The usual Cleveland permit takes 139 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout, across all 12 kinds of work on file (27,300 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). The usual plumbing permit, the biggest trade here, takes 234 days. Demolition is quickest at 42 days; remodel & repair the slowest at 391 days. This is the turnaround to finish the work and close the permit, not the wait for approval.
“How long does a permit take?” can mean two waits. This page measures the second one.
Getting the permit (not measured): application → issue, the wait for the city to approve it. Cleveland's file we read does not carry a usable application date, so we don't guess at it. Ask the permit office for its current review times.
Finishing the work (measured here): issue → completion. The day the city issued the permit to the day it recorded a final inspection or closeout. That is the contractor's part: doing the work and getting it signed off.
What “finished” means in Cleveland: For contractors with at least 5 permits a year or more old, the share that passed final inspection or were closed.
Speed: How long their permits take from issue to final inspection, using the city's dates, compared with other Cleveland contractors in the trade. Shown for firms with 10+ permits.
Usual is the middle permit: half finish sooner, half later. Finished is the share of permits a year or more old that the city closed out.
| Trade | Permits | Usual days to finish | Finished | Firms with 10+ permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | 5,315 | 234 | 58.7% | 78 |
| Roofing | 4,923 | 91 | 78.0% | 100 |
| HVAC | 4,916 | 142 | 81.1% | 67 |
| Electrical | 4,049 | 146 | 64.5% | 99 |
| Windows & Doors | 2,938 | 140 | 75.5% | 30 |
| Demolition | 1,572 | 42 | 93.0% | 21 |
| Remodel & Repair | 1,443 | 391 | 57.5% | 19 |
| Fence | 890 | 168 | 74.9% | 13 |
| Siding | 451 | 159 | 74.7% | 10 |
| New Home | 343 | 344 | 82.1% | 7 |
| Garage | 303 | 139 | 82.6% | 5 |
| Solar | 157 | 185 | 70.9% | 4 |
Each trade on its own, from issue to the city's sign-off. The spread between the quickest and slowest quarter of firms is the part you can choose.
The usual plumbing permit in Cleveland takes 234 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (5,315 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 58.7% of plumbing permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
The usual roofing permit in Cleveland takes 91 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (4,923 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 78.0% of roofing permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.4 months, the slowest quarter in 6.1 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
100 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland roofing contractors →
The usual HVAC permit in Cleveland takes 142 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (4,916 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 81.1% of HVAC permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.7 months, the slowest quarter in 6.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
64 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland HVAC contractors →
The usual electrical permit in Cleveland takes 146 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (4,049 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 64.5% of electrical permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.6 months, the slowest quarter in 7.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
84 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland electrical contractors →
The usual windows & doors permit in Cleveland takes 140 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (2,938 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 75.5% of windows & doors permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.7 months, the slowest quarter in 9.9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
28 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland windows & doors contractors →
The usual demolition permit in Cleveland takes 42 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (1,572 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 93.0% of demolition permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 0.9 months, the slowest quarter in 1.9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
21 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland demolition contractors →
The usual remodel & repair permit in Cleveland takes 391 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (1,443 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 57.5% of remodel & repair permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 4.1 months, the slowest quarter in 17.9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
14 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland remodel & repair contractors →
The usual fence permit in Cleveland takes 168 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (890 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 74.9% of fence permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 3.9 months, the slowest quarter in 8.8 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
13 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland fence contractors →
The usual siding permit in Cleveland takes 159 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (451 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 74.7% of siding permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 3.8 months, the slowest quarter in 9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
9 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland siding contractors →
The usual new home permit in Cleveland takes 344 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (343 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 82.1% of new home permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 9.1 months, the slowest quarter in 12.2 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
7 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland new home contractors →
The usual garage permit in Cleveland takes 139 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (303 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 82.6% of garage permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.9 months, the slowest quarter in 6 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
5 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland garage contractors →
The usual solar permit in Cleveland takes 185 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (157 permits, October 2023 through September 2026). 70.9% of solar permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 4.8 months, the slowest quarter in 8.1 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Cleveland's file.
4 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Cleveland solar contractors →
Source: City of Cleveland building permits. The window is October 2023 through September 2026; a permit filed after that isn't here yet.
A filed value is what the contractor wrote on the permit when they applied. It is not a quote and not the final bill.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits, and one permit can cover several visits.
Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. How the records work in Cleveland →
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