How Long Does a Building Permit Take? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: a simple permit is often issued the same day, a plan-reviewed one takes weeks, and the clock starts again if you do not use it. A simple residential permit (a trade permit, a reroof, a panel swap or a same-layout remodel) is issued online instantly or at the counter on the same visit in 11 of the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover: Charlotte, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle. In seven more it issues within a day: Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh, Portland, St. Louis, Tucson. In Miami only the SAVE pilot carries a stated three-business-day limit. In 11 the pages state no issuance time for the simple route: Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Sacramento. When plans are needed, 23 pages state a review time, from the same day at the counter in Los Angeles and San Francisco to 60 days for the state ADU deadline in Long Beach and San Jose; 7 state none. A permit lapses after 180 days or six months in 13 cities, after 365 days in 4, and after 90 days (Long Beach) to 24 months (Phoenix) elsewhere; 8 pages state no clock. We read each city's ten project pages and recorded the city's own wording.

11 / 7 / 1 / 11cities where a simple permit is issued instantly or on the same visit / within a day / in three business days / with no time stated on the pages

23cities state a plan review time, from the same day at the counter (Los Angeles, San Francisco) to 60 days (the state ADU deadline in Long Beach and San Jose); 7 state none

13cities let a permit lapse after 180 days or six months; 4 use 365 days, and the clocks run from 90 days in Long Beach to 24 months in Phoenix; 8 pages state none

540days Chicago allows before the first inspection must pass, the longest inspection-based clock; Houston's electrical permit is processed in one business day and its HVAC alteration permit in up to one hour

