NextPermit

The first thing the building department does is check whether your application is complete — not whether it is approved, just whether all the required pieces are there. This can happen the same day or within a few business days depending on the jurisdiction. If something is missing — a signature, a required form, the fee — you will typically receive a notice asking you to provide what is missing before the review clock even starts. An incomplete application does not just delay your project. In many jurisdictions, it resets your position in the review queue entirely.

Once your application is accepted as complete, it gets routed — typically to multiple departments simultaneously. Depending on your project, this can include the Building and Safety division, the Planning or Zoning division, Engineering, Fire, and sometimes Public Works. Each department reviews your plans for compliance with their specific set of requirements. Building checks code compliance. Planning checks zoning. Fire checks life safety requirements. Engineering checks drainage, parking, and infrastructure. They may all run concurrently, or the process may be sequential depending on your jurisdiction.

This is where most of the time goes. Plan reviewers check your drawings, specifications, and supporting documents against local building codes and ordinances. Review timelines vary widely — from a few business days for simple residential projects to several weeks for complex commercial work. Some jurisdictions process straightforward permits at the counter on the same day. Others have backlogs that push timelines to 8 to 12 weeks or longer. Jurisdictions that are understaffed, experiencing high construction volume, or dealing with post-disaster rebuilding often have longer timelines.

At the end of plan review, one of two things happens. Either your plans are approved and your permit moves toward issuance — or the reviewer sends back a correction letter, also called plan check comments or redlines, listing everything that needs to be addressed before approval can be granted. Corrections are extremely common and do not mean your project was rejected. They mean the reviewer found items that need to be clarified, revised, or documented differently. In many jurisdictions, first-time submissions receive corrections more often than straight approvals.

If you receive a correction letter, your job is to address every comment — not most of them, all of them — and resubmit. Speed matters here. The faster you respond, the faster the review restarts. If you delay, your resubmission goes back into the queue and the timeline extends further. Read the correction letter carefully. Some comments require revised drawings. Others require additional documentation or a specific form. Some can be resolved with a written response. If a comment is unclear, call the plan reviewer directly — most building departments have a contact on the correction letter and are willing to clarify before you resubmit incorrectly.

Once all corrections are resolved and all departments have signed off, the permit is ready for issuance. You will typically be notified to pay the final permit fees before the permit is issued. In some jurisdictions, fees are paid upfront. In others, the final fee is calculated based on the approved scope and collected at issuance. Once you pay and the permit is issued, you are authorized to begin construction. Keep the permit — or a copy — accessible at the job site. Most jurisdictions require it to be posted visibly during construction.

A permit is not just permission to build — it is a commitment to inspections at specific stages. Most projects require inspections at defined milestones before work can continue. For a structural addition, for example, you might need a foundation inspection before pouring concrete, a framing inspection before closing walls, and rough-in inspections for electrical and plumbing before covering them. Schedule inspections as soon as each phase is complete. Do not cover work that has not been inspected — uncovered work that should have been inspected is one of the most common and costly permit problems homeowners face.

The last inspection is the final — and it matters as much as any other step. Once the final inspection passes and all required approvals are in place, the building department issues a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance. This closes the permit. An open permit on your property — one that was issued but never closed — shows up in public records and can create serious complications when you sell. Do not consider the project done until the permit is officially closed, not just until construction is finished.