Permit Junkie blog

Practical permitting guides from Permit Junkie: how to get a building permit, how long approval takes, what permits cost, and how to clear plan review on the first pass.

Just need a quick answer on deck permits, plan review corrections, or expediter fees? Read the permit FAQ.

• How to get a building permit: the complete step-by-step guide

  What to prepare, who reviews it, what plan review actually looks for, and how to avoid the correction letters that add weeks to a project.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 9 min read

• How long does a building permit take to get approved?

  The honest answer is that approval time is mostly determined by your own packet quality. Here is what drives the clock, stage by stage.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 7 min read

• Do I need a permit? A project-by-project checklist

  Deck, fence, garage, shed, basement, roof, water heater. Which projects usually need a permit, which usually don't, and how to confirm before you build.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 8 min read

• What does a building permit cost? How fees are actually calculated

  Permit fees are rarely one number. Here is how valuation, plan review, trade permits, impact fees, and reinspection charges stack up.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 7 min read

• What to expect from plan review (and how to avoid corrections)

  The top reasons correction letters get written — and how a pre-submission review eliminates most of them before a reviewer opens the file.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 8 min read

• What does a permit expediter do — and do you need one?

  What expediters actually do, how they charge, when they pay for themselves, and where software now covers the same work.

  Updated 2026-09-05 · 7 min read

• Do you need a permit to build a deck?

  Height, attachment, footings and guards decide whether a deck needs a permit — and decide whether the drawings pass review.

  Updated 2026-09-07 · 7 min read

• How to respond to a plan review correction letter

  Corrections are normal. What separates a one-round project from a four-round project is how the response is written.

  Updated 2026-09-07 · 6 min read

• What happens if you build without a permit?

  Unpermitted work rarely stays invisible. Here is what enforcement looks like and how a retroactive permit usually works.

  Updated 2026-09-07 · 6 min read

• Zoning approval vs. building permit: what's the difference?

  Two different offices, two different questions. Applying for one when you need the other is a common and costly detour.

  Updated 2026-09-07 · 6 min read

• Who can pull a permit: homeowner, contractor, or agent?

  Pulling the permit makes you responsible for the work. Here is who may apply and what that responsibility actually means.

  Updated 2026-09-07 · 6 min read