Building Permit Timelines
Permit Review Timelines
The targeted service level for residential building permits is 5 to 7 business days and the targeted service level for industrial, commercial, institutional, and multi-storey construction is 2 to 5 weeks. Building Standards strives to provide consistency for industry by maintaining a maximum +5 business days above target, or less, through the spring, summer, and fall construction season. As we enter the construction season, we want to inform you about an expected increase in building permit review timelines. This update is intended to keep you informed and help you plan your project accordingly.
What to Expect This Season:
- Review timelines for all permit applications are expected to remain above peak targets (5 business days over the service level or more) for the construction season.
- Preliminary Reviews will be suspended until service levels return to normal.
How you can help us:
- Continue to apply for permits needed for this construction season.
- If submitting multiple permit applications at one time, please indicate your project start date in the Work Description Box of your application to help us prioritize applications for review.
- Submit complete applications to avoid delays associated with permit re-reviews.
Current Review Timelines:
- Residential building permits timelines are at 10 business days over the service level.
- All other building permit timelines are at 15 business days over the service level.
After you have submitted your permit application, the Building Standards team will review the application for completeness. The service level for a completeness check is 1 - 2 business days for residential projects and 2 - 5 business days for apartment buildings and all other permit types. Once an application is confirmed to be complete, it is circulated to the appropriate departments for technical review. The established service level targets below are an estimate of the number of business days for all city departments to complete a review of the permit application.
| New Construction | Alterations | |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family dwelling | 5-7 | 5 |
| Two-unit dwelling | 5-7 | 5 |
| Row Housing | 15-20 | 5-8 |
| Apartment Buildings | 17-22 | 10-15 |
| Commercial, Assembly, Industrial & Institutional | 17-22 | 10-15 |
| Demolitions | 5-8 | N/A |