Ask for the permit or application number, property address, applicant, work description, and current status, then verify those details with the government authority that issues the permit. A contractor's statement, invoice, or screenshot is not the authoritative record.
Identify the authority for the project address
Start with the city, county, regional district, province, territory, state, tribal, or First Nation authority responsible for the property. Search its official government site for building permits and inspections. If the address sits near a boundary or uses a mailing city different from its municipality, contact the authority rather than guessing.
Official systems vary. The City of Toronto, City of Vancouver, and City of Saskatoon provide address-based searches, but their statuses and record coverage are not universal models.
Request enough detail to match the record
Ask the contractor to provide the permit number or application number, the exact property address, the applicant's legal name, the contractor or owner-builder shown on the record, the scope submitted, issue and expiry dates where used, and required inspections. Compare each field against the official record.
| Record field | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Address or parcel | Matches the actual project property | A similar street number can belong to another record |
| Work description | Covers the proposed project and relevant trade work | A permit for one task does not authorize unrelated work |
| Applicant | Matches the owner, contractor, or authorized agent expected | Unexpected names need an explanation from the authority |
| Status | Has reached the stage required before work begins | Submitted or under review is not the same as issued |
| Inspections | Required stages and final approval are recorded | An issued permit may still remain open |
Read the status instead of assuming approval
Terms such as received, under review, corrections required, ready for issuance, issued, expired, cancelled, revoked, inspection, and closed describe different stages. Confirm the authority's own definition. Do not treat an application number as permission to start, and do not assume an issued permit means every required inspection is complete.
Confirm inspections and closeout
Ask which inspection stages apply, who schedules them, what work must remain visible, and what document confirms final approval or closure. Compare the answer with the permit record or ask the authority directly. Preserve copies of issued permits, inspection outcomes, approved plans, and final documents with the project file.
The Government of Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs advises homeowners to check required permits and inspections and to record responsibilities in the contract. See its current home-renovation guidance.
Stop and resolve missing or mismatched records
A missing online result may be old, private, filed under another identifier, or held by a different department. It does not automatically prove that no permit exists. Contact the issuing authority when the address, scope, applicant, contractor, or status does not match what you were given.
Before requesting proposals, define the work with the project-scope checklist. Then use the credential guide and the contractor map to compare candidates without treating directory details as permit approval.