Pulling a permit is a process you run with your local building department: you confirm you need one, get your plans and scope together, apply under your own license, get through plan review, receive and post the permit, then call inspections at the required stages and close out with a final sign-off. None of the fees or timelines are national, so this guide gives you the sequence that holds everywhere and routes the numbers to your building department, which is the only place they are real. Do it in order, do not skip the inspections, and do not cover work before it is checked. Here is the process.
Before you start, one rule sits over the whole thing: whoever pulls the permit owns the code compliance. As the contractor doing the work, that should be you, under your own license, not the homeowner. Getting that wrong is covered in its own guide, but keep it front of mind from step one.
Step 1: Confirm you actually need a permit, and which codes apply
Before you touch an application, call the building department, describe the exact job, and ask two things: does this scope need a permit, and which code edition and amendments are in force here. Genuinely cosmetic, like-for-like work often does not need one; anything structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or that changes the building usually does. But "minor" is the AHJ's call, not yours. Get the answer for that specific jurisdiction from the Permit and Code Lookup tool and confirm it with the department, because the town next door may differ.
Step 2: Get your plans, scope, and documents together
The department reviews what you submit, so a clean submission moves faster. Depending on the job, expect to provide the property details, a clear scope of work, a site plan, and construction drawings for anything structural. Bigger or unusual jobs may need engineered drawings or calculations. Ask the department for their submittal checklist up front, because a missing document is the most common reason an application stalls before review even begins.
Step 3: Apply under your own license
Submit the application to the building department, in person or through their online portal, with your contractor license number and your business details on it. This is the step that puts the responsibility where it belongs, on you. Do not let a homeowner file an owner-builder permit for work you are performing; in many states that is a licensing-law violation, and it hands the legal responsibility to someone who cannot carry it. Pay the application fee, which is set locally, so get the current amount from the department.
Step 4: Get through plan review
Plan review is where the department checks your submission against the adopted code. Simple work may be approved over the counter the same day; anything structural or complex goes into a review queue that can take from days to weeks. If reviewers find issues, they send comments back and you revise and resubmit. Do not start work on the strength of a submitted-but-not-approved application. The permit is issued when review is passed, and the timeline is a jurisdiction number, so ask for their current turnaround before you promise a homeowner a start date.
Step 5: Receive the permit and post it on site
Once issued, the permit is your authorization to build. Post it where it is visible on the job, and keep the approved plans on site, because the inspector will expect both. The permit also lists the inspections your job requires and, in many cases, is valid only for a set period and can expire if work does not progress or inspections are not called. Note any expiration and keep the permit active.
Step 6: Do the work and call inspections at each required stage
Build to the approved plans, and stop at the inspection points the permit calls for. A typical job runs foundation, then framing, then the trade rough-ins, then insulation, then final, though the exact list is set by your AHJ and scope. The golden rule sits here: never cover work that has not been inspected. Closing a wall or backfilling a trench before the rough-in inspection means opening finished work back up at your own cost. Inspections usually need lead time to book, so schedule them ahead and have someone on site who can answer questions and fix minor items.
Step 7: Pass the final inspection and close the permit out
When the work is complete, call the final inspection. The inspector confirms the finished job matches the approved plans and that everything is installed and operational. Passing it closes the permit and, for bigger jobs, produces a certificate of occupancy. Do not leave a permit open, an unclosed permit resurfaces later, at resale or on the next project, as a problem you have to go back and resolve. Get the sign-off, keep the paperwork, and the job is genuinely finished.
Common questions
How much does a building permit cost?
There is no national permit fee. It is set by your local building department and usually scales with the type and value of the work, so a simple over-the-counter permit costs far less than one for a structural addition. Some departments charge separate fees for plan review and for each inspection. The only accurate number is the one your building department gives you for your specific scope, so ask them before you bid the job, and build the fee into your price.
Can I start work while my permit is still pending?
No. You start work when the permit is issued, not when the application is submitted. Building on a pending application risks a stop-work order, and if plan review comes back with changes you may have already built the wrong thing. The one exception is where a department issues a limited early-start or over-the-counter approval, and that is their call to make in writing, not something to assume. Wait for the issued permit.
Do I need separate permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical?
Often yes. Many jurisdictions issue separate trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work, and in many states those have to be pulled by a licensed pro in that trade. So a single remodel can carry a building permit plus one or more trade permits, each with its own inspections. Ask your building department which permits your scope needs and who is allowed to pull each one, because pulling the wrong way, or letting an unlicensed person pull a trade permit, causes problems down the line.
What happens if my permit expires before the job is done?
Most permits are valid for a limited period and can expire if work stalls or inspections are not called for a while, and a lapsed permit usually has to be renewed or reinstated, sometimes for an added fee, before you can continue. Let it lapse badly and you can end up re-permitting from scratch. Keep the job moving, call inspections on schedule, and if a project is going to pause, ask the department how to keep the permit alive.
The honest bit
- Every fee, timeline, expiration period, and required-inspection list in the permit process is set by your local building department and varies widely. This guide gives you the sequence, not the numbers. Get the numbers from your building department and the Permit and Code Lookup tool.
- Who is allowed to pull which permit, and whether your trade requires a licensed pro to pull, is a state and local rule. Confirm it in Working in Your State before you apply.
- This is general guidance on the process, not legal or code advice. The AHJ runs the permit and has the final say on your job.
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