How do I apply for a building permit?
Contact your local building department, submit an application with project plans and specifications, pay the required fees, and wait for plan review and approval.
What to do first
Contact your local building department, submit an application with project plans and specifications, pay the required fees, and wait for plan review and approval.
Printable checklist
- Identify the issuing authority and the exact permit or review names.
- Write a plain-language scope of work before filling out forms.
- Prepare a site plan and construction drawings at the level the authority requires.
- Collect contractor, owner, valuation, product, and engineering information as applicable.
- Submit the complete packet and keep the confirmation or permit number.
- Track corrections by item and submit a clean response set.
- Keep approved plans on site and schedule each required inspection.
How this works in practice
The general process for applying for a building permit follows these steps
- Determine your local authority: Contact your city or county building department to understand their specific requirements and process.
- Prepare your documents: Most applications require site plans, construction drawings, engineering calculations (for structural work), and a description of the proposed work. Some jurisdictions accept hand-drawn plans for simple projects, while others require stamped architectural or engineering drawings.
- Submit your application: Many jurisdictions now offer online application portals, though some still require in-person submission. Include all required documents and pay the application fee.
- Plan review: Your application will be reviewed by one or more departments (building, fire, zoning, health) depending on the project scope. This review can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
- Address corrections: If the reviewer identifies issues, you may receive a correction notice. Address all items and resubmit for further review.
- Receive your permit: Once approved, you will receive your building permit. Post it visibly at the job site as required by local law.
- Schedule inspections: As work progresses, schedule required inspections at key milestones (foundation, framing, electrical rough-in, final).
Tips for a smoother process
- Call the building department before submitting to ask about specific requirements
- Submit complete, legible plans to avoid delays
- Respond promptly to any correction notices
- Keep copies of all submitted documents
What an application can look like
These examples show how a project scope typically turns into an application packet. The issuing authority decides the exact forms, documents, and reviews for a property.
Home addition
A one-story conditioned addition connected to an existing house.
Construct a 14 ft × 20 ft one-story conditioned rear addition containing a family room; extend the existing foundation, framing, electrical, HVAC, and roofing systems; no new plumbing fixtures.
Typical application material
- Survey or site plan with the proposed footprint
- Architectural floor plans and elevations
- Foundation, framing, and structural details
- Energy, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC information as applicable
Likely review touchpoints
- Zoning and site constraints before plan review
- Building, energy, and trade-code review
- Foundation, rough-in, framing, insulation, and final inspections
EV charger / electrical work
A hard-wired Level 2 charger on a new dedicated circuit.
Install one 48A hard-wired Level 2 EVSE on a dedicated 60A, 240V branch circuit from the existing 200A service panel; route conductors through the attached garage and mount EVSE on the interior wall.
Typical application material
- Electrical permit application and equipment specifications
- Circuit size, conductor, breaker, and EVSE rating
- Panel schedule or load calculation when required
- Service-upgrade information if existing capacity is insufficient
Likely review touchpoints
- Electrical-code review
- Utility coordination if the service or meter must change
- Electrical inspection before final energization where required
New single-family home
A new dwelling on a vacant or redevelopment parcel.
Construct a new two-story single-family dwelling with attached garage on a vacant residential parcel, including foundation, utilities, grading, structural, energy, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work.
Typical application material
- Survey, site plan, grading/drainage information, and utility plan
- Complete architectural and structural drawings
- Energy-code documentation and equipment schedules
- Trade plans, contractor credentials, and other jurisdiction-specific forms
Likely review touchpoints
- Land-use, zoning, and site review
- Full building and trade plan review
- Multiple construction inspections and occupancy closeout
Active City of Chicago permits currently in the GovCodex Illinois permit corpus.
Loaded permits with a recorded work description.
Loaded permits with latitude and longitude.
Loaded records run from Jan. 3, 2006 through July 24, 2026.
Snapshot checked September 28, 2026. GovCodex Illinois permit data currently reflects 842,269 active City of Chicago permit records loaded from the City of Chicago dataset, with issue dates from January 3, 2006 through July 24, 2026. Historical counts, elapsed time, and recorded fees describe observed permits only. They do not determine whether a permit is required, predict approval, or replace the issuing authority’s current rules and fee schedule.
What else to know
Build the application around the scope
A strong application makes the proposed work easy to understand. The form, plans, specifications, calculations, and contractor information should all describe the same project. Inconsistencies between documents are a common source of correction comments.
Make resubmittals easy to review
When a reviewer asks for changes, answer every comment in the same order, identify the sheet or document that changed, and upload a clean coordinated set. Keep prior versions for your own records, but make the current version obvious to the reviewer.
- Use a response letter or correction table when the portal allows it.
- Cloud each drawing revision when the authority expects revision marks.
- Do not quietly change unrelated scope during a correction cycle.
Check the actual project against the actual property.
Start with the address and scope. GovCodex will identify the relevant authority, requirements, and permit path for the project.
GovCodex
How do I apply for a building permit?
Contact your local building department, submit an application with project plans and specifications, pay the required fees, and wait for plan review and approval.
Application workflow
- Identify the issuing authority and the exact permit or review names.
- Write a plain-language scope of work before filling out forms.
- Prepare a site plan and construction drawings at the level the authority requires.
- Collect contractor, owner, valuation, product, and engineering information as applicable.
- Submit the complete packet and keep the confirmation or permit number.
- Track corrections by item and submit a clean response set.
- Keep approved plans on site and schedule each required inspection.
Requirements vary by property and jurisdiction. Verify the current issuing authority, permit path, fee schedule, and inspection requirements before starting work.
govcodex.com/answers/how-to-apply-for-building-permit