Where Memphis permits live
The portal says it serves "Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington, and unincorporated Shelby County", and that "Projects in Bartlett and Collierville cannot be submitted here" (read 24 October 2026). The DPD home page, develop901.com, has a "Search permit activity" link and a "Go to Citizen Portal" button.
| Tool | Search by | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Develop901 Citizen Portal (Accela) | Site address, record number and type, licensed professional | Building, trade, fire, sign and planning records, inspections and fees |
| Develop901 Project Locator Map (in the portal) | A point on the map or an address | Records up to 6 months after they close |
| DPD Building Permits (open data) | Any field, including record ID, address, ZIP and construction type | Building permits only, with issue date, valuation and description; our source |
How to look up the permits on a Memphis address
- Open the Citizen Portal and choose Search Applications.
- In General Search, enter the street number and only the street name. The portal's own instructions say to leave out the direction (N, North) and the street type (Road, Street, Cove).
- To search all departments at once rather than just Building, tick Search All Records.
- Open each record on the property and read its status and inspections. A remodel can carry a building permit plus separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.
- To check a contractor, switch the search type to Search by Licensed Professional Information. Records beginning TMP are, in the portal's words, "partially completed and not yet submitted", not permits.
What the statuses mean in our Memphis file
The DPD open data layer has no status column and no final inspection date, so our pages cannot show which Memphis permits were finished or how long they took. Each record's current status, and its inspection results, are only in the Citizen Portal. The file's valuation is the figure on the permit, which sets the fee; it is not a final cost.
What our Memphis pages add
Our Memphis page counts the permits DPD issued, October 2024 to September 2026:
| Kind of work | Permits (Oct 2024–Sep 2026) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Remodels and repairs | 2,643 | 28% |
| New homes | 1,840 | 19% |
| Garages, sheds and shade structures | 787 | 8% |
| Additions | 765 | 8% |
| Roofing | 468 | 5% |
| Pools and spas | 344 | 4% |
| Fences and walls | 281 | 3% |
76% of the permits were for homes. ZIP 38002 had the most, 693 (7%), most of them new homes; see Memphis permits by ZIP code. The permit statistics page has year and month counts, and browse permits lists the rows. To check a contractor's state licence, see how to check a contractor's license in Tennessee.
What this does not tell you
The DPD file names no contractor, so we do not list or rank Memphis firms, and it holds building permits only: no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits. Bartlett and Collierville run their own permit offices and are not in it.
How we know this
Portal coverage, search options and search instructions are quoted from the Develop901 Citizen Portal and develop901.com, read 24 October 2026. Our counts are the Memphis Open Data Hub DPD Building Permits layer, read 19 October 2026: permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Memphis?
Open Search Applications in the Develop901 Citizen Portal and search by site address. The portal searches the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development's records by address, record information or licensed professional, and lists every permit filed on the property.
- Can I look up Memphis permits by contractor?
Yes, in the Citizen Portal: its General Search has a Search by Licensed Professional Information option. The DPD open data file has no contractor column, so our Memphis pages do not list or rank firms.
- Does the Develop901 portal cover Germantown, Bartlett and Collierville?
The portal says it serves Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington and unincorporated Shelby County, and that projects in Bartlett and Collierville cannot be submitted there; apply at those cities' own offices.
- How many building permits does Memphis issue?
About 4,722 a year: 9,445 building permits issued October 2024 to September 2026 in the DPD Building Permits file for Memphis and Shelby County. Remodels and repairs led with 2,643.
- Are electrical and plumbing permits in the Memphis open data?
No. The DPD Building Permits layer carries building permits only, so electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits have to be looked up one property at a time in the Citizen Portal.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Adams County, CO building permit search: the e-Permit Center, statuses and CORA
- Alachua County building permit search: Citizenserve, statuses and old records
- Anaheim building permit search: Anaheim NEXT and the Building Permit Report
- Arlington, VA building permit search: Permit Arlington lookups and FOIA requests
- Pitt County building permit search: the county permitting portal and what the file shows
- Portland building permit search: PortlandMaps, statuses and old records