Permitting how-to’s and local municipal guides.
If you need to pull a permit anywhere in New York, you’ll need to first understand the ins and outs of New York State building permit requirements.
Let's walk through the basics of what you need to know about building permits in New York, including which projects require a permit, how to get one, and how to simplify the process.
In New York State, all major construction projects require a building permit. These permits exist to make sure buildings are safe and meet all local and state codes.
Some projects that typically need a permit include:
This list is not exhaustive, and different cities and towns in New York have different rules about what needs a permit. Always check with your local building department to make sure.
Building permits are issued by local government agencies throughout New York State. These might be city or town building departments, or county building departments in the case of some rural areas.
New York City has its own Department of Buildings, which you can access in person or online.
Permit costs vary widely across the state and are typically calculated based on project valuation, square footage, or type of work. Here are a few examples:
In New York City, permit fees are tied to job type and construction valuation. Typical fees range from $100 to several thousand dollars.
Additional fees may include filing fees, special inspections, energy code reviews, and penalties for unpermitted work.
New York presents several permitting challenges that are unique to the state:
Cities like NYC, Albany, and Buffalo have Landmark Preservation Commissions that must approve alterations to designated historic properties.
Additional review time and documentation (e.g., materials matching, facade drawings) is often needed.
NY enforces a strict energy conservation code, especially in NYC and areas aligned with LEED/green building initiatives.
Some areas require stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs) and environmental site assessments.
Zoning challenges are common, especially in NYC where special purpose districts and zoning resolutions may limit scope of work.
Use group classifications, lot coverage, floor-area ratio (FAR), and egress requirements must be verified early.
In upstate regions, cold-weather restrictions may limit foundation and exterior work between November and March.
Here’s a simplified breakdown of the general permitting process across most New York municipalities:
Confirm whether your project requires a building, trade, or zoning permit.
For NYC projects, register your project in DOB NOW and identify required filing types.
Most permit applications require:
Submit via local e-permitting portals or in person at the town/city building department.
Plans are reviewed for compliance with:
Corrections are common — respond quickly to avoid delays.
Once approved, pay the required permit fees. Some municipalities may require payment before plan review begins.
Once issued, post the permit visibly at the jobsite. Schedule required inspections (framing, MEP, final) through DOB NOW or local systems.
Yes! As part of our commitment to deliver the best possible experience for pulling permits, we’re here to help you whether you permit in the municipality you frequent as well across multiple municipalities nationwide.
We have a team that is ready to support you with all of your permitting needs. Speak with an expert today to get onboarded with PermitFlow.
The time it takes to pull a permit is dependent on your project specifics as well as the municipality you are pulling the permit in; however, with PermitFlow’s platform, you will be able to submit requirement ready, error-free applications that save your team hours of time and shorten municipal review cycles by as much as 60%. Speak with an expert today to better understand what your estimated permitting cycle time would be.
In short, the benefits of using our permit software are two-fold: