How Long Does a Building Permit Take?

You have a contractor ready, materials priced, and a start date in mind.

Then someone asks, "Is the permit in yet?" How long a building permit takes is one of the biggest unknowns in any home project, and it can range from same-day to several months.

This guide breaks the timeline into stages, explains what speeds it up or slows it down, and shows how to check your own city's current numbers. Rules and timelines are local, so confirm with your AHJ (authority having jurisdiction). See our disclaimer.

Quick answer

These are broad patterns, not promises. The only reliable number is the one your city publishes.

The four stages of a permit timeline

1. Intake: the city checks that your application is complete. San Diego describes this as the queue from upload to pre-screen completion.
2. Plan review: building, zoning, fire, engineering, and other reviewers check the plans. Each round of corrections restarts part of the clock.
3. Corrections and resubmittal: you answer review comments and resubmit. This is where most delays happen.
4. Issuance: fees are paid and the permit is issued. San Diego tracks this as a separate queue after review is done.

San Diego publishes weekly updates for each stage on its permit processing timeline page, and notes that "the actual length of time to process applications will vary depending on the number of applications received and the completeness of the documents submitted."

Where to find your city's real numbers

Many large cities publish live or regularly updated review times:

• Denver: average plan review times
• Seattle SDCI: construction permit timeline
• Portland: check permit timelines
• Austin: residential plan review

If your city does not publish numbers, call the permit counter and ask: "What is the current first-review time for a residential [project type], and how long do resubmittals take?"

What slows a permit down

• Incomplete applications: missing site plans, structural details, or energy forms send you back to the start.
• Multiple correction rounds: every resubmittal waits in a queue again.
• Extra reviews: zoning variances, historic districts, floodplains, trees, and right-of-way work each add a reviewer (see variances, tree permits, driveway and right-of-way permits).
• HOA approval first: some cities or HOAs require HOA sign-off before the city will act (see HOA vs city permits).
• Seasonal backlogs: spring and early summer are busy in many cities.
• Unpermitted existing work discovered during review (see after-the-fact permits).

How to speed it up

• Use express or no-plan permits when your project qualifies. Many cities issue simple trade permits online the same day.
• Submit a complete package the first time. Our how to apply guide lists what most cities want.
• Book a pre-application meeting for bigger projects. Many cities offer short virtual appointments.
• Answer corrections completely, with a response letter that lists each comment and where it was fixed.
• Check zoning early so the design does not need a redesign mid-review.

Do not start early

Starting work before the permit is issued can lead to a stop-work order, penalty fees, and having to open finished work for inspection. Once issued, also watch the expiration date: permits can expire if work does not start or inspections stop (see expired building permits).

Real turnaround numbers cities publish

Broad ranges only help so much. Here's what several cities actually say about their own timing, so you can see how different the same "permit" can be:

Notice what these numbers measure. Most are review times, not the total time from idea to issued permit. Corrections, other departments, and your own response time sit on top. For a city-specific walk-through, our Salt Lake City permit guide and Los Angeles permit guide show how these queues fit into the rest of the process.

Paying for speed: what expedited review looks like

Expedited review is real in some places, but it isn't free. Salt Lake City offers it by checking a box on the application: first review drops to 10 business days, and the city charges double the plan check fee to start the process (SLC FAQ). That's worth comparing against the standard 14-business-day window before you pay. Shaving a few business days off one review round matters less if your plans come back with corrections anyway.

Deadlines that run against you

Permit offices have clocks of their own, and missing them can cost you more than time:

• Response windows. Salt Lake City gives applicants 180 days from the review email to answer comments or obtain the permit (SLC permitting process).
• Scope creep on fast permits. If an Austin express permit job grows beyond the express limits, a new application and fees are required, and the express fees already paid aren't reimbursed (Austin Express Permits).
• Repeated rejections. In Phoenix, an over-the-counter project rejected twice, or one that uses an hour or more of documented review time, may be charged hourly plan review fees or sent to full review (Phoenix OTC guideline).

Building a realistic permit schedule, step by step

1. Find your project's lane. Check whether it's exempt, an express or over-the-counter permit, or a full plan review. That one answer changes the timeline more than anything else.
2. Look up the published review time for that lane on your city's website, or ask the counter.
3. Add one correction round unless your project is very simple. Use the city's resubmittal time if it publishes one.
4. Add your own turnaround. How long will your designer or contractor take to answer comments?
5. Add other approvals that must come first: HOA, historic, floodplain, hillside grading, or right-of-way.
6. Only then set a start date with your contractor, and keep the deposit modest until the permit is issued.

FAQ

How long does it take to get a permit for a deck?

Simple decks often clear review in days to a few weeks, depending on the city and whether plans need corrections. See our deck permit guide.

How long does a permit last once issued?

Many codes let a permit expire if work does not start within about 180 days or stops for 180 days, but this varies. Check your permit card.

Can I pay to expedite a permit?

Some cities offer paid expedited review or third-party review. Others do not. Ask your permit counter.

Why did my permit take longer than the city's posted time?

Posted times usually measure one review round inside one queue. San Diego's timeline page, for example, notes that actual processing time varies with the number of applications received and how complete the documents are (San Diego). Corrections and other departments add time on top.

Is a fence or re-roof permit quicker than a deck?

Often. Salt Lake City routes fences and re-roofs through a quick turnaround queue of 1 to 3 business days (SLC FAQ), while bigger plans wait in the standard line.

What happens if I don't answer review comments?

Your application can stall and eventually lapse. Salt Lake City, for one, gives 180 days from the review email to respond or obtain the permit (SLC permitting process).

Last checked: October 2026.

Official sources

• San Diego — Permit processing timeline
• Denver — Average plan review times
• Seattle SDCI — Construction permit timeline
• Portland — Check permit timelines
• Austin — Residential plan review
• Salt Lake City Building Services: FAQs
• Salt Lake City: General permitting process information
• City of Austin: Express permits
• City of San Antonio: Residential permits
• LADBS: Counter plan check
• City of Phoenix: Residential over-the-counter permits (PDF)

Timelines change with workload. Ask your city for current first-review and resubmittal estimates. PermitCove is independent and not a government agency.

Bottom line

Simple trade permits can take a day; additions can take months. The biggest time savers are a complete application, early zoning checks, and fast, thorough answers to review comments. Check your city's published timelines, then build them into your project schedule. Start with our Do I Need a Building Permit?.

Edited by Ahmed Khalifa, founder of PermitCove. Sources are linked inline; see our Editorial Policy.