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	Simple permit	Fastest route the pages describe	Plan review, when plans are needed	Permit expiry and inspection clock	Which pages say so, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	Same day or next day	Trade permits without plans are issued on application in ABQ-PLAN; a residential re-roof without truss repairs is an express permit issued the same day.	Residential plan review takes approximately two and a half weeks, and the permit issues once every division approves.	A permit lapses if no inspection is requested within 180 days of issuance; an application expires if no permit issues within six months (the deck page says 180 days).	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages Inspections are requested through ABQ-PLAN or 505-924-3320; re-inspections cost $47.
Baltimore, MD	No time stated	Not stated on the pages. A fence in a CHAP historic district is not issued over the counter; DHCD refers it to CHAP, which must approve first.	Not stated on the pages.	A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issue (shed page).	Fence and shed pages Inspections are scheduled in E-Permits by 2:30 P.M. the day before.
Charlotte, NC	Issued online instantly ⚠	Contractors buy County permits instantly on the Trades Internet Permits (TIP) system around the clock and print them, including all trades on a change-out. Homeowners apply in AccelaMeck; a bathroom remodel inside the existing footprint is issued on application, usually within days.	County: first review within 15 business days by state law, with a 7-day average goal. City LDIRL (zoning and stormwater for decks, sheds, pools, ADUs): about 15 days, with a new 7-day cycle for each revision.	A permit expires six months after issuance if inspected work has not begun; the kitchen page adds 12 months of inactivity.	Deck, shed, pool, bathroom, kitchen, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; Mecklenburg County and LDIRL text Inspections are requested at 704-336-8000 or online; the County targets same-day inspections 85 percent of the time.
Chicago, IL	No time stated	Not stated as a time. The Express Permit Program (online portal, replaced Easy Permit on Nov. 6, 2023) covers repairs, in-kind rebuilds, fences over 5 ft, low-slope reroofing, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and nonstructural interior alterations, but no page says how soon the permit issues. The listed contractor must accept the job by emailed link before it issues.	Not stated on the pages.	A first inspection must pass within 540 days or the permit expires; after a first inspection it expires if a follow-up inspection is not passed within 730 days (panel page).	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages Inspections are requested in the portal. Drawing-based permits need architect or engineer drawings; the pages give no review days.
Cincinnati, OH	Same day or next day ⚠	Tier 1 same-day review at the Permit Center for sheds and decks under 400 sq ft (7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., first come first served); IBI electrical counter permits take about 15 minutes; HVAC replacements apply online in ezTrak without plans.	Tier 2 residential alterations and interior plumbing target 5 workdays; larger residential projects a 10-working-day target; revisions return within 5 working days; IBI electrical plan review 3 days; Ohio law requires a decision within 30 days.	A permit expires if work has not started or no inspection is requested within a year; IBI electrical permits are rescinded if no inspection is scheduled within 6 months.	Deck, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; city Tier 1 and Tier 2 lists Plumbing inspections are same day if called in by 9 a.m.; IBI inspects the next business day (call 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. for a one-hour window); Building Construction Inspections needs 24 hours notice.
Dallas, TX	No time stated	Not stated on the pages. Homeowner electrical permits are witnessed by the district electrical inspector and issued at the field office, not online.	Not stated on the pages.	An issued permit expires after 120 days without activity and is active for up to 2 years (deck, shed and panel pages).	Deck, shed, bathroom, panel and HVAC pages Plumbing and mechanical rough and final inspections are booked on the same day in DallasNow.
Fort Worth, TX	No time stated	Not stated on the pages.	First review comments come within 7 business days (residential plans: decks, sheds, kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs).	A permit expires after 180 days without an approved inspection.	Deck, fence, shed, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages Inspection requests made before 6:30 a.m. are scheduled the same day.
Houston, TX	Same day or next day	The HVAC alteration permit lists processing of up to one hour. Electrical permits (panel, meter loop) list one business day: the master electrician applies in iPermits, pays and prints the permit. Remodel permits list 1 to 15 business days.	Residential building permits with plan review list 10 business days (decks over 30 in, sheds over 120 sq ft, re-roofs, additions); fences 10 days. Pools: Health Department 10 business days and Structural 15. New residential construction and a detached ADU: 15 business days.	Permits are valid six months; electrical and HVAC permits are valid 180 days.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; Houston Permitting Center listings Inspections are completed the next business day after the request; plumbing inspections are scheduled at least a day ahead. The fence page says 10 days where the others say 10 business days.
