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Create & Manage Permit Applications

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This article will show you how to add a new Permit against a Parcel. 

 

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Create a Permit Application

 

  1. Sign in to your site
  2. Navigate to Permitting System and select Add Permit
    Add Permit link under Permitting System in the left navigation bar.
  3. On the pop-up screen, Search for the Parcel
    Search parcel.
  4. Select the parcel and click Add Permit
    Add Permit button.
  5. Select the Permit Type and Permit Use from the drop-downs
    Permit Type and Permit Use fields.
    Note: The permit type and permit use fields are related. The permit use drop-down will change based on the permit type selected.
  6. Scroll down and select the Issuing User (this is the person whose name will appear on all the forms for this permit)
    Issuing User field.
  7. Enter the Applicant Information, if the applicant is the same as the owner, select Click Here to copy owner information
    Applicant information fields.
  8. The Owner Information is pulled from the property/asset database and must match the owner information on file. If owner information is not current and you have not requested a parcel update from your assessor, you can manually update this information if you have admin rights.
    oOwner Information fields.
  9. If the permit has a contractor associated with it, select the Contractor from the contractor licensing system, or add a new contractor to the licensing system for use
    General/Primary Contractor fields.
  10. Scroll down and click Save Permit
    Save Permit button.
    Note: At this point, the permit is an application and has not been issued a permit number. It has been issued an application number that is automatically generated by the system to track the application. Permit applications may be approved, rejected, or abandoned. Complete the remaining steps of the application review process to determine if the permit application will be approved to be a permit and assigned a permit number (Permit numbers are either auto-generated by the system or the user can create and add their own numbering system).
  11. Configure additional fields on the Applicant tab, as needed permit fields.
    • Permit Number: The Permit number field is automatically generated by the system which keeps track of every permit number issued. Users can override this record and enter their own permit number, however, it is suggested that the manually entered permit number should be populated to this field before the application is approved so that the autonumbering does not apply and wastes an internally generated permit number. See Adding old permits to the system for more details on entering old permit records from other systems. 
    • Parent Permit Number: This drop-down allows you to tie the record to a parent permit. 
    • Master Project Number: This field links to the Projects module. Users can select existing open and approved projects to link to the permit.
    • Zone Permit: This field will display any zoning permits that have previously been created on the subject property and will link the two permits. Some municipalities require zoning permits to be issued before other permits can be applied for or approved. 
    • Permit Date: This field will auto-populate once a permit application is approved either manually or once the required application routing process has been completed and approved by the final review authority.
    • File Date: This date is populated when the permit application is added to the system. Users do have the ability to add old permit records to the system and backdate this field.
    • Expiration Date: This field is set by the default settings established by the user's administrator during setup. The system will add 6, 12, 18, or 24 months from the time the permit application is approved to be a permit. These dates can also be backdated when entering old permit records.
    • Renew Date: This is set by the user if a permit has expired and the customer decides to renew the permit. After issuing a renewal date, the user should set the expiration date to match accordingly.
    • Issuing User / Signatory Title: These fields only appear when a permit record is in edit mode, they allow the user to select the name that will appear on the permit placard and other key forms such as the application form. The drop-down list names are linked to the user database and will show users who are listed as supervisors or those approved as issuing authorities. The signatory title field is used to identify the title of the person issuing the permit approval and placard. In many municipalities, staff have multiple titles. The signatory title allows the issuing user to select what title is needed for the specific record.
  12. Navigate to the Property tab and fill out property information for the record
    Property tab.
    • Project Cost: This is a critical field as it is used to calculate any fees associated with project costs.
    • Project Value: This field is critical to fee calculations associated with the project. The value is what is determined by the staff using various value calculation methods.
    • Description of Work / Current Use and Proposed Changes: This field is critical for those who required a specific description of the project/permit to appear on the placard. This is also the field that will populate from the portal applications.
  13. Select the Structure tab and fill out structure information as needed
    structure tab.
    • Total And Habitable Square Footage: If fees are based on square footage, enter the total and habitable square footage. This is also the field that will populate from the portal applications.
  14. The contractor selected in the Applicant tab will appear in the Contractors tab. Add any additional subcontractors that are associated with the project or permit.
    Contractors tab.
  15. On the Insurance tab review and add any necessary insurance data
    Insurance tab.
  16. View associated Contacts for the record and add additional contacts if needed
    Contacts tab.
    Note: In order to have a list of persons associated with the project or permit that could be listed as someone to be billed in the invoice system, the contact type must include the billing type of primary or secondary. Owners, applicants, and contractors are automatically added to the list to bill within an invoice record.
  17. Click Save Permit to update the record
    Save permit button.
  18. On the Fees tab, add or manage existing fees
    Fees tab.
  19. If required, create an invoice
    Create invoice link.
    1. Once the invoice has been created and saved, click Print Menu and print the invoice or receipt. Ensure you save a copy of the invoice/receipt to the record by checking the box to save the form in the print interface.
      Print invoice pop-up.
  20. On the Documents tab, attach any applicable files to the record
    Documents tab.
    Note: If using the Bluebeam Digital Plan Review cloud version, enter the URL for the digital plan locations.
  21. Click Save Permit to complete the permit application
    Save permit button.
  22. Select Print Menu to print the permit application, permit placard, or any other related document
    Print menu button.

 

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Process the Permit Application

Open the Permit Application

  1. Sign in to your site
  2. Navigate to Permitting System, click List, and select a record
    Permit record selected under Permitting System List menu.
    Note: Learn how to search/filter record lists.
  3. Click Edit
    Edit button.

 

Application Review Step

The goal of this review step is to ensure everything required to process the permit was received. Use this area to create internal notes or comments, communicate with the public/staff, and generate emails.

