How to Get a Building Permit: A Straightforward Guide

Most projects don't fail at construction. They fail before a permit is ever approved.

I've spent over two decades working in permitting, first from inside city hall and later as a consultant helping developers, business owners, and contractors navigate the process from the outside. What I've seen consistently is this: the people who hit delays aren't usually dealing with a difficult jurisdiction. They're dealing with the consequences of a submission that wasn't ready, a sequence that was out of order, or a requirement they didn't know existed until it was already holding them up.

This guide won't shorten review timelines. But it will prevent the mistakes that make them longer.

What a Building Permit Actually Is

A building permit is official authorization from your local government to begin construction, renovation, or a change of use on a property. It exists for two reasons: to make sure the work is done safely, and to create a record that it was done to code.

That record matters more than people realize. Unpermitted work shows up in title searches, complicates sales, creates insurance problems, and can require you to tear out finished work for inspection later. Doing it right the first time is almost always cheaper than the alternative.

When You Need One

The short answer is: more often than you think.

Most jurisdictions require a permit for new construction of any kind, additions, structural changes, electrical work beyond minor repairs, plumbing modifications, HVAC installation or replacement, and change of use. Some also require permits for demolition, grading, and signage.

What often doesn't require a permit: cosmetic work like painting, flooring, and cabinet replacement, minor repairs that don't affect structural or safety systems, and certain small accessory structures, though size thresholds vary by jurisdiction.

If you're unsure, ask before you start. A quick call to the building department costs nothing. Starting work without a permit when one was required can cost significantly more to resolve than the permit itself would have.

Who Issues Building Permits

Permits are issued by the authority having jurisdiction, which is typically your city or county building department. In incorporated areas, that's usually a city department. In unincorporated rural areas, it may be the county, or in some cases the state, depending on what local authority is in place.

This matters because requirements, timelines, and processes vary. A permit in one municipality may take a week. The same scope of work in the next county over might take a month and require additional agency approvals. Know who your jurisdiction is before you start planning.

The Process, Step by Step

First: Determine what you need. Before you apply, you need to know what type of permit is required for your project. Building permits cover the overall structure. Separate permits are often required for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Some projects need all of them. Check with your jurisdiction early so you're not surprised mid-project when a sub-contractor's work triggers a separate permit requirement.

Second: Prepare your documents. This is where most people underestimate the front-end work. Most jurisdictions require a completed application, a site plan showing the property and where the work is located, construction drawings or plans, and sometimes a plot survey. Commercial projects and anything involving structural changes typically require engineered drawings stamped by a licensed professional. Submitting incomplete documents is one of the most common reasons for delays. Get it right before it goes in.

Third: Submit your application. Some jurisdictions have online portals. Others still require in-person submission. Some allow you to submit digitally but require original signatures on certain forms. Know the requirements before you show up or hit send. Keep copies of everything you submit, including confirmation of submission and any tracking or application numbers.

Fourth: Wait for plan review. Once submitted, your plans go to plan reviewers who check them for code compliance. Timelines here vary widely. A small residential project in a well-staffed department might get reviewed in a few days. A commercial project in a busy jurisdiction might take several weeks. Ask about current review timelines when you submit so you can plan accordingly.

Fifth: Respond to any comments. If reviewers have questions or find issues with your plans, they'll issue comments that require a response before the permit can be approved. This is normal, especially on more complex projects. Respond thoroughly and quickly. Each round of comments adds time. If something is unclear, call the reviewer directly rather than guessing.

Sixth: Pay fees and receive the permit. Once plans are approved, you'll pay the permit fees and receive your permit. Fees are calculated differently depending on the jurisdiction, typically based on project valuation or square footage. Keep the permit on site during construction. Most jurisdictions require it to be posted visibly.

Seventh: Schedule inspections as work progresses. A building permit doesn't end at issuance. Inspections are required at specific stages of construction, and work generally cannot proceed past a certain point until the prior inspection is approved. Framing inspections happen before walls are closed. Rough electrical and plumbing are inspected before they're covered. Know what inspections are required and when, and schedule them so your project doesn't sit idle waiting for an inspector.

Eighth: Get final approval and close the permit. Once all inspections are passed and the work is complete, the permit is closed. For projects that also require a Certificate of Occupancy, closing the permit is part of that process. Don't let permits sit open. Open permits can complicate future sales and financing, and in some jurisdictions they trigger follow-up from the building department.

What Causes Delays

Most delays aren't caused by the jurisdiction. They're caused by incomplete or misaligned submissions that send applications back before they ever reach plan review.

Incomplete applications. Missing drawings, unsigned forms, absent supporting documents. Any one of these will stop your application before a reviewer even opens the file. This is the most common reason projects sit in limbo during what should be a straightforward approval stage. Check every requirement against a written list before you submit.

Underestimating plan review time. Jurisdictions don't publish guarantees. High construction volume, staff vacancies, and project complexity all affect how long review takes. A project that should take two weeks can take six. Build real buffer into your schedule, not optimistic buffer.

Plan revisions after submission. If your design changes after you submit, amended plans have to go back through review. That resets the clock. Get your design finalized before anything goes in.

Contractor licensing issues. Some jurisdictions require contractors to be licensed and registered locally before they can pull permits. If your contractor isn't compliant, the permit process stops until they are. Verify this before you commit to a project timeline.

Multiple agency involvement. Projects near waterways, in flood zones, on state highways, or involving certain utility connections may require approvals from agencies beyond the building department. Those agencies run on their own timelines, and none of them are waiting on your schedule.

What Most People Overlook

Permit records are public. Anyone can look up whether a permit was pulled for work on a property. This matters when you're buying, selling, or refinancing, and it matters more than most people expect. Unpermitted work that seemed minor years ago has a way of surfacing at the worst possible time.

Permits expire. Most jurisdictions require work to begin within a certain period after issuance and require inspections at regular intervals to keep the permit active. If a project stalls, the permit can lapse and you may have to start the application over. That's a preventable loss of time and money.

Open permits from prior owners are also a common problem. If work was started on a property and the permit was never closed out, that becomes your problem when you buy it. Always check permit status before closing on a commercial property.

The Bottom Line

Permits don't slow projects down. Poor preparation does.

The jurisdictions reviewing your application are doing exactly what they're supposed to do. The applicants who move through the process fastest are the ones who submitted complete documents, understood the sequence before they started, and didn't try to shortcut steps that exist for a reason.

If your project is stalled or you're trying to avoid delays before submission, Landmark Solutions handles the permitting strategy and coordination so projects don't sit in review or cycle through corrections