Start here, before you call a single contractor:

1. Write down exactly what you're changing — not just the room, but the systems. "New bathroom" isn't specific enough. "Moving the toilet drain and adding a circuit" is.

2. Search "[your city or county] + building permits" and find your local permitting office website. Most have a project-type lookup.

3. Call the permit desk and read them your list from step 1. Ask directly: "Does this require a permit, and who is supposed to pull it?" Write down the name of the person you spoke to and the date.

4. Confirm in writing which permit type applies. Ask them to email you the requirement so you have a paper trail.

Room-by-Room: What Usually Needs a Permit

Kitchen — Permit required if you move plumbing, add or relocate electrical circuits, remove a wall, or change the footprint. Swapping cabinets or countertops on existing plumbing usually does not.

Bathroom — Permit required if you relocate the toilet, tub, or sink drain, add ventilation, or run new electrical. A like-for-like fixture swap in the same spot usually does not.

Basement finishing — Almost always requires a permit. Egress windows, ceiling height, framing, insulation, and electrical are all inspected. This is one buyers' agents flag constantly.

Decks and porches — Permit required for anything attached to the house or over a certain height (often 30 inches off grade). Ground-level floating decks sometimes don't.

Roofing — Many jurisdictions require a permit even for a full re-roof. Confirm before the tear-off.

Electrical panel, service upgrade, or new circuits — Permit required, and it must be pulled by a licensed electrician in most areas.

HVAC replacement — Permit and inspection required in most jurisdictions, even for a swap.

Water heater replacement — Frequently requires a permit for gas, venting, and pressure relief compliance.

Windows and doors — Permit often required if you change the size of the opening. Same-size replacement sometimes doesn't.

Fences, sheds, and detached structures — Depends entirely on size and setback rules. Check the height and square-footage thresholds.

Who Pulls the Permit — and Why It Matters

The person who pulls the permit is legally responsible for the work passing inspection. If a homeowner pulls it, the homeowner is on the hook. If the contractor pulls it, the contractor is.

Ask every contractor this exact question: "Will you pull the permit under your license, or are you asking me to pull it as an owner-builder?" A contractor who wants YOU to pull it is often trying to sidestep accountability for inspections.

Request a copy of their contractor license number and verify it on your state licensing board's website. Then ask for proof of general liability insurance — a certificate, not a promise.

If a contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself, ask why. In most legitimate jobs, the licensed pro pulls it under their own license.— common guidance from municipal permit offices

The One Red Flag in Almost Every Bad Hire

The contractor who says "you don't need a permit for that" without you asking.

Sometimes they're right. But an unprompted push to skip permits is the single most reliable warning sign of a bad hire. It means faster cash for them and unpermitted, uninspected work for you — the kind that fails at resale, voids insurance claims, and forces you to tear out finished work when the city finds out.

A contractor confident in their work wants the inspection. It's their proof the job was done right.

Once you know what your project needs and who should pull the permit, the next step is finding someone who welcomes that accountability instead of dodging it.