Indianapolis, IN	No time stated	Not stated on the pages. A licensed contractor can self-certify service work by phone with a $22 tag so power is reconnected the same day, but no issuance time is given.	Not stated on the pages.	A permit lapses if work has not started within 365 days; the Completion Card closes the permit when returned within 14 days of finishing.	Deck, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages The Completion Card requests the final inspection; no booking window is stated.
Jacksonville, FL	Issued online instantly	A shed under 150 sq ft costing under $5,000 is issued over the counter on the day you visit. Under Ordinance Code 320.408(f), single-family light and receptacle swaps, electric water heater swaps and reroofs of five squares or less (up to $2,500) get a permit that auto-expires once it is paid for, with no plan review or inspection.	The first review takes 25 to 30 business days after zoning and Development Services sign off (decks, kitchen remodels, ADUs).	Permits are good for 180 days (bathroom page); auto-expire permits close once paid.	Shed, roof, kitchen, bathroom, deck, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; Ordinance Code 320.408(f) A failed inspection costs a $45 reinspection fee; the mechanical final is requested at (904) 255-8500 option 4 or online.
Kansas City, MO	No time stated	Not stated as a time. A contractor can self-certify a like-for-like AC swap under the LSR permit, obtained within 7 days of starting, with the certification filed within 7 days of finishing.	The plan review goal is seven business days (load-bearing wall work in kitchens, ADUs).	Not stated on the pages.	Kitchen, ADU and HVAC pages The pages give no inspection scheduling rule.
Long Beach, CA	Issued online instantly	Express permits (IB-058) are issued at an in-person City Hall appointment or online through the Customer Portal for one- and two-family homes: reroofs, panel changeouts, like-for-like HVAC to 33,000 Btu/hr, same-layout kitchens and baths. Contractors with a city PIN file trade permits online and get an invoice in one to three business days. Not available in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District.	Over-the-counter plan review at an appointment (decks, fences, sheds, standard-plan pools, garage conversions); same-day permits for Pre-Approved ADU plans. ADUs: completeness within 15 business days, decision within 60 days. The city does not publish a turnaround for submitted plan review.	A permit is void if work has not started within 90 days (or stops for 90 days); every permit expires two years after issuance (roof and panel pages).	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; IB-002, IB-058 Inspections are requested online by 3 p.m. the day before (shed page).
Los Angeles, CA	Issued online instantly	Express permits have no plan check and are bought online through PermitLA at purchase, or at a counter by appointment: reroofs with Class A or B covering under 6 lb per sq ft, panel and service work up to 400 A, same-size AC and furnace swaps, non-structural kitchen and bath remodels and their trade permits, and a 6-ft block wall built to the standard detail.	Counter Plan Check for simple wood-frame decks and sheds is finished the same day, about 45 minutes; Expanded Counter Plan Check about 2 hours. ADUs: completeness notice within 15 business days, decision within 60 days of a complete application. No fixed turnaround for larger or hillside projects.	A permit expires if work has not started within six months; the shed page adds two years after issue if the work is unfinished.	Deck, shed, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; LADBS Express Permits bulletin P/GI 2026-003 Inspections are requested a day ahead, before 2 PM. Wall or opening changes leave the express list and go to plan check.
Louisville, KY	No time stated	Not stated on the pages.	Not stated on the pages.	No expiry term is stated; a permit that lapses before the final inspection can be reactivated within 180 days for $35.	Pool and roof pages Only the reinstatement window is mentioned.
Miami, FL	A few business days	The SAVE pilot (City Code 10-20) requires the Building Department to process qualifying energy-efficient HVAC and storm-proofing (reinforced roof) applications within three business days, until it sunsets on February 12, 2027. No other fast route is stated.	The City Code requires a single-family permit to issue within 30 working days unless unusual circumstances apply; the department publishes no typical turnaround. Revisions after the second review cost $56 per discipline.	A permit is void if work does not start within 180 days or goes 180 days without an approved inspection; a $100 extension is available before it lapses.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, panel and HVAC pages; City Code 10-20 A failed or unready inspection costs $57, and no further inspection is scheduled until it is paid.
