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Building permits explained — when you need one and what happens if you skip it

Staff

08 May 2025 — 4 min read

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Local codes, regulations, and best practices vary by region.

A building permit is a piece of paper that says the building department has reviewed your project plans and approved the work to proceed. It seems like bureaucratic friction, an extra cost and delay. But permits exist because homes built without oversight can be unsafe, unreliable, and unsaleable. Understanding what permits are, when you need them, and what happens if you skip them is essential before starting any major work.

What a Permit Is

A permit is formal approval from your local building department to perform a specific construction or renovation project. It authorizes you (or your contractor) to do the work according to approved plans. It triggers mandatory inspections at various stages of construction to ensure the work meets code. The permit system exists to protect you, future buyers, and the public by ensuring homes are built safely and to standards.

When You Need a Permit

Different jurisdictions have different rules, but generally you need a permit for any work that involves structural changes, electrical systems, plumbing systems, HVAC systems, or changes to the footprint or height of your home. That means a new roof, new siding, adding a room, finishing a basement, installing a deck, building an addition, or a kitchen or bath remodel typically require permits.

You generally do not need permits for painting, replacing fixtures you’re not relocating, replacing a roof with the same materials, or general maintenance and repairs. Your local building department has a list of what requires permits. Before starting work, check with them.

Who Gets the Permit

Either you or your contractor can pull the permit. Professional contractors typically pull permits as part of their service because they know the process and maintain good relationships with the building department. If you’re hiring a contractor, verify that they’ll pull the permit. If they won’t, that’s a red flag. For smaller DIY projects, you can pull the permit yourself, though it requires submitting plans and paying fees.

The Permit Application Process

To get a permit, you submit an application to your local building department along with plans showing what you’re building. The plans need to be detailed enough that an inspector can verify the work will meet code. For a simple project, you might draw plans yourself. For complex projects, you need drawings from a designer or architect.

The building department reviews your plans to verify they comply with local building codes. This review might take days or weeks. They might ask for changes. Once approved, you get the permit and can start work.

Permits Cost Money

Permit fees vary wildly by jurisdiction and project size. A small residential project might have a permit fee of a few hundred dollars. A large renovation might cost thousands. Fees are typically based on the estimated cost of the work. A $50,000 kitchen remodel might have a permit fee of $500 to $1,000. A $150,000 addition might have a permit fee of $1,500 to $3,000.

These costs seem annoying until you realize what you’re getting. You’re getting assurance that your work meets code. You’re getting inspections to catch problems before they become expensive. You’re protecting your home’s safety and value.

Inspections

Once you have a permit, the building department schedules inspections at key stages of work. For a kitchen remodel, there might be an inspection after demolition, one after electrical and plumbing rough-in, and a final inspection. For a roof, there’s typically an inspection before you install the final layer of shingles.

The inspector comes to your home and verifies the work meets code. If everything looks good, they sign off and you can proceed to the next stage. If something doesn’t meet code, they note the problems and you fix them before they sign off. This process protects you. If something’s wrong, it gets caught and fixed while it’s relatively inexpensive to fix, not years later when problems have compounded.

What Happens If You Skip the Permit

This is where it gets serious. Unpermitted work creates real problems. If you’re caught doing unpermitted work, the building department can issue a stop-work order, halting construction immediately. You can face fines, sometimes substantial ones. The city might require you to bring the work up to code or remove it entirely. If you have unpermitted electrical or plumbing work, you might need to hire licensed contractors to inspect and potentially redo the work.

Unpermitted work affects your home’s value and saleability. When you sell, your disclosure statements must reveal unpermitted work. Buyers’ inspectors often identify it. Buyers either demand it be remedied before closing or walk away. Financing institutions and insurance companies might refuse to cover unpermitted work. If there’s a problem with unpermitted work, your homeowner’s insurance might deny your claim.

The Hidden Costs of Skipping Permits

Beyond the formal penalties, unpermitted work has hidden costs. If something goes wrong with unpermitted work, you have no recourse. The building department hasn’t signed off, so liability falls entirely on you. If there’s a fire or injury related to unpermitted electrical work, you could be personally liable. If unpermitted plumbing causes water damage, your insurance won’t cover it because the work wasn’t permitted.

Unpermitted work can be impossible to fix after the fact. If you discover unpermitted work in a home you bought, getting it officially permitted now is complicated. You might have to tear things apart for inspections. You might have to redo the work to meet current code even though the original work was acceptable when done. The costs to remediate unpermitted work are often far more than the cost to get a permit originally.

The Logic of Permits

Permit costs and delays are frustrating. But the system protects you. A good inspector catches problems that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars to fix later. Permitted work maintains your home’s value. It keeps you safe. When you go to sell, you have documentation that work was done properly.

For a new home buyer, knowing that work was properly permitted and inspected is reassuring. Permitted work is more valuable than unpermitted work.

Getting Permits Right

Hire contractors who pull permits without complaint. If a contractor resists permits, fire them and hire someone else. The additional cost and timeline delay of permits is minimal compared to the risk of unpermitted work.

For DIY work, check with your building department about what requires permits and how to pull them. It’s not complicated. You fill out a form, pay a fee, submit plans, wait for approval, and proceed with inspections.

The Reality

Permits are a protection, not a punishment. The cost and timeline of getting permits is small compared to the protection they provide and the problems they prevent. Never skip permits or hire contractors who do. Your home, your safety, and your financial protection depend on it.