Building permit leads explained: what they are and how to use them responsibly

A building permit lead is a property where the local building department recently issued a permit, for example for a new roof, a pool, solar panels or a remodel. The record comes from the public files of a city or county. Businesses use it to reach owners at a moment when something about the property has just changed. A roof permit can matter to an insurance agent, a pool permit to a pool service company, and a remodel to a window or flooring company.

Permit records are open in many places because state public records laws make most local government records available to anyone. Those laws are different in every state, and each has exceptions. This article explains the general idea, uses Florida as one clearly labelled example, and sets out how to use permit data responsibly. It is general information, not legal advice. Check the law in your own state.

Why are building permits public record?

A building permit is a government record. A local agency receives an application, reviews it and issues the permit as part of its official work. Each state decides how open such records are, through its own public records or "open records" law. The laws differ in what they open and in what limits they place on use. There is no single national rule for city and county permit files.

One example: Florida

Florida's law is Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. It says it is state policy that all state, county and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person. It defines public records widely: documents, papers, maps, data and other material, in any physical form, made or received in connection with the official business of an agency. Florida also requires a permit before building work starts. Under section 553.79, a building may not be constructed, altered, repaired or demolished without first getting a permit from the local enforcing agency. Put together, permits are issued for most building work, and the permit files are public records unless an exemption applies.

Your state's law will have a different name and different details. Look for the public records or open records act on your state legislature's or attorney general's website.

What does a permit record contain?

It varies by building department. As an illustration, Florida law sets out a standard building permit application in section 713.135. That form asks for:

• The owner's name and address
• The job address, city and county, and the legal description of the property
• The tax folio number, which is the property's ID with the county
• The contractor's name, address and state certification or registration number
• The architect or engineer, if there is one
• The mortgage lender and the bonding company, if any

Building departments usually add their own details, such as the type of work, the date the permit was issued and its status. Local forms differ, so two counties next to each other can publish different fields.

What does a permit not tell you?

• That the owner wants your offer. A permit is a record of approved work, not a request for quotes.
• That the work is finished. A permit can be issued long before the job is done, and some jobs are never completed.
• Who lives there. The owner on the permit may be a landlord, a builder or a company, and the mailing address may differ from the job address.
• Anything about the owner's finances, credit or insurance.
• A phone number or email you may use. The Florida statutory form, for example, does not list either, and a mailing address is not permission to call or text.
• That the record is correct. Permits are typed by people and contain misspelled names, old owners and wrong unit numbers.

A good list provider reduces the last problem by standardizing and verifying addresses and removing duplicates, but no list of public records is perfect.

Are some addresses kept out of public records?

Yes. Every public records law has exemptions, and some of them protect home addresses. Again using Florida as the example, section 119.071(4)(d) exempts the home addresses of a long list of current and former public servants. The list includes law enforcement and correctional officers, firefighters, judges, state attorneys and public defenders, code enforcement officers, and others. "Home address" is defined broadly there, and covers descriptions of the property that could reveal where the person lives.

The Florida exemption is not always automatic. An agency that holds the information but is not the person's employer must keep it confidential only if the person sends that agency a written and notarized request. Florida also has a separate exemption for people in the state's Address Confidentiality Program for Victims of Domestic and Dating Violence.

Other states have their own versions of these protections, and they do not all work the same way. The practical point is the same everywhere: a responsible list is built only from what the agency lawfully publishes, protected addresses are left out, and anyone can ask to be removed.

Is it legal to mail people from permit records?

A record being public is the starting point, not the whole answer. Three other sets of rules can apply, and you should check each one for your state and trade:

1. The state's public records law itself. Check whether it limits commercial use of the records or of particular fields.
2. Your industry's rules. Licensed trades such as insurance, real estate, mortgage lending and contracting have their own advertising and solicitation rules.
3. General advertising law. Your card must be truthful and must not look like it comes from a government office.

What is the FCRA, and why does it matter here?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that, in the Federal Trade Commission's words, protects information collected by consumer reporting agencies such as credit bureaus and tenant screening services. It covers "consumer reports": information about a person's credit, character, reputation or way of living that is used to decide whether they qualify for credit, insurance or a job, among other things. Such reports may be supplied only for the purposes the law lists, which include credit, employment and insurance underwriting. The FTC also explains that tenant screening reports are consumer reports.

A marketing list built from permits is not meant to be a consumer report, and you must not use it like one. Use permit data to decide who to send a postcard to. Do not use it to decide whether to give someone a loan, a policy, a job or a lease, or on what terms.

How do I use permit leads responsibly?

1. Mail something relevant. Mention the kind of work, not private details. "New roof? Review your coverage" is fine. Reciting what you know about the owner is not.
2. Say who you are. Print your business name, and your license number if you are in a licensed trade.
3. Offer a way to stop. Print an opt-out line and honor every request quickly.
4. Keep the data for marketing only. Never use it for FCRA purposes.
5. Do not treat an address as permission to phone or text. Those channels have their own consent rules.
6. Do not resell or pass on the list unless your agreement with the provider allows it.

PostalNest builds its data sources from public records such as city building permits, county property rolls and state professional license records. Records are cleaned and duplicates are removed. Every card prints who sent it and an opt-out line, and anyone can stop mail from all senders at postalnest.com/optout. List data cannot be exported, and it may not be used for FCRA purposes.