Contractor registration and insurance
An approved filing does not produce a permit on its own. The contractor pulling the permit has to be currently registered with the Department of Buildings and carrying valid insurance on file. If either has lapsed, the permit will not issue.
What gets checked
Registration status, expiry date, and the insurance certificates on file, including general liability, workers compensation and disability. Certificates have to name the right entity and be current. An expired certificate on file is functionally the same as no certificate.
Why this shows up as a surprise
Because nothing in the filing process flags it until the permit stage. The drawings pass, the filing is approved, everyone assumes the job is ready, and then the permit will not pull. On an emergency shed with an unsafe condition above it, that is the worst possible moment to discover an expired certificate.
Check it first
Verify registration and insurance status before drawings start, not after approval. It takes minutes, and it prevents the one delay that no amount of drafting speed can recover.
Key facts
- Blocks
- Permit issuance, not filing approval
- Checked
- Registration, GL, workers comp, disability
- Best practice
- Verify before drawings begin
Common questions
Can the owner pull the permit instead?
Permit issuance follows the registered contractor performing the work. Substituting parties is not a workaround for a lapsed registration.
How long does renewing a registration take?
It varies. Treat it as weeks rather than days if anything is out of date, which is why checking early matters.