Every city runs its own permit portal, its own review queue, and its own definition of what “approved” means. Pick your city below for building department contacts, typical approval timelines, and a free permit status check.
Austin runs permits through the AB+C portal. Residential remodels clear fastest; new builds and commercial work carry the longest review queues in Central Texas.
Dallas Development Services handles permits for the city proper. New commercial construction carries the longest review window of any Texas metro we track.
Houston has no citywide zoning, but permits are still required for structural work. Verify whether your address falls under the city or unincorporated Harris County before applying.
San Antonio Development Services turns around residential repairs faster than most large Texas cities. Historic district projects add a design review step.
Columbus Building and Zoning Services covers Ohio's largest permit market. Residential additions typically clear in a few weeks; commercial work runs considerably longer.
Cleveland's Department of Building & Housing reviews everything from storm-driven roof replacements to full commercial builds, with some of Ohio's longest new-construction timelines.
Cincinnati Development Services posts the quickest residential turnaround of the three Ohio metros we track, with tenant improvements moving faster than regional averages.
Grand Rapids Building Safety and Services moves faster than Detroit across every project category, making it the quicker of Michigan's two major permit markets.
Detroit's BSEED handles a heavy mix of rehab and new construction. New commercial projects carry the longest review window of any city we monitor.
Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections is the busiest permit office in Pennsylvania, with new residential and commercial builds both running long.
Pittsburgh's Bureau of Building Inspection clears commercial build-outs faster than Philadelphia, with residential timelines broadly similar across the state.
We add cities based on contractor demand. Tell us where you pull permits and we'll prioritise that building department next.
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