  1. Open the permit application
  2. Follow local procedures to determine if:
    • All required documents were received
    • All fields are populated
    • The application came in from the portal, was the online application form completed correctly
  3. On the Status tab, open Routing Details and select the Application Review step
    Status routing details.
  4. To request additional information:
    1. In the Send Email To box, select a contact, applicant, owner, or occupant associated with the application
      Send email to options.
    2. In the Message box, enter the body of the email identifying the information needed and click the Save Notes/Send Message button
      Save notes / send message button.
    3. When ready to update the review status / complete this step, change the Status to Approved or another status as required
      Approved selected in Status in drop-down.
    4. Enter a comment in the Message box and click the Save Notes/Send Message button
      Save notes / send message button.
  5. This review step is now complete

 

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Financial Review Step

This step should be used to create internal notes, communicate with the public/staff, and send finance documents. 

  1. Open the permit application
  2. Follow local procedures to determine:
    • If all invoices are generated. If needed, create invoices. 
    • If payments are received and financial obligations are met.
  3. On the Status tab, open Routing Details and select the Financial Review step
    Financial review selected under the Routing Details section on the Status tab.
  4. To send the invoice and/or payment receipt, select the checkbox in the file list area and follow the instructions for sending documents
    File selected.
  5. When ready to update the review status / complete this step, change the Status to Approved or another status as required
    Status approved.
  6. Enter a comment in the Message box and click the Save Notes/Send Message button
    Save notes / send message button.
  7. This review step is now complete

 

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Plan Review Step (Construction Document Review)

This step should be used to create internal notes, communicate with the public/staff, and send emails and letters related to the review of the drawings and other documents associated with the permit application.

  1. Open the permit application
  2. Follow local procedures in reviewing the plans associated with the permit application
  3. On the Status tab, open Routing Details and select the Plan Review (or similar) step
    Plan Review selected under Routing Details on the Status tab.
  4. To generate a Plan Review Letter in CivicGov:
    1. In the Message box, enter the body of the plan review letter and include the scope of the review. Click the Save Notes/Send Message button
      Save notes / send message button.
      Note: If the letters require a specific font and font size, ensure you set that size in the message box before saving the data.
    2. In the review item just created, click the Add New Review button
      Add new review button.
    3. In the Review Item box, enter what construction documents are being reviewed and the results. Change the Status to Non Compliant.
      Review Item and Status fields.
    4. Click the Save Review button
      Save review button.
    5. Click Ok on the pop-up that says Review has been saved
      Review saved pop up.
    6. The system adds a table of the Review Items, add additional drawing review items as needed
      Review items table.
    7. Click the Print Select Message/Letter button
      Print select message / letter button.
      1. Fill out the fields and click Print Letter
        Print letter button.
    8. To send the letter via email, follow the sending documents instructions
      Select file.
  5. To link to Bluebeam Revu plan review software and create comments within Revu (instead of within CivicGov) follow these steps:
    1. Follow the training provided by Bluebeam. CivicGov does not provide this training. We will connect our system to the Bluebeam process.
    2. If using a URL to a shared Revu instance on the Bluebeam servers, go to the Documents tab and open that link. If using a desktop copy and the files are stored in CivicGov, click the “BFX” link for the PDF document to open.
    3. The system downloads a test.bfx file to your computer’s downloads folder. Click that file to open Revu
      Note: The user must have Revu installed on the computer to access the files.
    4. Complete the required Revu steps for markup and similar
    5. Save the work and follow Bluebeam’s steps
    6. Other users will be able to click the “BFX” link for that same PDF and when opened in Revu, will see the previous plan review notes within Revu
  6. When ready to update the review status / complete this step, change the Status to Approved or another status as required
    Approved status.
  7. Enter a comment in the Message box and click the Save Notes/Send Message button
    Save notes / send message button.
  8. This review step is now complete

 

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Add Additional Review Steps (Override Routing)

  1. Follow the instructions to Override Routing
    Override Routing section on Status tab.

 

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Final Review Step

Once all routing/workflow steps are complete and approved, the Final Approval Authority that is assigned to a specific department is the only review step that can approve or reject a permit application.

  1. Open the permit application
  2. On the Status tab, open Routing Details and select the Final Approval Authority step
    Final Approval Authority selected under Routing Details on Status tab.
  3. Change the Status to Approved or Rejected
    Status drop-down.
  4. Check the To change the overall status of the record... box
    Change overall status checkbox under the Activity Date field.
  5. In the Message box enter any required comments and click Save Notes/Send Message
    Save notes / send message button.
  6. If approved, click Ok on the pop-up that says the record status is now changed
    Pop-up message that says 'The record status is now changed and the record has now passed through the final routing step.'
  7. If approved, the system assigns the next permit number and adjusts the status
    Permit number field.

 

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Generate Documents

  1. Open the permit application
  2. If needed, add any Conditions prior to printing documents
    Add New link under Conditions tab.
  3. On the Applicant tab, click Print Menu
    Print menu button.
  4. Select the Permit Placard or similar documents (If not approved, select the rejection letter document)
    Permit placard field.
  5. Check the box to save a copy of the form
    Save form checkbox.
  6. Select the Addressee and enter a Salutation
    Addresse and salutation fields.
  7. Click Print Letter
    Print letter button.
  8. The system opens the document for review in a separate tab

 

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Send Documents

  1. Open the permit application
  2. On the Status tab open Routing Details and the applicable step
    Final approval authority selected under Routing Details on Status tab.
  3. In the Send Email To box, select who should receive the email
    Send email to options.
  4. In the file name section, select the documents to attach to the email
    Files list.
  5. Add a Message and click Save Notes / Send Message
    Save notes / send message button.

 

Next Step: Permit Inspections

 

Supporting Articles

 

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