Milwaukee, WI	No time stated	Not stated as a time. Permits are applied for and paid online through the Land Management System.	Not stated on the pages.	Work must start and have an inspection within 180 days; permits expire after two years.	Deck, shed, roof, kitchen, bathroom, panel and HVAC pages The licensee notifies DNS Electrical Inspection when work is complete.
Minneapolis, MN	No time stated	Not stated as a time. Pre-approved licensed contractors can apply for reroofs and HVAC on existing one- and two-family homes through the city's express permit tool; the pages give no issuance time.	About 15 business days for the initial plan review in ProjectDox and five business days for each resubmittal (decks, sheds, kitchens).	Permits with inspection fees of $1,000 or less expire 12 months after filing (panel page); the other pages give no clock.	Deck, shed, roof, kitchen, panel and HVAC pages The pages give no inspection scheduling rule.
New York, NY	No time stated	Not stated: the deck and electrical-panel pages say DOB does not publish a fixed timeline for alteration filings, and the panel page adds that the Con Edison service connection is usually the longer wait.	Not stated on the pages.	Not stated on the pages.	Deck and electrical-panel pages (DOB does not publish a fixed timeline); the other eight pages carry no timing statement The pages' nearest text concerns who may file (a registered professional, a licensed trade, a DCWP-licensed contractor), not how long a filing takes.
Philadelphia, PA	Issued online instantly ⚠	Electrical service permits up to 200 A and single-family equipment replacements auto-issue in eCLIPSE to a contractor with current license, insurance and taxes; a contractor-filed EZ reroof may be issued immediately, as may house drain, water line and water heater permits; plumbing is same day at the Permit and License Center for up to three applications. Other EZ permits take 5 business days (decks, pools) or 3 (plumbing, interior wiring).	15 business days for one- and two-family building and zoning applications (plus one business day of pre-processing for online filings); 20 business days for other uses; electrical over 200 A 20 business days. A $2,000 accelerated review decides in 5 business days but is meant for plan-based commercial jobs.	Not stated on the pages.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; L&I processing sheets Online eCLIPSE filings add one business day of pre-processing.
Phoenix, AZ	Issued online instantly	Minor kitchen and bathroom remodel work may be issued over the counter (SHAPE PHX); other plans are routed for review. Emergency HVAC replacements may be done first if the application is filed within 72 hours.	Approved standard pool plans average 5 days, longer for hillside lots, new or custom plans and waterfalls or slides. The kitchen page says the city does not publish a turnaround for remodels.	Every permit expires 24 months after issuance under the 2024 code; a temporary construction or security fence permit is valid one year.	Pool, kitchen, bathroom, deck, fence, shed, roof, panel and HVAC pages; SHAPE PHX process page Inspections are requested before 2 p.m. the prior business day. The over-the-counter route is hedged in the city's wording (may be possible); the pages do not say how often it applies.
Pittsburgh, PA	Same day or next day	EZ Permit pilot (no plans): reroof coverings, like-for-like furnace and equipment replacements, kitchen circuits and non-load-bearing walls issue within one business day after the license information is verified. Emergency HVAC replacements may be done first if the application is filed by the next working business day.	Standard Building and Development Application: 15 to 30 business days, including electrical panel work (PLI published service levels).	Not stated on the pages.	Deck, roof, kitchen, panel and HVAC pages; PLI EZ Permit page Inspections are requested through OneStopPGH.
Portland, OR	Same day or next day	Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) bought on DevHub are issued within 24 hours of payment; the application takes about 15 minutes. Simple Bathroom Program applications are emailed as one PDF.	Five business days for a Simple Bathroom Program review; an ADU Adjustment Review roughly 8 to 10 weeks. PP&D publishes no fixed turnaround for decks, sheds or kitchens (its Permit Review Dashboard shows current medians).	A permit expires if more than 180 days pass between inspections.	Deck, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; PP&D DevHub text Inspections are requested on 503-823-7000 or in DevHub. Reinspections are $161.
Sacramento, CA	No time stated	Not stated as a time. Same-layout remodels, panel and HVAC minor permits are emailed to EZ Permit with the application and Planning Express form; no page says how soon they issue.	ADUs: the state gives the city 60 days from a complete application; the city quotes roughly 1.5 to 2 months of building plan review in 20, 15 and 5 business-day cycles, and a free optional zoning review takes 1 to 3 weeks.	Not stated on the pages.	Roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages A new ADU address takes up to four weeks.
San Antonio, TX	Issued online instantly	Fence permits issue the same day at the One Stop counter or within two business days online; a same-pitch re-roof is issued over the counter; a residential pool application is issued the same day over the counter or within three business days online; interior wall changes and sheetrock replacement use the over-the-counter Residential Repair Permit.	Completeness review up to 3 business days, then technical review up to 3 business days for the first redline comments (ADU fact sheet); large decks 2 to 3 days for the first technical round. Change-of-pitch re-roofs and plan-review jobs are not over the counter.	Permits are valid 6 months from issuance (roof page).	Fence, pool, roof, deck, kitchen and ADU pages; DSD fact sheet The other pages give no expiry or inspection scheduling rule.
San Diego, CA	Issued online instantly	Simple Permits (stand-alone trade permits such as panel and HVAC): a licensed contractor receives the permit as soon as the invoice is paid; a homeowner filing as owner-builder normally receives it within about two business days of uploading signed form DS-3042.	IB 100 Short category (decks, fences, sheds, pools, alterations under 3,000 sq ft): estimated 8 business days for the first review and 6 for a recheck; structures 45 years or older add a historical review of typically ten business days. ADUs: 15 business days to confirm completeness, 60 days to decide; pre-approved plans 30 days.	Stand-alone trade permits expire if no inspection is passed within 180 days and cannot run past two years; building permits are void if not used within one year and expire three years after issuance.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; IB 100 Inspections are booked online or at 858-581-7111 by 10 p.m. the night before.
San Francisco, CA	Issued online instantly	Contractors authorized for Express Permits on PermitSF skip staff review and pay immediately; flat-fee panel, plumbing and mechanical permits are issued once paid; a non-historic reroof issues immediately if the C-39 contractor's authorization was on file two business days earlier. Deck repairs under 50 percent and fences up to 10 ft are over-the-counter permits.	Over-the-counter review: DBI budgets 2 to 8 hours for the counter visit and routes plans to the required stations the same day; historic or commercial reroofs have a two-business-day staff review goal. ADUs: the city has 60 days from a complete application. Pools go to in-house review with no time stated.	Not stated on the pages.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; DBI over-the-counter lists Homeowners file a mechanical permit online and see an inspector at the Permit Center help desk within a week. Emergency electrical work needs a permit within one business day.
San Jose, CA	Issued online instantly	Fixture replacement, exhaust fan, receptacle, light fixture and gas line permits are issued online at SJPermits.org without plans, at checkout; the online reroof permit is available 24 hours a day.	No time is stated for building plan review (plan check is billed at $325 per hour with a 30-minute over-the-counter minimum). ADUs: completeness within 15 business days, decision within 60 days of a complete application.	A permit expires if work does not begin within 12 months or stops for 180 days; an inspection showing substantial progress is required every 180 days (extensions $105).	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; SJPermits.org text Inspections are scheduled on SJPermits.org; cancel or reschedule by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid a charge.
Seattle, WA	Issued online instantly ⚠	Online electrical permits for homes under 400 A print the moment you apply in the Seattle Services Portal; online mechanical permits for houses issue immediately or the same day; the commercial re-roof permit prints the same day. A simple mechanical STFI can issue within 24 hours.	SDCI targets 2 to 3 weeks for the initial review of simple applications and 8 weeks for complex ones (decks, pools, remodels); pre-approved DADU plans 2 to 6 weeks; plan-reviewed mechanical permits about 9 weeks.	Construction and mechanical permits are valid 18 months; an expired electrical permit can be renewed within a year for one-quarter of the base fee.	Shed, pool, roof, deck, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages; SDCI and Public Health listings Public Health plumbing and gas inspections take several business days to schedule; SDCI sets its own inspection dates. The panel page says permits print instantly, the shed page often the same day.
St. Louis, MO	Same day or next day	The Hot Spot desk (9 AM to 3 PM) approves small projects such as sheds, fences, decks and reroofs over the counter, and the portal says 70 percent of permits issue the same day. Trade permits are approved by email, most in 1 to 3 business days and all within 10, then the contractor prints them.	Projects routed to other departments typically take 2 to 4 weeks (pools, ADUs, larger decks).	Not stated on the pages.	Deck, fence, shed, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, panel and HVAC pages Contractors schedule inspections from the STL City Permits dashboard.
Tucson, AZ	Same day or next day	Residential electrical, plumbing and HVAC trade permits run in PDSD's same-day Express Lane.	Residential alterations sit in the Standard Lane, which has a 30-day review goal.	An issued permit expires if 365 days pass without a recorded inspection showing progress; a written extension can be requested before it expires.	Deck, pool, kitchen, bathroom, panel and HVAC pages The pages give no inspection scheduling rule.

