Permit Pulled
Slang for obtaining an official building permit from the local government before beginning permitted construction work.
"Pulling a permit" means submitting an application and receiving an approved permit from the local building department before starting work that requires official oversight. The phrase comes from the historical practice of walking into the building department office and picking up (pulling) the approved permit card. Today, many jurisdictions offer online permitting.
The permit is typically posted at the job site in a visible location so inspectors can identify the project during their visits. The contractor (or homeowner in an owner-builder project) is responsible for ensuring that all required inspections are scheduled and passed before work proceeds to the next stage.
Homeowners should always confirm that their contractor has pulled a permit before demolition or framing begins. Asking to see the permit posting is your right. Contractors who discourage permits often do so because they want to avoid inspection of below-standard work—a major red flag. Unpermitted work discovered at resale can require full remediation at the seller's expense.
Real-World Example
Before the first nail was swung, the homeowner confirmed the contractor had pulled the permit by requesting to see the posted permit card on the job site.