Guide · Permits
How to verify permits and inspections for home work
The short answer
Contact the local building authority before work and ask what permits and inspections the exact scope requires. Put responsibility in the contract, confirm the permit is issued for your address, display it if required, and obtain the final approval record. A contractor asking you to evade a required permit is a red flag.
Editorial status: source-checked on 2026-08-22; not reviewed by a lawyer, licensing authority, engineer or trade professional. United States; permit triggers, responsible parties, inspections and public records are local.
Ask the authority, not only the bidder
Contact the official city, county or other authority having jurisdiction and describe the work precisely. Ask which permits apply, which licence class can pull them, required inspections and how final approval is recorded. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to obtain required permits as a potential scam warning, though legitimate arrangements differ locally.
Track the permit to closeout
Match the permit address, contractor and scope. Do not conceal work before required rough inspections. Keep correction notices and final approval. An inspection addresses the authority’s code process; it does not guarantee every contract promise or warranty.
- Official permit number
- Correct property and scope
- Named responsible contractor
- Required inspection sequence
- Corrections resolved
- Final approval retained
Sources
Primary government and consumer-protection sources checked for this guide:
- How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission. Accessed .
- HIC Homeowner Resources, Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. Accessed .