The simple-permit status is the fastest route the city's pages describe for a simple residential job (a trade permit, a reroof, a panel swap or a same-layout remodel). Instantly means issued online at purchase, auto-issued or issued at the counter on the same visit; same day or next day means the pages say same day, within 24 hours or next business day; a few business days means a stated figure of two to ten business days for simple permits; no time stated means the ten pages give none. The first column sorts instant first, then same or next day, then days, then not stated. The review column sorts by the low end of the stated figure in days, with a same-day counter review as zero and not stated last; it mixes business days and calendar days as the pages do, and it includes the 60-day state decision deadline for ADUs where the page gives nothing else. The expiry column sorts by days until the permit lapses (six months counted as 180 days, 12 months as 365, 18 months as 548 and 24 months as 730), with not stated last. Where a figure is specific to one project page, the cell says so. A flag marks a row where the city's own pages disagree. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

The fastest routes: 11 cities issue instantly, 7 within a day

Charlotte, Jacksonville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle describe a route where a simple permit is in hand at purchase or on the same visit. Seattle prints online electrical permits the moment you apply, Charlotte contractors buy County permits instantly on the TIP system, Philadelphia auto-issues electrical service permits up to 200 A and may issue a contractor-filed reroof immediately, San Diego issues a Simple Permit to a licensed contractor as soon as the invoice is paid, Los Angeles sells express permits online at purchase, San Jose issues fixture, fan and receptacle permits at checkout, San Francisco lets Express Permit contractors pay immediately, Long Beach issues express permits online or at an appointment, San Antonio issues fence and pool permits the same day at the One Stop counter, and Jacksonville issues a small shed over the counter on the day you visit. Phoenix sits here on hedged wording: minor remodel work may be issued over the counter, and the pages do not say how often. Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Houston, Pittsburgh, Portland, St. Louis, Tucson describe a route within a day: Houston's HVAC alteration permit is processed in up to one hour and its electrical permits in one business day, Pittsburgh's EZ permits issue within one business day after the license is verified, Portland's DevHub trade permits within 24 hours of payment, Tucson's trade permits in a same-day Express Lane, Albuquerque's trade permits on application and a re-roof the same day, Cincinnati reviews sheds and decks under 400 sq ft the same day, and St. Louis approves small projects at the Hot Spot desk, with 70 percent of permits issuing the same day. Miami is the one city whose fast route is stated in days: the SAVE pilot must process qualifying HVAC and reinforced-roof applications within three business days until it sunsets on February 12, 2027.

What qualifies: express lists, EZ standards and licensed-contractor trade permits

Three patterns recur. Express or EZ lists with no plan check: Los Angeles (reroofs under 6 lb per sq ft, service work to 400 A), Long Beach (IB-058 items for reroofs, panels to 200 A, HVAC to 33,000 Btu/hr and same-layout kitchens and baths), San Francisco (Express Permit contractors), Chicago (the Express Permit Program), Albuquerque (re-roofs without truss repairs), Pittsburgh (the EZ pilot) and Philadelphia (EZ standards, 5 business days for a deck or pool and 3 for plumbing or interior wiring). Trade permits bought online by a licensed contractor: Charlotte (TIP), Houston (iPermits), Portland (DevHub), San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis and Tucson. Counter service for small building permits: San Antonio, Jacksonville, Cincinnati and St. Louis. The fast route often excludes the harder job: Long Beach has no express service in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District, Albuquerque's express re-roof excludes truss repairs, and San Francisco sends a structural reroof over the counter with plans. It also favors the contractor: a San Diego homeowner normally waits about two business days for the same Simple Permit, San Francisco homeowners must see an inspector within a week of filing a mechanical permit, and Charlotte homeowners apply in AccelaMeck where a bathroom remodel is issued on application, usually within days.

