What is a Building Permit?

Building Departments require building permit applications with accompanying construction documents prior to performing construction. This assures that the project is completed in accordance with the local building codes and is safe to occupy upon completion. Once reviewed and approved, a building permit is issued to the applicant. The permit job card must be posted at the job site until completion.

What types of projects require building permits?

Most construction projects that change the configuration of walls, wiring, and/or pipes will require a building permit. Regulations vary from city to city. Ocean Permits & Development has a database with over 7,000 municipalities and their requirements. Our permit specialists work directly with the municipalities to ensure proper permit application compliance upon submission. Permit regulations are determined by the International Building Code (IBC) along with state, county and city building codes. Electrical, plumbing, roof, mechanical, structural, HVAC, EV charging stations, solar, and ADU (Accessory Dwelling Units) all require permitting and is dependent on the scope of work.

The building permit process starts with identifying the scope of construction and trades involved. Depending on the construction project, multiple trades may be involved such as electrical, plumbing, and mechanical and permits may need to be pulled for each. Projects are reviewed by city building inspectors and reviewers to ensure compliance with zoning and building codes. In most cases, the presiding jurisdiction reviews the plans and determines the cost of the permit after the permit application has been submitted. Many municipalities publish their building permit fee schedules online. OPD – Ocean Permits & Development can assist with all aspects of obtaining a building permit.

What is the purpose of building permits and codes?

The purpose behind building codes is to give reasonable assurance that a building is safe from structural failure, fire hazards from electrical and heating systems, electrical shock, and health risks. The building permits provide a permanent record of the work performed and inspections conducted on the project.

It is important to meet building code standards to ensure safety for current and future owners. Rough-in inspections take place during a project where inspectors inspect work that has been started but not completed, referring to wiring, plumbing or line fixtures that are not hooked up or attached yet. Codes are not only written for safety reasons, but also for environmental and energy saving considerations.

What are the building permit fees?

While every municipality has its own set of permit fee schedules, this provides a general guideline:

• Permit fees are often based on the square footage of the building or structure or cost of the project for new construction.

• Electrical permit fees are often determined by the service size in amperage.

• Mechanical permit fees are often determined by valuation.

• Plumbing permits are often determined by the number of fixtures to be installed.

• Roofing permits are often determined by project valuation.

How long does it take to get a permit?

Permit plan review time depends on the scope, size, complexity and location of the project. Each project is evaluated by divisions within a building department. Some permits are issued same-day, often referred to as “over the counter” (simple electrical, roofing, plumbing, mechanical projects) while others for projects such as single family homes, new builds and remodels take weeks or months.

The building permit approval process can be even longer for commercial or industrial projects to receive final approval. Proper building permit application submittals combined with accurate supporting drawings and documents are a critical part of ensuring the most expeditious review time. Ocean Permits & Development ensures all requirements are met upon submittal of building permit applications.

Why Should I use a building permit expediter?

Because time is one of our most valuable assets, most project managers and clients quickly realize the ROI of hiring a permit service rather than spending hours navigating through research, requirements, paperwork and time spent at the building department itself. Permit expediters efficiently move drawings through the process faster due to their expertise, relationships and follow-through.

Our team specializes in working with architects, engineers, realtors, fixer uppers, developers, builders, contractors and homeowners to ensure permit submissions are compliant. OPD – Ocean Permits & Development saves our customers time and money by working directly with the municipal reviewers to ensure projects get through all departments as quickly as possible.