Permit glossary
Plain-language definitions for the terms that appear on permits, plans and correction notices.
What this tool does and does not do. It reasons over general US building-code practice and routes you to your own jurisdiction's official page. It does not know your local exemption thresholds, fee amounts or review times, and it does not invent them. The office with jurisdiction is the only authority on those.
The terms that cause the most confusion
Setback and lot coverage are zoning requirements, not building code — which is why a structurally perfect design can still be refused, and why the fix is a variance rather than a redesign of the framing.
Valuation is not what you paid; it is the declared cost of the work including labour, even when you supply the labour yourself. It drives the fee calculation, which is why offices correct it upward against their own tables.
Finaled is the status that closes a permit. Issued is not. The gap between those two words is where open permits come from, and it is the single most consequential distinction on this page.
Rough-in means installed but not covered. Every rough-in stage exists so an inspector can see what is about to be hidden, which is why "I already drywalled" is not a workable answer.
Reading a correction notice
Correction notices cite code sections rather than explaining them. If a citation is not clear, ask the inspector which section and what specifically fails it — that is a reasonable request and a good inspector answers it readily. Most disputes resolve at exactly that point.