Plan review: 23 cities state a time, from the same day to 60 days

Six cities state a review of 5 days or less: Los Angeles (Counter Plan Check the same day in about 45 minutes), San Francisco (2 to 8 hours for the counter visit), San Antonio (2 to 3 days for the first technical round of a large deck), Cincinnati (Tier 2 alterations targeted at 5 workdays), Phoenix (5 days for an approved standard pool plan) and Portland (5 business days for the Simple Bathroom Program). Five state 7 to 10 days: Charlotte (the County's 7-day average goal), Fort Worth and Kansas City (7 business days), San Diego (8 business days for the first review, 6 for a recheck) and Houston (10 business days). Six state two to three weeks: Seattle (2 to 3 weeks for simple applications, 8 weeks for complex ones), St. Louis (2 to 4 weeks for routed reviews), Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (15 business days; Pittsburgh 15 to 30) and Albuquerque (about two and a half weeks). Six state 20 days or more: Sacramento (20 business days for the first ADU cycle), Jacksonville (25 to 30 business days), Miami (30 working days under the City Code), Tucson (a 30-day Standard Lane goal) and Long Beach and San Jose, where the only figure is the state ADU deadline of 60 days. Seven pages state no review time: New York, Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Milwaukee and Louisville. The figures are not directly comparable: some are goals, some are code limits, and the pages mix business and calendar days.

Expiry clocks: 180 days or six months in 13 cities, 365 days in 4

The most common clock is 180 days or six months: Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Milwaukee and Albuquerque. It runs from different starting points. Albuquerque, Fort Worth, Miami, Portland, San Diego (stand-alone trade permits), San Jose and Milwaukee tie it to an inspection (no inspection requested, approved or passed within 180 days, or more than 180 days between inspections), Baltimore, Los Angeles and Charlotte to starting work, and Houston, Jacksonville and San Antonio simply call the permit valid for six months or 180 days. Shorter clocks are Long Beach at 90 days to start and Dallas at 120 days without activity. Longer ones are 365 days in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Tucson and Cincinnati, 18 months in Seattle, 540 days to the first inspection in Chicago (730 days between inspections after that) and 24 months in Phoenix. Several also cap the total: two years in Long Beach, Milwaukee, San Diego (trade permits) and Dallas, and three years for a San Diego building permit. Eight pages state no clock: New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sacramento, Louisville, Kansas City, St. Louis and Pittsburgh (Louisville mentions only a 180-day reactivation window).

Inspection scheduling: next day in some cities, a deadline the day before in others

Houston and Cincinnati (for IBI electrical) complete inspections the next business day after the request, and Cincinnati takes plumbing the same day if called in by 9 a.m. Fort Worth schedules requests made before 6:30 a.m. the same day, and Charlotte's County targets same-day inspections 85 percent of the time. Others set a cutoff: Phoenix and Los Angeles want the request by 2 p.m. the prior business day, Baltimore by 2:30 p.m. the day before, Long Beach by 3 p.m. the day before and San Diego by 10 p.m. the night before. San Jose is the strictest on cancellations: cancel or reschedule by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid a charge. Seattle's Public Health plumbing and gas inspections take several business days to schedule, and Cincinnati's Building Construction Inspections needs 24 hours notice. Indianapolis closes the permit with a Completion Card within 14 days of finishing, and Dallas books plumbing and mechanical inspections on the same day.

Cities where the pages say nothing about time

Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Sacramento give no issuance time for the simple route. Some of them still state a review time (Fort Worth and Kansas City 7 business days, Minneapolis 15, Sacramento 20) or an expiry clock (Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Minneapolis), and several name an express tool or portal without a time: Chicago's Express Permit Program, Minneapolis's express tool for pre-approved contractors, Milwaukee's Land Management System and Sacramento's EZ Permit email. New York's pages say only that DOB does not publish a fixed timeline, and Louisville's mention only a 180-day reactivation window. A missing figure means the page found none in the city's documents, not that the city is slow; check the city's portal for the current wait.

