building permit

American  

noun

1. an official certificate of permission issued by local authorities to a builder to construct, enlarge, or alter a building.

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Example Sentences

The foundations are for a hotel extension that attracted so much controversy last year that the country's top administrative court ended up temporarily blocking its building permit.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

The city of Narva granted a building permit for the facility in 4½ months, a speed that Mayor Katri Raik said was the fastest possible under the country’s laws.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

Peter hopes to donate the statue to a fan club, but due to its size a building permit is required.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2025

He did submit an application to the Department of Building and Safety for a waiver from the building permit requirement in April 2024, and says he hasn’t heard back since.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

And finally now, just when he’d mastered the parking patterns at City Hall — he even knew which meters were jammed, so he could park free — he had his building permit.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen