# PermitCore > A normalised, classified index of US building permits — 24.4M+ permits from 93 government jurisdictions (admitted-to-gold, census 2026-07-14), sorted into 26 work segments and queryable by API, by plain-English search, or by browsing metro pages. PermitCore ingests permit records from the jurisdictions that publish them, normalises them onto one schema, and classifies each permit into a work segment (commercial roofing, multifamily MEP, residential solar, and so on). The index is free to search without an account. Coverage is stated as a floor, not a census: a metro with no volume in a segment usually means we have not yet mapped that jurisdiction's filing types for it, not that the work is not happening. Where a number is unknown we publish nothing rather than a zero. Figures on this page were derived 2026-10-20, except where a figure carries its own date. ## Start here - [Home](https://permitcore.io/): What PermitCore is, the headline coverage numbers, and where to start. - [Quickstart](https://permitcore.io/quickstart): Get a working API call against live permit data, with a copy-pasteable request. - [Explore](https://permitcore.io/explore): Search the permit index in plain English or with filters, free and without an account. - [Pricing](https://permitcore.io/pricing): What is free, what Pro costs, and exactly which limits separate the two. ## Data and coverage - [Metro coverage](https://permitcore.io/markets): Every metro we publish, with per-metro permit counts and their provenance. - [Coverage and freshness](https://permitcore.io/coverage): Which jurisdictions are live, how fresh each source is, and where coverage is still thin. - [Upstream data sources](https://permitcore.io/sources): The upstream government source behind each jurisdiction, named and linked. - [Segment taxonomy](https://permitcore.io/segments): The permit classification taxonomy — what each segment means and how a permit lands in it. - [Permits near an address](https://permitcore.io/near): Permits within a radius of an address, for branch- or territory-shaped questions. ## Use cases - [Commercial construction use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/commercial-construction): Using permit data for commercial construction pipeline and prospecting. - [HVAC and mechanical use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/hvac-mechanical): Using permit data to find HVAC and mechanical replacement demand. - [Multifamily use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/multifamily): Using permit data to track multifamily development and renovation activity. - [Signage use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/signage): Using permit data to find signage and wayfinding projects. - [Solar PV use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/solar): Using permit data to track solar PV and storage installations. - [Pools and spas use case](https://permitcore.io/solutions/pools): Using permit data to find pool and spa construction activity. ## Comparisons - [Vendor comparison](https://permitcore.io/compare): How PermitCore compares to the other permit-data vendors, on stated axes. - [PermitCore vs Shovels](https://permitcore.io/vs/shovels): PermitCore vs Shovels, including where Shovels is ahead and why we say so. ## Research - [Research](https://permitcore.io/research): Index of PermitCore's published research reports — what each one measured, and when. - [Austin Construction Geography 2026](https://permitcore.io/research/austin-construction-geography-2026): Between 2018 and 2025 the geographic centre of Austin's building permits moved 1.23 kilometres south — about an eighth of the city's own spread, which is a drift rather than a migration. The interesting part is which permits moved: new single-family houses travelled 2.6 times further than repair work, which is what a city building outward at its edge looks like from the permit record. One city, four measured, and the strongest-looking candidate was thrown out for a defect our own selection test could not see. - [What A Permit Record Omits 2026](https://permitcore.io/research/what-a-permit-record-omits-2026): Philadelphia and Cincinnati look identical in our database: a description field on every permit, and a handful of distinct values across the whole corpus. One of those readings is right and the other is our fault. The check that tells them apart is fetching what the city actually publishes — and no query against our own data can do it. - [Permit Velocity 2026](https://permitcore.io/research/permit-velocity-2026): 130 US and Canadian jurisdictions publish a permit issue date. 22 publish enough to measure how long approval takes, and 6 survive the checks needed to believe the answer. In all six, same-day issuance has largely disappeared — and in Chicago it is datable to the month the city moved that permit class online. The change is invisible in the field itself. - [Us Permit Timeline Data 2026](https://permitcore.io/research/us-permit-timeline-data-2026): 143 US jurisdictions, 23,398,188 permit filings. 100 publish both dates; 94 of the 100 we hold both for publish informative lag data; only 14 publish it on a majority of their records. Any duration computed across them is measured on an unstated subset. - [Residential Solar Permits 2025](https://permitcore.io/research/residential-solar-permits-2025): Residential solar permits fell 52% in Scottsdale and 60% in Tempe while doubling in Washington DC. Three jurisdictions, two markets, 2019-2025, with measured classification precision and the coverage rate behind it. ## Reference - [How It Works](https://permitcore.io/how-it-works): How raw jurisdiction records become a normalised, classified permit index. - [Glossary](https://permitcore.io/glossary): Definitions for permit-data terms as this index uses them — the meaning behind each field. - [Changelog](https://permitcore.io/changelog): What shipped and when, including coverage and classification changes. - [Contact](https://permitcore.io/contact): How to reach us, including for data corrections. ## Optional - [llms-full.txt](https://permitcore.io/llms-full.txt): the same index with the coverage numbers, the full segment taxonomy, and the API shape inline — read this if you want to answer a question about PermitCore without fetching anything else. - [Sitemap index](https://permitcore.io/sitemap.xml): every indexable URL, including the per-metro and per-segment long tail. --- ## Coverage, in numbers Derived 2026-10-20. Each axis is separate — do not add them together. - **Permits**: 24.4M+ (a floor over the queryable set, not an exact count) - **Government jurisdictions live**: 93 (admitted-to-gold; pipeline census 2026-07-14 — this figure does not move with the nightly prebuild) - **Metros with browsable pages**: 35 (fully classified end to end) - **Metros queryable by API**: 66 (includes 30 where raw data is live and classification is still in progress) - **Metros announced, not yet ingested**: 4 - **Work segments in the taxonomy**: 26 - **Of those, commercial segments**: 9 Why the metro axes differ: a metro is *queryable* once its raw records are ingested, and *browsable* only once every permit in it is classified. Reporting one number for both would overstate one and understate the other, so both are published. ## The segment taxonomy Every permit is classified into one of 26 segments. A segment page exists for each, and each segment also has a page per metro. ### Commercial - **Commercial Alteration** — Tenant improvements, additions, alterations, + commercial envelope work. