Growth FAQ - Building

How do I apply for a permit?

The City of Tallahassee's permit process is 100% online through our Customer Permit Portal. Our all digital permit process is designed to deliver more efficient and effective service. The Customer Permit Portal provides for electronic submittal and review of all development applications from the beginning to the end of the permitting process. That includes all permit reviews for land use (site plans, subdivisions, etc.), environmental, fire, and building inspection.

Online submittal and electronic review means reducing the amount of paper necessary for submission and allows you to submit your application and supporting documentation, as well as pay fees from the convenience of your office. Upon submission of an application via the Customer Permit Portal, you will be automatically redirected to the ePlan Review website to begin the document submission process. Initial documentation required may be uploaded into ePlan Review, allowing Growth Management staff to begin the initial review process to ensure proper documentation has been submitted. You will receive automated emails as your review moves through the process and the ePlan Review site will be your workspace for resubmittals, while also allowing you to track the progress of your project.

To begin the application process, visit our Customer Permit Portal. First time portal users must create a new account. Select the "Create New Account" link and enter the required information, including a valid email address, password, contact information and security questions. Once your new account request has been submitted, you will receive an email notifying you of a successful account creation. You may then login with your username and password to begin the application process.

The following summary provides an overview of the key steps in filing your online application:

• Getting Started - While applying, you will be prompted to furnish the same information requested from the previous paper applications of the past, including people and contacts. For these individuals, you will also be asked to input their email information. The individual listed as the Applicant will be the individual who is notified about documentation upload and fees due.
• Submitting Your Application - After entering the required information and project details, a summary of your project will display with a permit number and brief description of the data entered. A submit button will be active at the bottom of the permit summary page. Select the button when you are ready to submit your application to Growth Management.
• Uploading Your Documents - Once the application has been submitted, your browser will redirect you to the ePlan Review site from the Customer Permit Portal. The ePlan Review site will allow you to browse your files on your computer and begin the upload process of required documentation and/or plans. After verifying all of the correct documents have been uploaded, you may proceed to submitting the documents for review, which will begin the initial review process by Growth Management staff.
• Monitoring Progress - You will continue to access the ePlan Review site from the Customer Permit Portal by navigating to "Existing Permits" and selecting the corresponding project number from which an "Open Plan Review" button will be available. You will be able to view project status, track progress, and submit documentation through the ePlan Review site. Only the Applicant will have access to the ePlan Review site initially. If the applicant would like to invite others to access the project, a project invite action is available. The Applicant can choose to give the invitee view only or upload capability. A valid email address must be entered for the invitee. The Customer Permit Portal will send them an email with instructions and a link to the Review site, where they can either view documents or upload documents, depending on the access given by the applicant.

One of the biggest changes with the adoption of ePlan Review is that you will no longer receive paper stamped copies of your approved plans, certificates or letters. These and all other correspondence will be accessible electronically on the ePlan Review site. Upon approval of a project, you may print the electronically signed and/or stamped approval documentation located within the project folder. If the allotted time to access the review has expired, you may obtain a copy from Records Management by completing their online records request form.