Does Your Project Need a Permit?
Wondering if that fence, shed, or basement remodel needs a permit? I built PermitMint so you don’t have to call city hall three times and still get a different answer.
Free for homeowners, contractors, and realtors. No sign-up required. Learn how it works.
Four tools, one permit problem
Everything powered by the same public-records pipeline. No sign-up, nothing behind a paywall.
Enter ZIP + project. Get the yes/no with the exact municipal code section cited. 60 seconds.
Check your project →Permit risk scan. Flags open permits, expired inspections, and unpermitted-work signals before you make an offer.
Run risk scan →Home insurance report. Roof age, solar date, panel upgrades, the same signals carriers pull from BuildFax.
Pull insurance report →Contractor lookup. See their actual permit-pulling record, the gap Angi and HomeAdvisor don't cover.
Browse contractors →Why I built PermitMint
Hi, I’m Joey. I started this site because I got tired of trying to figure out if I needed a permit for a project at my own house. Every search result told me something different. Half the forum threads were five years out of date, and the “official” sources were PDFs buried three clicks deep on a city website.
My day job is running global cybersecurity operations at a Fortune 500 company. Security teaches you one hard rule: never trust a summary. Always go back to the raw evidence and verify it yourself. I applied the same habit to building permits: find the actual municipal code, cite it, show the work. Every rule on this site links back to a real document you can check yourself.
It’s free. It’ll stay free. Here’s the full story on how the research works →
Three steps, about 60 seconds
No sign-up, no email, no “contact us for details.” Just a real answer with the source cited.
Tell us your ZIP code
That’s how we figure out which building department and which version of the code applies to your address. Some cities use the 2018 IRC, some the 2021, some a state amendment on top, the rules are different for each.
Pick your project
Choose from 28 common home improvement projects. You’ll answer 2–4 quick questions about the specifics (how tall, how big, attached or freestanding, that sort of thing) because a 6-foot fence and an 8-foot fence often aren’t treated the same.
Get your answer, with the source
You’ll see whether a permit is required, the estimated fee range, typical approval timeline, and your building department’s phone number. Every answer cites the municipal code section or fee schedule it came from. No black-box verdicts.
See It in Action
Here’s what a real lookup looks like. This is an actual result for a 6-foot rear-yard fence in Kansas City, cited straight out of the municipal code.
No permit required. Fences up to 6 feet in the rear yard are exempt from permit requirements in Kansas City.
This is a real result from our database. See full fence permit details for Kansas City →
Already Own a Home? Look Up Its Permit History
Punch in any address and you’ll see what permits have been pulled on that property, what work was done, who did it, what it cost, and whether it was ever finaled. All sourced straight from the city’s own records.
See if past renovations were properly permitted before you close.
Roof age, solar, panel upgrades, the same signals carriers pull from BuildFax.
See their actual permit-pulling record, the gap Angi and HomeAdvisor don't cover.
Available in 30+ cities: Chicago, NYC, Denver, Portland, DC, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Jose, and more.
Permit #2015-COMMCON-0000914 · Alteration/Tenant Finish · Cheesman Park
What Homeowners Are Saying
"Saved me a trip to city hall. I was about to build a 6-foot fence without a permit, turns out my city requires one for anything over 4 feet."
"I've been putting off finishing my basement because I didn't know where to start with permits. PermitMint gave me fees, timeline, and the building department number in 30 seconds."
"Found out my shed didn't need a permit after all. Was about to pay a contractor $200 just to find that out. Great free tool."
Where our data actually comes from
Pulled from real municipal codes
Every rule comes from a primary source, an actual city or county building code section, not a copy-paste from another website. We cite the exact section.
Cross-checked with the department
After writing a rule, we verify it against the building department’s own website, fee schedule, and posted contact info. Every rule carries a “last verified” date so you know how fresh it is.
Confidence levels you can see
If we verified a rule from a primary source, it’s tagged “high confidence.” If we inferred it from state-level code because the city didn’t publish a local override, it’s tagged “medium.” Nothing is hidden.
Browse by city
Not sure your city is covered? Here are a handful of the most-searched ones. Pick one to see its specific rules, fees, and building department contact info.
View all states and cities → | Compare cities side by side →
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, completely free. You can check whether your project needs a permit, see estimated fees and timelines, and get building department contact info at no cost. No sign-up required.
Our data is researched from official building codes and verified against local building department information. We show the verification date and confidence level for every result. However, requirements can change, always confirm with your local building department before starting work.
If we don't have specific local rules for your city, we'll show results based on the International Residential Code (IRC) that most US cities follow. We'll clearly indicate when a result is based on the baseline code rather than your specific local rules.
It depends on the project. Many small projects like painting, replacing faucets, or building a small shed are exempt. But larger projects like room additions, electrical panel upgrades, or in-ground pools almost always require permits. Doing unpermitted work can lead to fines, having to tear out work, and problems when selling your home.
It's worth verifying independently. Some contractors skip permits to save time or reduce costs, but you, the homeowner, are ultimately responsible for unpermitted work. Check with your local building department, and use PermitMint as a quick reference to see what your city's building code actually requires.