What your application status means

Your project page shows where your application is right now. This explains what each stage means, whether you need to do anything, and what comes next.

The office handling your application may use slightly different wording than you see here — the stages below describe the shape of the process, which is the same either way.

Quick answer: do I need to do something?

The short version, before the detail:

If your application is with the office for review, you don't need to do anything. You'll be notified when that changes.

You need to act when you've been sent corrections, when fees are waiting to be paid, or when you're ready to request an inspection. Your project page will say so, and you'll get an email.

The stages

Draft / not yet submitted

You've started an application but haven't sent it. Nobody at the office can see it yet, and no review has begun.

Do you need to act? Yes — it isn't submitted until you complete the final submit step. This is the most common reason an application seems to sit with no progress.

Submitted

Your application has been received and is waiting to be looked at.

Do you need to act? No. It's in the queue.

Intake review

Staff are checking that your application is complete — the right documents attached, the right information filled in — before it goes to reviewers. This is a completeness check, not a decision about your project.

Do you need to act? Not yet. If something is missing, you'll be told what it is.

What's next: accepted into review, or returned to you for missing items.

In review

Reviewers are examining your plans. Depending on your project, this may involve several departments looking at it for different things, sometimes at the same time.

Do you need to act? No. This is usually the longest stage.

Corrections / resubmittal required

Reviewers have questions or need changes. You'll get a list of what needs to be addressed.

Do you need to act? Yes. Nothing moves until you respond.

This is a normal part of review — most projects go through at least one round, and it doesn't mean you did anything wrong. See What a correction means.

Fees due

Fees have been calculated and are waiting to be paid.

Do you need to act? Yes. Review or issuance typically won't continue until fees are settled. See Paying your fees.

Approved

Review is complete and your project has been approved.

Do you need to act? Possibly — approval and issuance are separate steps, and there may be fees or documents outstanding before your permit is issued.

Issued

Your permit has been issued. This is the point at which work can generally begin.

Do you need to act? Check your permit documents for any conditions attached to it, and for which inspections your project requires.

Inspections

Work is underway and inspections are being scheduled and completed as your project progresses.

Do you need to act? Yes — inspections are requested by you, not scheduled automatically. See Requesting an inspection.

Closed / completed

All required inspections have passed and the permit is finished. No further action needed.

Denied, withdrawn, or expired

The application ended without a permit being issued — declined during review, withdrawn by the applicant, or expired after a period of inactivity.

Do you need to act? If this is unexpected, contact the office. There's usually a note explaining why, and in many cases there's a path forward.

How long does each stage take?

Review timelines depend on your project type, how complete your application is, and current workload. The office can tell you what's typical for your project — the phone number shown on your portal, their published hours.

The single biggest factor within your control is how complete your first submission is. Applications that go through fewer correction rounds finish substantially sooner.

Still not sure what your status means

Use the contact details on your portal to get in touch. Have your project or permit number ready — it's on your project page and in your notification emails, and it lets staff find you immediately.