What is exempt, and the dollar lines
Rules from each department's own page, read 23 October 2026.
| Department | No permit for… | Dollar line |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Kitchen cabinets, paneling over existing walls, insulating existing buildings | "minor repairs or alterations that cost $6,000 or less in any 6-month period", labor counted even if you do it yourself |
| Saint Paul, MN | "Painting, wall papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work" | Minor alterations over $500 in labor and materials need a permit |
| San Diego, CA | "painting, wallpapering and installing flooring or cabinets" | "maintenance repairs under $1,000 involving like-for-like replacements are exempt" |
| Albuquerque, NM | Finish work, "Interior non-structural demolitions", interior paneling | "Repairs, as defined herein, less than $1000.00 in valuation" |
| Austin, TX | Finish work; drywall repair up to 128 square feet outside fire-rated walls and tub surrounds | None; a new shower or tub "is not exempt" |
| Bellevue, WA | Replacing kitchen cabinets or countertops | None |
| Citrus Heights, CA | Painting, floor coverings, cabinets with no electrical or plumbing | None |
| Naperville, IL | "painting, wallpapering, carpeting, and trim work" | None |
| Cary, NC | "Replacement or repair of non-structural cosmetic building elements" | None |
| Waco, TX | Flooring, painting and cabinets | None |
Seattle's $6,000 does not cover "any work on load-bearing supports, changes to the building envelope, and work that reduces egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance".
The rule in 13 cities, with their permit counts
Counts are remodel permits in the city's file over three years to September 2026. Cities label the category differently: Sacramento County and Citrus Heights file additions and repairs with remodels, Wheaton's covers kitchens, baths and basements.
| City | What needs the permit | Remodel permits | Usual filed value | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Anything not on the exempt list | 7,109 | — | 67 |
| Saint Paul, MN | Alterations over $500; trade work needs trade permits | 2,797 | $16,000 | 364 |
| Naperville, IL | "Remodeling of a building (i.e. kitchen, basement and bathrooms)" | 1,057 | $46,300 | 175 |
| San Diego, CA | "constructing, expanding, altering, renovating" | 1,681 | $18,998 | 162 |
| Bellevue, WA | Interior-only remodels "such as creating new walls or converting basements to living areas" | 675 | $40,000 | 216 |
| Sacramento County | "Additions / Alterations" | 2,933 | $22,464 | 85 |
| Citrus Heights, CA | "HOUSE REMODELING", kitchen and bath remodels | 713 | $14,525 | 101 |
| Cary, NC | "Interior and/or exterior wall demolition or addition" | 1,857 | $40,000 | 84 |
| Waco, TX | A Repairs & Alterations permit for anything past finish work, including any electrical, mechanical or plumbing work | 284 | $12,000 | 303 |
| Wheaton, IL | An Interior Remodeling permit with existing and proposed floor plans | 283 | $44,063 | 132 |
| Cincinnati, OH | "all new construction, major repairs, alterations, and additions" | 2,075 | $17,856 | 340 |
| Denton, TX | "wall removal, wall addition, room addition, window and/or door addition/replacement" | 323 | $8,500 | — |
| Albuquerque, NM | Remodeling "not listed as exempt"; small jobs may need only a "Minor Alteration and Repair" permit | 409 | $25,000 | — |
Denton and Albuquerque show no days because their files carry no final date we can time.
One permit or several
It depends on the city. Denton says "Any Mechanical, Plumbing or Electrical work that is part of the alteration will be included in this permit", and Waco folds trade work into the Repairs & Alterations permit. Saint Paul requires separate trade permits, and Cincinnati requires separate permits for plumbing, electrical and HVAC "whether the work is done in conjunction with other work performed under a building permit or not". Ask the contractor which permits they will pull and who pulls each one. Kitchen and bath specifics are in kitchen remodel permits and bathroom remodel permits.
Who pulls it
Cincinnati "issues permits only to contractors who are properly licensed". Saint Paul issues them to the homesteader or a contractor licensed by the city. Cary lets an owner do their own building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work if the house stays their primary residence for 12 months after. Wheaton requires sealed plans from an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer when load-bearing walls or framing move. The license check is in hiring a remodeling contractor.
How long it takes
The usual remodel permit closed in 67 days in Austin, 84 in Cary and 85 in Sacramento County, against 303 in Waco and 364 in Saint Paul. Only 51.2% of Saint Paul's remodel permits a year or more old reached a final, against 88.9% in Cary. Hold back part of the last payment until the final passes.
Check it in five minutes
- List what the job changes: walls, wiring, plumbing, ducts, windows. Structural or trade work means a permit in all 14; only the dollar lines below cover small non-structural jobs.
- If it is finish work only, check your city's dollar line in the first table.
- Ask the contractor for the permit numbers and look them up on your city's permit portal before the first payment.
See every Naperville remodeler by permits filed →
What this does not tell you
We read 14 departments' rules; HOA and historic-district approvals are separate. The remodel category means different things in different cities' files, so compare days and values within a city, not across. Exempt finish work leaves no record.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the pages under Sources, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts, filed values, usual days to final and finished shares come from each city's permit file over the three years ending September 2026. "Usual days" is the median from issue to final inspection; "reached a final" counts permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City of Saint Paul building and trade permits (the City's old approved-permits file up to June 2025, and the City's PAULIE permit system since September 2025), with the contractor named on each permit; City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records); City of San Diego Development Services approvals; City of Bellevue permits on single-family homes and condo units; Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); City of Wheaton permits on homes (the city's permit application and inspection exports); City of Cincinnati building permits (residential, Residential Code of Ohio); City of Austin issued construction permits, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets or flooring?
Not in the departments we read, as long as no wiring or plumbing moves. Austin, Saint Paul and Albuquerque exempt 'cabinets, countertops' and similar finish work; Bellevue says 'A building permit is not required for replacing kitchen cabinets or countertops'; Citrus Heights exempts floor coverings and cabinets with no electrical or plumbing work.
- Is there a dollar amount under which a remodel needs no permit?
In four of the 14. Saint Paul requires a permit for minor alterations over $500 in labor and materials; San Diego exempts like-for-like maintenance repairs under $1,000; Albuquerque exempts repairs under $1,000 in valuation; Seattle exempts minor repairs or alterations of $6,000 or less in any 6-month period. None of them exempts structural work at any price.
- Do I need a permit to remove a wall?
Yes. Denton lists 'wall removal, wall addition' as alteration work, Cary lists 'Interior and/or exterior wall demolition or addition', and Seattle requires a permit for 'any work on load-bearing supports' however small. Wheaton requires plans sealed by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer if a load-bearing wall moves.
- How long does a remodel permit take?
The usual remodel permit reached its final inspection in 67 days in Austin and 84 in Cary, against 340 in Cincinnati and 364 in Saint Paul. The clock runs from issue to the final inspection, so it includes the build.
- What does a permitted remodel cost?
The usual filed value on a remodel permit was $46,300 in Naperville, $40,000 in Bellevue and $40,000 in Cary, against $16,000 in Saint Paul and $8,500 in Denton. More in home remodel cost.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom? The rule in 14 cities, and what is exempt
- Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen? The rule in 18 cities, and what is exempt
- Do I need a permit for electrical work? The rule in 13 cities, and how many get filed
- Do I need a permit for a home addition? Yes in all 18 cities we read; here is what it involves
- Do I need a remodel permit in Cary, NC? Kitchens, baths and walls: what the Town exempts, plan review and finish rates
- Do I need a remodel permit in Cincinnati? Yes for alterations; not for roofing, siding or like-size windows
For one city
- Do You Need a Permit? — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Projects Requiring a Building Permit (CHB0600, rev. 08/23) — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Work requiring permits — City of Bellevue, WA (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Additions or Alterations — City of Denton, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Do I Need a Permit? — City of Waco Inspection Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Home Owner's Building Permit Guide — City of Albuquerque Building Safety Division (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Interior Remodeling - Residential — City of Wheaton, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permit Guide — City of Cincinnati Buildings & Inspections (accessed 2026-10-23)