Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about coverage, exclusivity, delivery, billing, and the limits of permit data.
What do I receive?
A digest of newly matched public permit records for your selected ZIPs and one permit feed, including available address, project description, filing date, valuation, and source permit ID. Digests are emailed from [email protected].
When does my first digest arrive?
Successful payment automatically enables daily email at 7am in your territory’s timezone for all your paid ZIPs. We immediately email matching permits issued in the last 30 days, including a CSV. No setup is required. If a week has no new matching permits, we send a short update. Later alerts depend on municipal activity, source delays and your filters. Our scheduled worker checks every 15 minutes while the service host is running; the initial email runs from payment confirmation.
How does exclusivity work?
Permit Leads allows one active subscriber for each ZIP + permit feed combination. For example, a roofing subscriber and an HVAC subscriber may hold the same ZIP, but two roofing subscribers may not.
Does exclusivity cover every lead company?
No. It applies only to Permit Leads subscribers. Municipal records remain public, and other companies may independently find or sell the same records.
Are these guaranteed jobs?
No. A permit is an opportunity signal. A project may already have a contractor or may not be suitable for outreach. We do not guarantee lead volume, replies, appointments, or sales.
How are homepage examples selected?
We show a mix of trades and cities, with a preference for typical job sizes when declared valuation is published. Civic megaprojects and demolition/new-construction outliers are filtered out. A classified example does not confirm the work is uncontracted.
How fresh is the data?
Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago are checked about every six hours; Minneapolis roofing is checked nightly, and public site publication happens separately. Municipal publishing schedules and outages can cause delays. The homepage date identifies the published snapshot. Newly ingested records appear as examples only after trade classification.
How much does it cost?
Choose 1 ZIP for $39/month, 3 ZIPs for $99/month, 5 ZIPs for $149/month, or 10 ZIPs for $249/month. Each bundle covers one permit feed. Billing recurs until canceled.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Use the billing portal to cancel before your next renewal and avoid another charge. Your service continues through the current paid billing period. You can also email [email protected].
Where is coverage available?
Current sources cover Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis residential roofing permits. Minneapolis suburbs are not included. Availability also depends on whether another subscriber already holds your ZIP + permit feed combination.
Can I request a city or ZIP?
Yes. Request coverage with your city and state or ZIP code and trade. We review requests when planning expansion; availability and launch dates are not guaranteed.
What are building permit leads?
A building permit lead is a public permit record that may point to roofing, HVAC, solar, or remodeling work. Permit Leads collects municipal records, classifies them by trade, and matches them to subscriber ZIP codes. A permit is an opportunity to investigate, not proof the job is unawarded or a guaranteed sale.
Before contacting anyone, review the project scope, permit date, and contractor information when the city publishes it. A contractor named on a permit may already have the job. Confirm current status with the issuing municipality and follow applicable outreach rules.
How contractors find leads from building permits
- Choose your service area and trade. Start with the ZIP codes where your crew can take work.
- Review matching permit records. Check the project description, issue date, published valuation, and source permit ID. Cities publish different fields and update on different schedules.
- Decide whether to investigate. Confirm permit status with the city. Skip records where the listed contractor or project status makes the opportunity a poor fit.
Ways to get building permit leads
| Option | Cost and effort | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Search city permit portals | Usually free; repeat searches and filtering take time. | One city, a small volume, and time to check records yourself. |
| Buy or export raw permit data | Price and format vary; you handle cleaning and trade classification. | Teams that want datasets and can process them. |
| Use Permit Leads | From $39 per month; ZIP and permit-feed matching is included. | Roofing, HVAC, solar, and remodeling contractors in a covered ZIP. |
| Buy homeowner inquiry leads | Pricing and screening vary by provider. | Contractors seeking homeowner-submitted requests rather than permit records. |
Permit records describe permitted projects; they do not show that a homeowner requested a quote. Each source and project is different. See how Permit Leads classifies records and handles data limits.
How can I get free leads for residential construction?
Often, yes. Many cities publish searchable permit records or open-data downloads at no charge. Start with the building department or open-data portal for your city, filter for recent permits and your trade, and check what fields are published. Portal coverage, search tools, and update schedules vary; Permit Leads automates part of that work only for its listed coverage areas.
How much do building permit leads cost?
Permit Leads plans start at $39/month for one ZIP. Bundles include 3 ZIPs for $99, 5 for $149, or 10 for $249 per month. Each bundle covers one permit feed. Check the full bundle prices and available ZIP codes before subscribing.
How do I get help?
We aim to reply within two business days. Call 1 (252) 584-3320 or email [email protected].