Building permit services: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What building permit services is

A building permit service prepares drawings and applications for a local building department, tracks review comments, coordinates revisions and schedules inspections so approved work can go ahead. Homeowners and builders use these services when the paperwork is slow, the requirements are unclear or the project needs several rounds of review before work can start.

Signs you need it

  • Your project needs a building permit, and you have no idea which forms, drawings or fees the local office requires
  • Your permit application came back with review comments that you do not understand or cannot answer
  • You need revised drawings submitted after a plan review, and the schedule for the project depends on the next approval
  • You are coordinating several inspections, and the work cannot be covered until each one passes
  • You are building in a jurisdiction you have not worked in before and need the local rules explained in advance

What the pro does

  • The service reviews the project scope and tells you which permits, drawings and forms the local office needs
  • They prepare the application package, including site plans, floor plans, elevations and any required calculations or stamped sheets
  • They submit the package and track it through the review, noting the status and the deadlines
  • They respond to plan review comments in writing, with revised sheets and a short explanation of each change
  • They schedule the required inspections and make sure each stage is ready before the inspector arrives
  • They close out the permit with the final inspection and the certificate or record the office issues

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number of permits needed, such as building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and grading permits
  • Complexity of the drawings and whether an engineer's stamped sheets must be added to the package
  • Number of plan review rounds and the number of comments that must be answered
  • How many inspections the project requires and how many visits the service must make
  • Whether the service must prepare drawings or only manage the submittal of drawings you provide
  • Site conditions that affect the review, such as setbacks, floodplain or environmental requirements
  • Rush review or expedited processing, where the local office offers it

What a written quote should spell out

  • List of permits the project requires, with the office that issues each one
  • Drawings and forms the service prepares, and any the homeowner or designer must supply
  • Number of submittals and the response to each review round included
  • Inspection scheduling and the number of inspection visits covered
  • Who pays the permit fees and who submits any fee payments
  • Final inspection and the closeout documents delivered at the end of the job

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which permits does this project need, and which office issues each one?
  • Who prepares the drawings, and do you have a licensed professional to stamp any engineered sheets?
  • How many review rounds do you expect, and how are extra rounds handled?
  • How do you track review comments, and how fast can you respond to them?
  • Who schedules the inspections, and what happens if an inspection fails?
  • Do you handle the fees, or do I pay them directly to the office?
  • What documents will I receive when the permit is closed out?

Red flags

  • They promise to get a permit approved faster than the local office's review process allows
  • They will not say which permits the project needs before they quote the work
  • They offer to submit drawings they have not reviewed or cannot stamp where a stamp is required
  • They will not explain how review comments are answered or who is responsible for them

What you can do yourself

You can call the local building department to ask what permits and forms the project needs, collect your site plan and existing drawings, and keep a log of submittals and comments. Do not submit engineered drawings you did not prepare or have stamped, and do not book an inspection for trade work before the licensed trade has finished it.

Licenses and permits

Permit services are often done by licensed designers, architects, engineers or contractors, depending on what the drawings and the work require. Some submittals must be stamped by a licensed professional. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department for who may prepare and submit the documents for your project.

Building permit services questions

Do I need a permit service, or can I apply myself?

You can apply yourself for many simple permits, and the local office can explain the requirements. A permit service helps when the drawings are complex, when review comments pile up, or when the schedule depends on quick responses.

How long does a permit review take?

It depends on the local office, the project's complexity and how many review rounds are needed. Ask the office for its current review times and ask the service how they plan the submittals against them.

What happens if an inspection fails?

The inspector notes the corrections needed, and the work must be fixed before the inspection is reinspected. Ask the service how they schedule the reinspection and whether they track the corrections in writing.

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