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-alteration - **Commercial Demolition** — Commercial teardowns + structural demolition + abatement. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-demolition - **Commercial Fire Protection** — Sprinklers, standpipes, alarms + suppression on commercial buildings. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-fire-protection - **Commercial HVAC** — RTU, VAV, VRF, chiller installs. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-hvac - **Commercial MEP** — Commercial mechanical, electrical, + plumbing systems. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-mep - **Commercial New Construction** — Ground-up commercial buildings — offices, retail, mixed-use. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-new - **Commercial Pool Construction** — Commercial pools — hotels, gyms, condo amenities, apartments. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-pool - **Commercial Shell-Only Construction** — Building shells without tenant fit-out — speculative + warm-shell builds. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-shell-only - **Commercial Signage Permits** — Building signs — wall-mounted, monument, illuminated, pole signs. https://permitcore.io/segments/commercial-signage ### Multifamily - **Multifamily Alteration** — Permits on existing apartment + condo buildings — alterations, envelope + systems work. https://permitcore.io/segments/multifamily-alteration - **Multifamily Fire Protection** — Sprinklers, standpipes, alarms + suppression on apartment and condo buildings. https://permitcore.io/segments/multifamily-fire-protection - **Multifamily MEP** — Apartment + condo mechanical, electrical, + plumbing systems. https://permitcore.io/segments/multifamily-mep - **Multifamily New Construction** — Ground-up apartments + condos — 5+ units, R-2 occupancy. https://permitcore.io/segments/multifamily-new ### Residential - **ADU-Qualifying Construction** — Accessory dwelling units — backyard cottages + garage conversions. https://permitcore.io/segments/adu-qualifying - **Residential Alteration** — Single-family renovations, additions, kitchen/bath remodels. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-alteration - **Residential Demolition** — Single-family teardowns + accessory-structure demolition. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-demolition - **Residential Fire Protection** — Sprinklers, alarms + suppression on single-family and small residential. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-fire-protection - **Residential Foundation-Only** — Foundation-only filings — early-phase residential construction. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-foundation-only - **Residential MEP** — Residential mechanical, electrical, + plumbing. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-mep - **Residential New (Single-Family)** — Ground-up single-family homes — detached residential construction. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-new-sf - **Residential Pool Construction** — In-ground + above-ground residential pools, spas, and hot tubs. https://permitcore.io/segments/residential-pool ### Civic + Industrial - **Civic Construction** — Public buildings — schools, libraries, transit, government. https://permitcore.io/segments/civic - **Industrial New Construction** — Warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing, data centers. https://permitcore.io/segments/industrial-new ### Construction support - **Temporary Construction Support** — Temporary structures supporting active construction projects. https://permitcore.io/segments/temporary-construction-support ### Solar - **Residential Solar** — PV installs on single-family + multifamily buildings. https://permitcore.io/segments/solar-residential ### Storage - **Residential Storage** — Home battery energy storage — Powerwall, Enphase, FranklinWH. https://permitcore.io/segments/storage-residential ## Metros with browsable pages - Atlanta — https://permitcore.io/atlanta - Austin — https://permitcore.io/austin - Baltimore — https://permitcore.io/baltimore - Boston — https://permitcore.io/boston - Charlotte — https://permitcore.io/charlotte - Chicago — https://permitcore.io/chicago - Cincinnati — https://permitcore.io/cincinnati - Cleveland — https://permitcore.io/cleveland - Columbus — https://permitcore.io/columbus - Denver — https://permitcore.io/denver - Detroit — https://permitcore.io/detroit - Fort Worth — https://permitcore.io/fortworth - Hartford — https://permitcore.io/hartford - Las Vegas — https://permitcore.io/vegas - Los Angeles — https://permitcore.io/la - Louisville — https://permitcore.io/louisville - Memphis — https://permitcore.io/memphis - Miami — https://permitcore.io/miami - Milwaukee — https://permitcore.io/milwaukee - Nashville — https://permitcore.io/nashville - New York City — https://permitcore.io/nyc - Norfolk — https://permitcore.io/norfolk - Orlando — https://permitcore.io/orlando - Philadelphia — https://permitcore.io/philadelphia - Phoenix — https://permitcore.io/phoenix - Pittsburgh — https://permitcore.io/pittsburgh - Portland — https://permitcore.io/portland - Raleigh — https://permitcore.io/raleigh - Sacramento — https://permitcore.io/sacramento - San Antonio — https://permitcore.io/sanantonio - San Francisco — https://permitcore.io/sf - San Jose — https://permitcore.io/san_jose - Seattle — https://permitcore.io/seattle - Tucson — https://permitcore.io/tucson - Washington, DC — https://permitcore.io/dc ## How to query it - **Plain-English search**: https://permitcore.io/explore — free, no account, no card. Ask in a sentence. - **JSON API**: https://permitcore.io/quickstart has a working request. The API is at api.permitcore.io and the reference is at docs.permitcore.io. - **Browse**: https://permitcore.io/ for a metro, https://permitcore.io//-permits for a segment within it. ## How to cite this Attribute to PermitCore and link the page the number came from. Permit totals are floors and move as jurisdictions are added, so quote the derivation date alongside the number — for this document, 2026-10-20. Underlying permit records are public government filings; the normalisation, classification and entity resolution over them are ours.