Where Saint Paul permits live
Permits issued before 25 July 2025 "are part of our historical records", and the City says staff are working to make them available in PAULIE. Until they are, an older permit may not appear in the search.
PAULIE is organised by property. The City does not describe a contractor search; our compare pages group the City's permits by the contractor named on each.
How to look up the permits on a Saint Paul address
- Open Find Property Information in PAULIE.
- Search the address and open the property.
- List the permits on it and open each one for its status and inspections.
- Check that the contractor on each permit is the firm you hired.
- If the permit is from before late July 2025 and is missing, contact Safety and Inspections (below).
How to read Saint Paul permit statuses
These are the statuses we read in the City's permit records:
| Status in the record | What it means | Finished in our data? |
|---|---|---|
| Finaled | Final inspection passed | Yes |
| Finaled - No Inspection | Closed without a site visit | Yes |
| Active/Issued | Work allowed, not yet finaled | Not yet |
| Inspected | Inspected, final not yet passed | Not yet |
The City's systems were down after a cyberattack from July to mid-September 2025, and permits issued then are in neither of our sources. PAULIE is also finaling permits more slowly than the old system, so recent permits pull typical times up (Saint Paul about page, methodology).
When the permit you want is not online
For a permit that has not reached PAULIE, ask the Department of Safety and Inspections: 651-266-8989 on weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the City's online incident form, or in person at City Hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd. West (read 23 October 2026).
What our Saint Paul file adds
PAULIE answers "what was permitted at this address". We answer "what does this firm's Saint Paul record look like".
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Finished | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 15,800 | 750 | 74.1% | 59 |
| HVAC | 14,174 | 282 | 55.5% | 164 |
| Plumbing | 9,237 | 463 | 76.8% | 126 |
| Roofing | 8,566 | 1,301 | 68.7% | 106 |
| Windows | 3,977 | 503 | 63.4% | 147 |
| Remodel | 2,797 | 955 | 51.2% | 364 |
5,473 firms pulled the 59,716 permits. "Finished" is the share of permits a year or more old that were finaled.
The Saint Paul permit statistics page has the same file by trade, year and month; the firm lists are on the roofing, electrical and HVAC compare pages. To check the licence behind a name on a permit, use the Saint Paul contractor license lookup; to check whether your job needs a permit at all, see Do I need a permit?.
See every Saint Paul roofer by finished permits →
What this does not tell you
The July to mid-September 2025 gap is missing from our file, and a few firms may appear under two spellings across the two systems. Our file covers October 2023 to September 2026.
How we know this
PAULIE details are quoted from the City of Saint Paul's PAULIE page and FAQ, read 23 October 2026. Statuses are from the City's old approved-permits file and PAULIE's public permit records.
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, data through October 22, 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 Saint Paul?
Search the address in PAULIE's Find Property Information. It covers the City's public permit records since PAULIE launched on 17 September 2025; older permits are being moved into it.
- Are Saint Paul building permits public record?
Yes. The City publishes them in PAULIE's public property search. For an older permit not yet moved over, call Safety and Inspections on 651-266-8989.
- Why can't I find my old Saint Paul permit online?
Permits issued before 25 July 2025 are part of the City's historical records, which it says it is moving into PAULIE. Until then, ask DSI for the record.
- Can I search Saint Paul permits by contractor?
PAULIE is searched by property. Our Saint Paul compare pages list every permit in our file under the firm named on it.
- How long does a Saint Paul permit take to final?
In our file the usual electrical permit finaled in 59 days, roofing in 106 and HVAC in 164.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Waco building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- How to check a contractor's license in Minnesota
- Saint Paul contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Home improvement costs in Saint Paul, MN (2026): what 17 kinds of jobs were filed at
- Do I need an electrical permit in Saint Paul? Homeowner rules, fees and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Saint Paul? Furnace and AC permits, explained
For one city
- PAULIE: New Permitting and Licensing System — City of Saint Paul (2026-10-23)
- Find Property Information — PAULIE (2026-10-23)
- Online incident form — City of Saint Paul (2026-10-23)