Master permit and sub-permits
Also called master permit, sub-permit, trade permit, subpermit
The main building permit for a project, with separate trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work filed underneath it.
When it applies
In the permitting lifecycle, master permit and sub-permits applies during Submission, Permit issued, and Closeout. Documents commonly matter at more than one phase, and this one does.
- Setup: does not usually apply
- Preparation: does not usually apply
- Submission: applies at this phase
- Plan review: does not usually apply
- Permit issued: applies at this phase
- Inspections: does not usually apply
- Closeout: applies at this phase
Most projects are permitted as a master permit covering the overall building work, with separate sub-permits for each regulated trade underneath it. The trades are typically electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and gas.
Why it is structured this way
Each trade is licensed separately and inspected separately, and the licensed contractor who does that trade is the one who pulls and is responsible for its permit. Splitting them keeps responsibility with the license holder for each scope.
The practical consequence
Sub-permits are issued and closed individually. A project is not finished when the master permit's final inspection passes; it is finished when every sub-permit has also closed. An electrical sub-permit that was pulled and never closed will block the certificate of occupancy months later, usually after the subcontractor has moved on and become hard to reach.
Track sub-permits from the day they are pulled, and confirm each one has a passed final inspection before you release final payment to that trade. Recovering a signature or a return visit from a subcontractor who has been paid in full is the hard version of this problem.
Related terms
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Rules vary by jurisdiction
This definition is general. How master permit and sub-permits 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