Building permit
Also called permit, construction permit
Written permission from a local government to carry out construction work, granted after the department reviews your plans and confirms the work meets code.
A building permit is written permission from the local government that has authority over your property to carry out a specific scope of construction work at a specific address. It is issued after the building department reviews what you intend to build and concludes that the design meets the adopted building code and local rules.
The permit is not the end of the process. It is the point at which construction may legally begin, and it carries obligations: the permit card is posted at the job site, the approved plans stay available for inspectors, and the work must pass a series of inspections before the permit can be closed.
Who issues permits
In the United States there is no national permitting system. Authority is delegated by each state to local governments, so the office that issues your permit is a city, town, village, or county building department. Which one depends entirely on where the property sits, and properties in unincorporated areas are normally permitted by the county.
What a permit covers
A permit covers a defined scope of work. If the scope changes after issuance, the change goes back to the department as a revision rather than proceeding under the original approval. Separate trades frequently require their own sub-permits under a main permit, most often electrical, plumbing, and mechanical.
What it does not do
A permit is not a warranty that the work is well built, and passing inspection is not the same as a contractor doing a good job. It confirms the work met the code requirements the inspector checked, at the moments the inspector looked.
Common questions
- Do I need a building permit for a small project?
- It depends on the jurisdiction and the work. Structural changes, additions, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and window or door replacement almost always need a permit. Painting, flooring, cabinet swaps, and like-for-like fixture replacement usually do not. Every building department publishes its own list of exempt work, and the safest answer comes from that list rather than from a general rule.
- What happens if I build without a permit?
- Common consequences are a stop-work order, a penalty fee that is often double the original permit fee, and a requirement to open up finished work so it can be inspected after the fact. Unpermitted work also surfaces during a property sale, where it can delay or kill a closing until it is permitted retroactively.
Related terms
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Rules vary by jurisdiction
This definition is general. How building permit is handled in practice is set by the building department that permits your property. Find yours in our free directory.
Last reviewed September 4, 2026