Building Permit: When You Need One and How to Get It

What It Means

A building permit is permission from your local government to build, alter, repair or demolish part of a building. It's issued by the city or county building department, which then inspects the work to confirm it meets the local building code. Which projects need one is decided locally, so the same job can need a permit in one town and not the next.

Try It: Ask the Building Department These Questions

Tick each question once your building department has answered it. FEMA's advice is to start with your local building official.

Does this job need a permit here? Who applies, me or my contractor? Which drawings and papers do you need? Which inspections, and at what stage? Is the home in a floodplain, and does that change the rules? What does the permit cost and how long does review take?

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How It Sounds at Home

"Did they pull a permit for the deck?"
"The inspector signs off Friday, then we can close the walls."
"The buyers asked whether the addition had a permit."

The Breakdown

What the rule says. Permit rules come from your city or county, which adopts a building code and decides which work needs approval. FEMA lists roofs, walls, siding, plumbing, septic systems and heating and air conditioning among the parts of a building that may need a permit, and demolition can need one too.

Who it applies to. The property owner doing the work or hiring it out. On a hired job, settle in the written contract who applies for the permit.

Documents you may need. FEMA's checklist for getting a building permit lists drawings and other submittals, and notes that minor repairs, changes and remodels may not need all of them. Your building department says which apply to your job.

How it usually goes

Call or visit your local building official before starting, as FEMA advises.
Submit the application and any drawings.
Start work once the permit is issued.
Book the inspections the department requires.
Keep the final sign-off with your home records.

The official source. FEMA, "Proper Permits Needed Before Rebuilding", May 2, 2023, and your own city or county building department for the rules where you live.

Good to Know

FEMA explains that permits make sure work meets current codes, standards and floodplain rules, and that the permit leaves a permanent record of the work, which helps when you sell or buy flood insurance. After a disaster, contact your community's floodplain, building and permitting departments before repairs begin, since a damaged home in a floodplain can face extra steps. There's no single national rule, so ask your local building department, and check your contractor's license with your state or county, as the FTC advises.

FAQ

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Often, but it depends on where you live. FEMA lists roofs among the parts of a building that may need a permit, and your local building department makes the call.

Who gets the building permit, the homeowner or the contractor?

It depends on local rules and your agreement. Put who applies in the written contract, and confirm with the building department that it was issued before work starts.

Why does a building permit matter when I sell?

FEMA notes that a permit leaves a permanent record that the work complied with the requirements, which is useful when you sell or apply for flood insurance.

Do It in Buhata

Vault (Plus), Tasks

With Plus, save the permit, inspection sign-offs and plans in Vault, and add each required inspection as a Task with its date.

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Related Terms and Categories

Licensed contractor
A contractor who holds the license your state or local government requires for the kind of work being done, which you can check before you hire.
Home inspection
A professional look at a home's condition, usually before buying, that reports which systems and parts need repair or may need replacing soon.
Punch list
A list of the small unfinished or faulty items left at the end of a building or remodeling job that the contractor must fix before the work counts as done.
Storm shutters
Covers fixed over windows and glass doors before a storm so wind pressure and flying debris can't break the glass and let wind and rain inside.
Homeowners insurance claim
A request to your homeowners insurer to pay for damage or loss the policy covers, backed by photos, a list of what was lost and your receipts.
HOA fees
Regular dues a homeowners or condo association charges owners to run and maintain the community, paid on top of the mortgage, taxes and insurance.

Home maintenance and repairs

Sources

FEMA, "Proper Permits Needed Before Rebuilding" (May 2, 2023); FEMA, "Get Proper Permits Before Rebuilding" (April 25, 2023); FEMA, "Contact Local Officials Before Starting Repairs on Your Home or Business"; FEMA, "Checklist to Acquire a Building Permit"; Federal Trade Commission, "How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam"

Last updated September 30, 2026.

Building permit