§ PERMITS 50 states · 3,160 counties · 24,532 jurisdictions
Permits, by jurisdiction.
Every U.S. building permit authority — fees, timelines, submission contacts, and process — normalized into a structured page. Start with your state, narrow to your county, find your city. The chain ends at the office you actually have to call.
Most jurisdictions
1,549
Pennsylvania
Most counties
254
Texas
Densest
23 / county
New Hampshire
Avg per state
491
jurisdictions
§ 01 Directory
Pick your state.
Each state page lists every county and city with a permit authority. Filter by region or search by name; the row counts show how many jurisdictions are covered in each state.
50 / 50 shown
§
State
Counties
Jurisdictions
AL
Alabama
74 counties · 639 jurisdictions
74
639
→
AK
Alaska
19 counties · 43 jurisdictions
19
43
→
AZ
Arizona
15 counties · 111 jurisdictions
15
111
→
AR
Arkansas
78 counties · 596 jurisdictions
78
596
→
CA
California
58 counties · 537 jurisdictions
58
537
→
CO
Colorado
64 counties · 301 jurisdictions
64
301
→
CT
Connecticut
8 counties · 174 jurisdictions
8
174
→
DE
Delaware
3 counties · 15 jurisdictions
3
15
→
FL
Florida
67 counties · 478 jurisdictions
67
478
→
GA
Georgia
159 counties · 729 jurisdictions
159
729
→
HI
Hawaii
4 counties · 6 jurisdictions
4
6
→
ID
Idaho
44 counties · 261 jurisdictions
44
261
→
IL
Illinois
102 counties · 1,067 jurisdictions
102
1,067
→
IN
Indiana
99 counties · 724 jurisdictions
99
724
→
IA
Iowa
99 counties · 1,030 jurisdictions
99
1,030
→
KS
Kansas
105 counties · 752 jurisdictions
105
752
→
KY
Kentucky
120 counties · 516 jurisdictions
120
516
→
LA
Louisiana
66 counties · 360 jurisdictions
66
360
→
ME
Maine
16 counties · 362 jurisdictions
16
362
→
MD
Maryland
24 counties · 154 jurisdictions
24
154
→
MA
Massachusetts
14 counties · 100 jurisdictions
14
100
→
MI
Michigan
84 counties · 894 jurisdictions
84
894
→
MN
Minnesota
91 counties · 1,454 jurisdictions
91
1,454
→
MS
Mississippi
82 counties · 420 jurisdictions
82
420
→
MO
Missouri
115 counties · 1,088 jurisdictions
115
1,088
→
MT
Montana
56 counties · 233 jurisdictions
56
233
→
NE
Nebraska
93 counties · 447 jurisdictions
93
447
→
NV
Nevada
17 counties · 36 jurisdictions
17
36
→
NH
New Hampshire
10 counties · 234 jurisdictions
10
234
→
NJ
New Jersey
21 counties · 157 jurisdictions
21
157
→
NM
New Mexico
33 counties · 163 jurisdictions
33
163
→
NY
New York
62 counties · 1,364 jurisdictions
62
1,364
→
NC
North Carolina
100 counties · 643 jurisdictions
100
643
→
ND
North Dakota
53 counties · 386 jurisdictions
53
386
→
OH
Ohio
88 counties · 797 jurisdictions
88
797
→
OK
Oklahoma
79 counties · 655 jurisdictions
79
655
→
OR
Oregon
36 counties · 278 jurisdictions
36
278
→
PA
Pennsylvania
67 counties · 1,549 jurisdictions
67
1,549
→
RI
Rhode Island
5 counties · 20 jurisdictions
5
20
→
SC
South Carolina
46 counties · 251 jurisdictions
46
251
→
SD
South Dakota
66 counties · 323 jurisdictions
66
323
→
TN
Tennessee
95 counties · 395 jurisdictions
95
395
→
TX
Texas
254 counties · 1,477 jurisdictions
254
1,477
→
UT
Utah
29 counties · 239 jurisdictions
29
239
→
VT
Vermont
14 counties · 167 jurisdictions
14
167
→
VA
Virginia
134 counties · 254 jurisdictions
134
254
→
WA
Washington
39 counties · 234 jurisdictions
39
234
→
WV
West Virginia
55 counties · 295 jurisdictions
55
295
→
WI
Wisconsin
75 counties · 1,019 jurisdictions
75
1,019
→
WY
Wyoming
23 counties · 105 jurisdictions
23
105
→
No states match your filter.
§ 02 Process
The permit, in five steps.
Local procedure varies, but the underlying sequence is consistent across nearly every U.S. jurisdiction.
- 01Determine if a permit is requiredMost jurisdictions exempt minor work — finishes, like-for-like replacement, sheds under a threshold. The wiki entry on permit-exempt work covers what's typical.~5 min
- 02Prepare drawings & documentsPlans, site plan, structural calculations if required, energy compliance forms (Title 24 in CA, REScheck elsewhere), product cut-sheets.1–14 days
- 03Submit & pay plan-checkMost authorities now accept e-plan submissions. Plan-check fee is typically 65% of the permit fee, due at intake.same day
- 04Address corrections, pay permit, pullPlan-checker returns redlines; you revise and resubmit. Once approved, pay the balance and pull the permit card.2–8 weeks
- 05Build, inspect, finalizeSchedule inspections at each phase (foundation, framing, rough trades, insulation, final). Pass final to close the permit and clear the property record.project duration
§ 03 Common questions
Cross-jurisdiction basics.
For city-specific fees, timelines, or contacts, see the individual jurisdiction page.
01Do I need a permit for X?▸
Most jurisdictions follow the IRC R105.2 list of permit-exempt work — small accessory structures, prefabricated swimming pools, fences under 7′, like-for-like finishes. A handful of cities (San Francisco, Boston) have stricter local thresholds. Always confirm against the city page.
02Can I pull my own permit as a homeowner?▸
In most states, yes — for work on your own primary residence, a homeowner can act as the contractor (the "owner-builder" route). You assume liability. Most cities require an affidavit at intake. The route is generally not available for rental properties or speculative construction.
03What does a permit actually cost?▸
Most authorities calculate permit fees as a percentage of valuation (the cost of the work), typically 1–3%, with minimum fees of $120–$300 and additional charges for plan-check, sub-trade permits, and special inspections. Each city page lists its current fee schedule.
04What happens if I built without a permit?▸
Most jurisdictions allow retroactive permits. Expect 2–10× the normal fee and inspections that may require opening up walls. Unpermitted work surfaces during property sales (title-company disclosure) and can affect insurance claims.
05Why is my city not in Jaspector?▸
If your city is unincorporated, the county handles permits — try the parent county. If it's incorporated and missing, email hi@jaspector.com — we typically add a missing jurisdiction within 5 business days.
§ 04 Next