers and lenders.

If you want clear guidance on whether a room in your Glen Ellyn home will count as a bedroom, or how to stage it for maximum appeal, connect with Nancy Winchester for a consult. You will get practical, design-minded advice and a plan to improve both safety and marketability.

FAQs

Is a closet required for a bedroom in Illinois?

• Building codes generally do not require a closet, but it is a strong market expectation and can improve buyer appeal and listing clarity.

Will an appraiser count a room without an egress window as a bedroom?

• Unlikely; appraisers typically require code-compliant egress to include a room in the bedroom count.

Can a basement room be a bedroom in Glen Ellyn?

• Yes, if it has a compliant egress window or door, meets minimum size and ceiling height, has heat, and includes required smoke and CO alarms.

Are older bedrooms grandfathered if the house predates current code?

• If the space was legally permitted when built, it may be considered legal, but unpermitted or altered rooms can be nonconforming and may not count today.

How much value does an extra bedroom add in Glen Ellyn?

• It depends on the home and market; a legal additional bedroom usually widens the buyer pool and can increase value, but the dollar impact varies by property and floor plan.