What level of rehab work requires permits?

[Jordan Becker]

Hi folks, what level of rehab work requires that you pull permits, or at least makes it strongly advisable to do so?   I am thinking that some work may be too minor to bother with the permit process, especially since in some locations the process can take a long time.  So how do you decide whether to pull permits for a rehab job (or insist that your contractor do so)?  Thanks.

[Will Barnard]

Everybody above pretty much nailed the answer, every municipality has different rules. If you add square footage, increase bed/bath counts, or do a panel upgrade, 100% get a permit. If you do any major items like roof, new HVAC, new electrical wiring, new plumbing lines (not just swapping out fixtures), get a permit. For all the other lipstick stuff, you can likely skip the permit but you should still check with your local building and safety to see what permits are required for any work you do. If you skip a permit, and it is required, you are taking a risk.