Case Study: Whatcom County Streamlines Single Family Home Permit Process

Building a home takes a lot of planning and a lot of permits. In Whatcom County, Washington, permitting officials used to take 28 to 73 days to process and issue a permit. The review process involved much time searching for missing information. Now, new checklists for applicants to review in advance and pre-screening processes help planners identify whether the project is easier or more difficult to review based on specifications. With a new residential permit process, issuing permits can happen in the SAME day or in 1-15 days depending on expanded plans for home construction.