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[ Knowledge Base · 04 Permitting ]

Digital permitting

Also called: e-permitting · model-based permitting

The movement of permit submission and review from paper and PDF to structured digital processes, up to and including review performed against the BIM model itself.

Depends on: Jurisdiction IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) Machine-readable building codes

Related: AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) Structured compliance data layer

Jurisdictions Technology companies Architects

Why it matters

For jurisdictions, structured submissions promise faster, more consistent review with the same staff. For design teams, the same structure makes requirements checkable before submission instead of discoverable after. Digital permitting and design-phase compliance are the two ends of one shift: permitting starts long before permit submission.

Often confused with

  • E-submission. Uploading PDFs to a portal digitizes paper handling, not review. Digital permitting proper means the submission itself is structured data an authority can evaluate consistently.

Common question

Is digital permitting the same as submitting PDFs online?

No. Online PDF submission changes how documents move, not how they are reviewed. Digital permitting means structured submissions, up to the model itself, that support consistent, partially automatable review.

Also in Permitting: Plan check (plan review) Corrections & resubmittals Rework

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