Estimated Due Dates for Building Permits
INFORMATION BULLETIN
100
May 2026
This Information Bulletin describes the estimated due dates for Building Permit applications submitted to the Development Services Department (DSD). These are estimates and are not guaranteed, as DSD cannot limit the number of submitted projects, so the workload is variable.
For example, DSD often receives more Building Permit applications in the month before a new building code is adopted. Still, DSD works to meet the estimated due dates as much as possible. View the average review times for a variety of review disciplines.
Projects that qualify for Rapid Review are not included in the tables below; projects in Rapid Review receive due dates of 6 business days for the first review and 2 business days for rechecks.
I. Building Permit Applications
When a building permit application is submitted, the size of the project is determined based on the lists below. If the project includes multiple buildings, the next category will be used. If more than 50% of the existing building square footage is removed and reconstructed, the building will be considered a new building for the purposes of due dates.
Single Dwelling Units/Duplex/Townhome
Short Project
- Accessory structure additions (e.g., decks, stairs, fences, fireplaces, equipment anchorage on grade, equipment enclosure)
- Alterations/additions < 3,000 sf with no increase in density
- Foundation repair except piles/caissons
- Retaining walls < 10 ft
- Swimming pool
Medium Project
- Any project with a prior discretionary permit
- Alteration/addition 3,000-7,000 sf
- Foundation repair using piles/caissons
- Retaining walls greater than 10 ft
- Shoring walls
- New up to 7,000 sf
Long Project
- Alterations or addition >7,000 sf
- New > 7,000 sf
All Other Building Permits
Short Project
- Accessory structure additions
- Alteration/Addition to an individual dwelling unit
- Change of occupancy other than to A or H occupancy type
- Commercial coaches
- Foundation repair except piles/caissons
- Paint spray booth
- Parking lots only
- Retaining wall < 10 ft
- Signs
- Storefront alteration
- TIs/ Alterations up to 10,000 sf (except for restaurants/ bars/clubs or with hazmat)
Medium Project
- Projects with a prior discretionary permit
- Additions
- Antennas
- Change of occupancy to A or H
- Church <10,000 sf
- Foundation repair using piles/caissons
- MDU < 20 units
- Non-residential building < 2 stories < 20,000 sf
- Parking structure < 3 stories
- Restaurant/bar/club up to 10,000 sf
- Retaining wall >10 ft
- School < 10,000 sf
- Seismic retrofit < 4 stories
- Storage racks
- Shoring walls
- Swimming pools
- TIs/Alterations < 10,000 sf for restaurants/bars or with hazmat
- TIs 10,000-50,000 sf
Long Project
- Church >10,000 sf
- Hotel/motel < 5 stories
- Non-residential TIs > 50,000 sf
- Non-residential building more than 2 stories but less than 5 stories
- Restaurants/bars/club > 10,000 sf
- School >10,000 sf
- Seismic retrofit > 4 stories
- Multiple Dwelling Units with 20-100 units
- New buildings 7 or more stories above grade level
- Parking structure <5 stories and 100,000 sf
Complex Project
- Hotel/motel (new) > 5 stories
- Multiple Dwelling Units >100 units
- Multi-plex theaters/auditoriums
- Non-residential building 5 stories or more
- Parking structure > 5 stories and 100,000 sf
- Shopping malls
- Mixed-use buildings > 3 stories
II. Single Dwelling Units/Duplex and Townhome Estimated Due Dates
Listed below are the estimated due dates (in business days) for projects that are single dwelling units (homes), duplexes and townhomes. Apartments and condominium buildings that contain more than 2 dwelling units are covered in the All Other Building Permits category.
Short Project | Medium Project | Long Project | Final Version | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | |
8 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 5 |
III. All Other Building Permits Estimated Due Dates
Listed below are the estimated due dates (in business days) for all building projects that are not single-family units (homes), duplexes and townhomes. This includes apartments, condominiums, offices, retail, restaurants, etc. For information on the Expedite and Express programs, see Information Bulletin 538 and Information Bulletin 700, respectively.
* Note that Complex timelines only occur for the Structural 1 and Structural 2 review disciplines. All other due dates for complex projects follow the Long due dates.
I. Standard Reviews
Short Project | Medium Project | Long Project | Complex Project* | Final Version | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | |
10 | 6 | 20 | 10 | 40 | 20 | 60 | 30 | 5 |
II. Expedite Reviews
Short Project | Medium Project | Long Project | Complex Project* | Final Version | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | |
8 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 30 | 15 | 60 | 30 | 5 |
III. Express Reviews
Short Project | Medium Project | Long Project | Complex Project* | Final Version | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | First Review | Recheck | |
6 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 10 | 30 | 15 | 5 |