Where the city's documents disagree or leave a gap

Seattle: the HVAC page lists plan-reviewed mechanical permits at about 9 weeks and, in the same answer, an initial-review target of 2 weeks for simple projects and 4 for complex ones. Philadelphia: the HVAC page lists mechanical alterations at 20 business days on the L&I processing sheet and, from the Start Right guide, no-plan applications the same day in person or within 5 business days online; the panel page shows a $100 filing fee beside a processing sheet that lists the same permits as auto-issued with $0. Charlotte: the City review is called about 15 days but described as a 3-day gateway plus a 7-day detailed review, which adds to 10. Cincinnati: the deck and shed pages give larger residential projects a 10-working-day target while the kitchen and bathroom pages put Tier 2 alterations at 5 workdays. Smaller gaps: Phoenix's over-the-counter route is worded as may be possible; Albuquerque's application expiry is 180 days on the deck page and six months on the others; Houston's fence page says 10 days where its other pages say 10 business days; Miami's 30-working-day limit and 3-business-day pilot are different programs; and Louisville, New York, Dallas, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Milwaukee and Chicago state no plan review time. The table flags the four disagreements rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor and owner-builder rules, each fetched and quoted on the city's project pages. Unlike our single-project comparisons, this page reads all ten project pages per city (shed, fence, deck, pool, roof, kitchen, bathroom, ADU, electrical panel and HVAC) and extracts every sentence about how fast a permit issues, how long plan review takes, when a permit expires and when inspections are scheduled. The status is the fastest route those pages describe for a simple residential job; the review and expiry cells keep the page's own figure and say which project it belongs to. Nothing is estimated, and no figure is taken from a model code or another city. Where the pages give no figure the cell says so and sorts last, and where two pages of one city differ the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “How Long Does a Building Permit Take? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/permit-processing-times/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

For a simple residential permit, often the same day: 11 of the 30 largest cities we compared describe a route where it is issued online instantly or at the counter on the same visit, and 7 more within a day. Jobs that need plan review take longer: 23 city pages state a review time, from the same day at the counter in Los Angeles and San Francisco to 8 business days in San Diego, 15 in Philadelphia and 25 to 30 in Jacksonville.

Seattle prints online electrical permits the moment you apply, Charlotte contractors buy County permits instantly on TIP, Philadelphia auto-issues electrical service permits up to 200 A, San Diego issues a Simple Permit to a licensed contractor as soon as the invoice is paid, and Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Francisco and San Jose issue express or trade permits at purchase. San Antonio and Jacksonville issue small permits over the counter on the same visit, and Phoenix may for minor remodel work.

In 18 cities the pages describe a same-day or faster route for something: the 11 instant cities plus Houston (HVAC permit in up to one hour), Pittsburgh (one business day), Portland (24 hours), Tucson (same-day Express Lane), Albuquerque (re-roof the same day), Cincinnati (Tier 1 review for sheds and decks under 400 sq ft) and St. Louis (the Hot Spot desk, 70 percent of permits the same day). It usually applies to trade permits, reroofs and small structures, not to jobs with plans.

Where the pages state a figure, 6 cities are at 5 days or less, 5 at 7 to 10 days, 6 at two to three weeks and 6 at 20 days or more: Fort Worth and Kansas City 7 business days, San Diego 8, Houston 10, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh 15, Albuquerque about two and a half weeks, Seattle 2 to 3 weeks for simple applications and 8 for complex ones, and Jacksonville 25 to 30 business days. Seven city pages state none.

It varies by city: 180 days or six months in 13 of the 30 cities, 365 days in 4, 90 days to start in Long Beach, 120 days without activity in Dallas, 18 months in Seattle, 540 days to the first inspection in Chicago and 24 months in Phoenix. Most clocks restart with an approved inspection; eight pages state no clock.

Houston and Cincinnati's IBI complete inspections the next business day after the request, Fort Worth schedules requests made before 6:30 a.m. the same day, and Phoenix and Los Angeles want the request by 2 p.m. the prior business day. Baltimore sets 2:30 p.m. the day before, Long Beach 3 p.m. the day before and San Diego 10 p.m. the night before. Seattle's Public Health plumbing inspections take several business days to schedule.

Eleven cities' pages give no issuance time for the simple route: Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York and Sacramento. Seven state no plan review time and eight state no expiry clock, and New York's pages say only that DOB does not publish a fixed timeline. A missing figure means the city's documents we read did not give one.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.