How we verify

PermitNotebook exists to point you to the right permit office and the official rules for your project. To keep that trustworthy, we follow the same process on every page.

Our sources, in order

First, the official local government: the county or city building, zoning, or development services department, including its permit portal and published fee schedule. Second, the permit portal vendor, used only to find the right application and category, never as a content source. Third, state sources such as the applicable state building code for the rules that apply statewide while localities set the specifics.

What every page tells you

Each permit page lists the official sources we used, shows the date it was last checked against those sources, and states plainly when a rule could not be confirmed. We do not publish a fee, threshold, or requirement that we could not find on an official source. When we are not sure, we say so and point you to the office.

Corrections

Rules change, and pages can fall out of date. Every permit page has a link to report an error. We especially welcome corrections from permit office staff. Send us the official source and we will update the page and the date it was last checked.

How confident we are

Each permit page can carry a confidence label that tells you how its main answer was established:

• Confirmed on official page: we read this directly from the locality's official government page.
• From an official source: the value comes from official government material we could not open directly but that is quoted from the official source.
• Based on building code: the value reflects the applicable state or model building code rather than a page specific to this locality.
• Not confirmed: we could not confirm this from an official source. Treat it as a starting point and confirm with the office.

The same label appears on each permit page so you can see, at a glance, how its main answer was established.

How pages are produced

Every permit page on this site is generated from a structured dataset: a person verifies each data entry (the verdict, threshold, fee, office, and sources) against the official sources listed on the page, and a template renders those verified entries into the page you read. The facts are checked by humans; the assembly into pages is automated.

What this is, and what it is not

We compile and cross-check this information against the official sources listed on each page. We are not the permit office, and we have not independently confirmed every detail with each office. Some details are drawn from the applicable building code rather than a locality-specific page, and requirements change between our checks. Treat each page as a fast way to reach the official source, not as a substitute for it.

This is a reference to help you get to the official source faster. It is not legal advice and not a replacement for the permit office. Always confirm current requirements directly with the office before starting a project.