How do you get a building permit approved faster?
Short answer. Submit a complete, accurate application the first time and ask the permit office what was missing before. Clean submissions are processed faster, while incomplete ones are rejected and go to the back of the line.
Work it through
You're the contractor. Pick what you'd do, then see how each choice plays out.
Angela Murphy
The county building department permit clerk
You need a permit approved quickly — the homeowner's family reunion is in 3 weeks and they want the deck done by then. The building department says normal processing is 2-3 weeks.
Angela Murphy, the permit clerk, says: "I can expedite it, but the plans need to be complete and accurate. Last time you submitted, I had to send them back twice."
- Correct
The building department is not your enemy — they're your quality check. Complete, accurate submissions get processed faster. Asking Angela what was wrong last time shows professionalism and respect for the process. Permit clerks remember contractors who submit clean applications — and they remember the ones who don't. Building a good relationship with the building department is a long-term investment in your business.
- Counterproductive
Incomplete submissions get rejected and go to the back of the line when resubmitted. Angela already told you this happened twice before. Submitting garbage to 'get in the queue' wastes everyone's time and delays the permit further. It also marks you as a contractor who doesn't take the process seriously — which means more scrutiny on future submissions.
All 26 permits, inspections & building codes questions
- Who is responsible for permits on a Maryland home improvement job?
- Can you skip permits if the homeowner asks you to?
- How do you build permit costs into a contract?
- Which home projects need a permit in Maryland?
- Do cosmetic bathroom refreshes in rentals need permits?
- What happens when an inspector finds work without a permit?
- What is your liability when unpermitted work fails?
- How should you handle a problem the inspector finds?
- Why do building inspections happen in stages?
- How do you get a building permit approved faster?
- Where is fire blocking required under IRC R302.11?
- When does a basement bedroom need an egress window?
- Where are smoke alarms required after a renovation?
- Can a homeowner refuse GFCI outlets in the kitchen?
- When does a deck stairway need a handrail?
- Does a bathroom need an exhaust fan under the IRC?
- How must a deck ledger be attached to the house?
- How is energy code compliance checked on an addition?
- Does the ADA apply to a single-family bathroom remodel?
- When does a retaining wall need an engineered design?
- What is required before removing a load-bearing wall?
- Can you build a deck over a utility easement?
- When does a patio trigger stormwater management in Maryland?
- Does a building permit override HOA approval?
- How do you take over a job another contractor abandoned?
- How do you assess a homeowner's failed DIY renovation?