The usual electrical permit in Saint Paul, the biggest trade with a completion date, takes 54 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (17,041 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). Electrical is also the quickest trade here; new home the slowest at 559 days. This is the turnaround to finish the work and close the permit, not the wait for approval. Records run through June 2025; the city's file has nothing newer.
“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. Saint Paul'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 Saint Paul: For contractors with at least 5 permits a year or more old, the share that were finaled, compared with permits of the same trade issued in the same quarter.
Speed: How long their permits take from issue to final, using the city's dates, compared with other Saint Paul 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. A dash means the Saint Paul record has no completion date for that trade (fence), so there is nothing to count days from; it does not mean those permits are slow.
| Trade | Permits | Usual days to finish | Finished | Firms with 10+ permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 17,041 | 54 | 84.6% | 239 |
| Roofing | 16,928 | 128 | 76.3% | 293 |
| HVAC & Gas | 14,402 | 150 | 64.1% | 107 |
| Plumbing | 9,210 | 77 | 99.7% | 142 |
| Windows & Doors | 4,513 | 109 | 68.0% | 47 |
| Remodel & Repair | 3,037 | 206 | 60.1% | 46 |
| Fence | 1,964 | — | — | 15 |
| Siding | 1,112 | 186 | 65.5% | 24 |
| Solar | 823 | 69 | 93.8% | 10 |
| Drain Tile & Waterproofing | 747 | 106 | 63.4% | 7 |
| Garage & Accessory | 538 | 207 | 73.1% | 6 |
| Deck, Porch & Steps | 465 | 196 | 53.1% | 3 |
| Fireplace & Stove | 317 | 55 | 75.6% | 7 |
| Stucco & Plaster | 272 | 134 | 92.9% | 6 |
| Addition | 220 | 429 | 54.0% | 1 |
| New Home | 172 | 559 | 49.7% | 4 |
| Radon Mitigation | 138 | 224 | 98.7% | 2 |
| Demolition | 101 | 263 | 75.0% | 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 electrical permit in Saint Paul takes 54 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (17,041 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 84.6% of electrical 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 2.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
232 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul electrical contractors →
The usual roofing permit in Saint Paul takes 128 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (16,928 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 76.3% of roofing permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.2 months, the slowest quarter in 4.9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
231 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul roofing contractors →
The usual HVAC & gas permit in Saint Paul takes 150 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (14,402 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 64.1% of HVAC & gas permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
The usual plumbing permit in Saint Paul takes 77 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (9,210 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 99.7% of plumbing permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.8 months, the slowest quarter in 3.9 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
142 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul plumbing contractors →
The usual windows & doors permit in Saint Paul takes 109 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (4,513 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 68.0% of windows & doors permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.2 months, the slowest quarter in 3.8 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
35 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul windows & doors contractors →
The usual remodel & repair permit in Saint Paul takes 206 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (3,037 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 60.1% of remodel & repair permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.9 months, the slowest quarter in 6.6 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
31 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul remodel & repair contractors →
The usual siding permit in Saint Paul takes 186 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (1,112 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 65.5% of siding 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 6 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
20 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul siding contractors →
The usual solar permit in Saint Paul takes 69 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (823 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 93.8% of solar 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 2.2 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
10 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul solar contractors →
The usual drain tile & waterproofing permit in Saint Paul takes 106 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (747 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 63.4% of drain tile & waterproofing permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.8 months, the slowest quarter in 6.3 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
6 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul drain tile & waterproofing contractors →
The usual garage & accessory permit in Saint Paul takes 207 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (538 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 73.1% of garage & accessory permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 4.9 months, the slowest quarter in 5.1 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
4 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul garage & accessory contractors →
The usual deck, porch & steps permit in Saint Paul takes 196 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (465 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 53.1% of deck, porch & steps permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
The usual fireplace & stove permit in Saint Paul takes 55 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (317 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 75.6% of fireplace & stove permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.1 months, the slowest quarter in 4.7 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
7 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul fireplace & stove contractors →
The usual stucco & plaster permit in Saint Paul takes 134 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (272 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 92.9% of stucco & plaster permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.7 months, the slowest quarter in 5.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
6 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul stucco & plaster contractors →
The usual addition permit in Saint Paul takes 429 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (220 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 54.0% of addition permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
The usual new home permit in Saint Paul takes 559 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (172 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 49.7% of new home permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
The usual radon mitigation permit in Saint Paul takes 224 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (138 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 98.7% of radon mitigation permits a year or more old have been closed out. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
The usual demolition permit in Saint Paul takes 263 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (101 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 75.0% of demolition permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 4.6 months, the slowest quarter in 11.3 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Saint Paul's file.
3 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Saint Paul demolition contractors →
No completion date or closeout on record for fence, so no answer for that trade.
Source: City of Saint Paul approved building permits. The window is July 2022 through June 2025; 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 Saint Paul →
Other cities: Nashville Orlando New York City Chicago Austin Raleigh Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh Miami Minneapolis St. Louis Denver San Diego Colorado Springs Honolulu Albuquerque Boulder Greensboro Arlington, VA Scottsdale Henderson Cambridge Somerville Cary Mesa Naperville Bellevue Cape Coral Provo Palo Alto Bellingham Bend Ames Denton Sugar Land Burlington, VT Seattle San Francisco Medford Anaheim Elk Grove Wilmington, NC Bismarck Tyler, TX Columbus, OH Wheaton, IL San Diego County (unincorporated) Marin County (unincorporated) Sacramento County (unincorporated) Citrus Heights, CA Waco, TX