Building Permit
A government authorization required before most construction work can legally begin, confirming submitted plans comply with applicable [[concept-building-code|building code]] and zoning requirements, issued after a [[concept-plan-review|plan review]] and followed, at completion, by the [[concept-certificate-of-occupancy|certificate of occupancy]] that confirms the finished work matches what was actually permitted.
Why it matters
Starting work without the required permit isn't just a paperwork gap: it exposes an owner and contractor to a [[concept-stop-work-order|stop work order]], fines, and potentially having to undo completed work that a building department never had the chance to review in progress.
On a real project
A contractor begins a structural renovation before the permit revision covering that specific scope is approved, and a building inspector issues a stop work order on the affected portion of the site until the missing permit documentation is submitted and approved.
Who this matters most to
A Project Manager tracks permit status closely because so much of the schedule depends on it: work often legally can't start, or can't be inspected, until the right permit is in hand. An Owner's Representative often manages the permitting process directly on the owner's behalf, especially on projects where permitting timelines are a major schedule risk.
Where this goes wrong
A project manager assumes a scope change is minor enough not to need a permit revision and proceeds with the work anyway. A routine inspection catches the unpermitted change, and the resulting stop work order costs far more time than simply submitting the revision up front would have.
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