What 12 departments say, with their permit counts
Rules from each department's own page, read 23 October 2026. Counts are new-home permits in the city's file over three years to September 2026; "usual days" is the typical time from issue to final inspection, which is mostly construction time.
| City | What the department says | New-home permits | Usual days to final | Reached a final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Exempts only accessory buildings up to 200 square feet that do not create a dwelling | 4,352 | 356 | 82.6% |
| Denton, TX | "Lot shall be platted prior to building permit issuance"; form board surveys, final drainage surveys and special inspections are uploaded | 2,906 | 181 | 97.6% |
| Sacramento County (unincorporated) | New homes are reviewed by Technical Resources, LDSIR, Planning and the Sacramento Sewer District; fire sprinklers required since 2011 | 2,344 | 171 | 100.0% |
| Albuquerque, NM | Every permit with plans needs a plot plan showing property lines, buildings and setbacks; new homes follow a separate handout | 1,370 | — | 59.7% |
| Naperville, IL | "Construction of a new building or structure, including main buildings" | 955 | 672 | 14.0% |
| San Diego County (unincorporated) | No permits on a site needing grading "until the rough grading has been inspected and approved" | 663 | 225 | 88.4% |
| Cincinnati, OH | "Permits are required for all new construction"; plans for 1 to 3 family homes generally need no seal | 407 | 660 | 44.7% |
| San Diego, CA | Owners "must obtain a permit before constructing" | 389 | 358 | 91.1% |
| Minneapolis, MN | "Most construction projects require you to obtain permits before you start the work" | 204 | 396 | 84.7% |
| Sugar Land, TX | No one may "erect, construct" a structure "without first obtaining a permit" | 156 | 199 | 84.8% |
| Saint Paul, MN | "A general building permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish… residences" | 133 | — | 34.8% |
| Citrus Heights, CA | "New construction of a home or commercial building" | — | — | — |
Albuquerque and Saint Paul show no days because their files carry no final date we can time; Citrus Heights has no new-home category in our file.
What comes before the building permit
The building permit is the last gate, not the first. Denton will not issue one until the lot is platted. San Diego County will not issue one on a site that needs grading until the rough grading is inspected, the soil and compaction reports are approved and plan check fees are paid. Sacramento County routes every new home through four reviews, including the sewer district. If you are buying a lot, ask the city whether it is platted and whether it needs a grading permit before you close.
How long it takes
The spread is the story. The usual new-home permit closed in 171 days in Sacramento County and 181 in Denton, against 356 in Austin, 358 in San Diego and 672 in Naperville. The finish rate splits the same way: 100.0% of Sacramento County's new-home permits a year or more old reached a final, 97.6% of Denton's, against 14.0% of Naperville's. In Sacramento County the signed final on the job card is the house's certificate of occupancy, so moving in waits on it.
Who pulls it
The builder, or in some cities you as owner-builder. Saint Paul issues permits to the homesteader or a contractor licensed by the city; Sugar Land needs no license for general building work on your own property but requires licensed plumbing, mechanical and electrical trades; Cincinnati issues permits only to licensed contractors. The builder check is in hiring a home builder.
Check it in five minutes
- Look up the lot on the city's or county's map: zoning, platting and whether it is in a flood or grading area.
- Ask the builder which permits they will file, and check how many new-home permits they have on file in your city; our compare pages list them.
- Put the final inspection in the contract as a condition of the last payment.
See every Denton home builder by permits filed →
What this does not tell you
We read 12 departments' rules; zoning, subdivision and utility approvals add their own steps. "Usual days" measures issue to final, so a fast number can mean a production builder, not a fast city.
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 Austin issued construction permits; City of Denton Building Safety permits on homes (the city's yearly permit reports); Sacramento County building permits on single-family, duplex and townhouse homes in the unincorporated county (the County's Accela permit layer); City of Albuquerque building permits; City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records); San Diego County Planning & Development Services building permits on homes in the unincorporated county (the County's open-data permit, contractor and status-history files); City of Cincinnati building permits (residential, Residential Code of Ohio); City of San Diego Development Services approvals, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can I build a small house without a permit?
No. The exemptions in these departments are for sheds and playhouses: up to 200 square feet in Austin and Saint Paul, 120 in San Diego County and Albuquerque, and Albuquerque says an accessory building 'cannot be used for dwelling purposes'. Austin's exemption is limited to a building that 'does not create a dwelling, contains no plumbing'.
- Can I build my own house as the owner?
In some cities. Saint Paul issues permits for single and two-family homes to 'the homesteader of the property' or a contractor licensed by the city. Sugar Land says 'A license is not required for general building work on your own property', but plumbing and mechanical work needs a Texas license and electrical work a licensed electrician. Cincinnati 'issues permits only to contractors who are properly licensed'.
- How long does a new-home permit take?
The usual new-home permit reached its final inspection in 171 days in Sacramento County, 181 in Denton and 225 in San Diego County, against 672 in Naperville and 660 in Cincinnati. That clock runs from permit issue to the final inspection, so it is mostly the build.
- Does a new house need fire sprinklers?
In Sacramento County, yes: 'As of January 1st, 2011 all new one and two family dwellings require fire sprinklers.' Ask your department whether it has the same rule.
- What does the permit say a new house costs?
The usual filed value on a new-home permit was $397,548 in Denton, $444,771 in Sacramento County and $255,600 in Naperville. Filed values are construction value written on the application, not the sale price; more in new home construction 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 for a pool? Yes for in-ground: the rule in 13 cities, and how long they take
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Austin new home permit: plan review, fees, inspections and how long a build stays open
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Denton, TX? The City's new-home permit, fees and 13 inspections
For one city
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- New Residential Construction — City of Denton, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Frequently Asked Questions — Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Home Owner's Building Permit Guide — City of Albuquerque Building Safety Division (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
- PDS 110 Building Permit Requirements per Adoptive Ordinance (rev. 01/01/2026) — County of San Diego (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permit Guide — City of Cincinnati Buildings & Inspections (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Construction work exempt from permit — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Frequently Asked Questions, Permits & Inspections — City of Sugar Land, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permit Requirements & Exemptions — City of Citrus Heights, CA (accessed 2026-10-23)