My Permit Is Stuck in Review: How to Follow Up Without Burning Bridges

You submitted your building permit application weeks ago. The status still says "In Review." Your client is asking for updates. Your GC needs a start date. And every day that passes is costing money. Here is a step-by-step guide to following up on a stalled permit in Texas — without damaging the relationship with the reviewers who hold your project's timeline in their hands.

Step 1: Confirm the Published Timeline Has Actually Passed

Before you pick up the phone, make sure the city's published review timeline has actually elapsed. Calling on day 12 of a 20-day review window is not following up — it is jumping the queue, and it can work against you.

Here are the published initial review timelines for major Texas cities:

Count business days from the date your application was marked complete — not from the date you submitted it. Some cities have an intake period before the review clock officially starts.

Step 2: Check for Comments You May Have Missed

Before assuming your permit is stuck, log into the city's permit portal and check for reviewer comments. In many Texas cities, corrections or requests for additional information are posted to the portal without a separate email notification. Your permit may not be "stuck" at all — the city may be waiting on you.

This is one of the most common causes of perceived delays. The reviewer posted a comment on day 10, you did not check until day 25, and now you have lost 15 days before you even start your response.

Step 3: Make First Contact — Professional and Specific

If the published timeline has passed and there are no outstanding comments, it is time to reach out. Send a professional email to the plan review department. Include:

• Your permit number
• The project address
• The submission date and the date the application was marked complete
• A polite request for a status update or estimated completion date

Keep it short and factual. Something like: "We submitted permit #12345 for 100 Main Street on February 3, 2026. The application was marked complete on February 5. We are past the published review window and wanted to check on the status. Is there anything you need from us to move forward?"

That last line is important. It signals that you are ready to act, not just complaining about the wait.

Step 4: Follow Up Again After 5–7 Business Days

If you do not hear back, follow up once more after 5–7 business days. Reply to your original email so the thread stays together. Be brief: "Following up on my email below regarding permit #12345. Please let me know if there is any additional information needed."

At this point, if you have a direct contact in the department, a phone call can be more effective than email. Be polite, reference your permit number, and ask if there is a specific reviewer assigned to your project.

Step 5: Escalate to a Supervisor — Respectfully

If two attempts have gone unanswered and you are well past the published timeline, it is reasonable to escalate. Ask to speak with the plan review supervisor or the building official. Frame it as a request for help, not a complaint: "We have been unable to get a status update on this permit and our project timeline is at risk. Can you help us understand where it stands?"

Remember that plan reviewers and building officials talk to each other. Burning a bridge with a reviewer today means a harder path on your next ten permits. Always escalate with respect.

Step 6: Know Your Rights Under Texas HB 14

If a Texas city misses the statutory review deadline by more than 15 days, you may have the right to engage a qualified third-party reviewer at no additional cost. This is codified in Texas House Bill 14 (effective September 1, 2023, codified as Chapter 247 of the Texas Local Government Code).

The statutory deadline for building permits is 45 days from the date of a complete application. If the city has not acted by day 60 (45 + 15-day grace period), you can formally notify the city and engage a third-party reviewer. The third-party reviewer must be a licensed engineer, ICC-certified inspector, or employee of another political subdivision.

Use this as a last resort. Most cities respond to professional follow-up well before this point. But knowing it exists gives you leverage — and a backup plan.

How Automated Monitoring Eliminates the Guesswork

Most of the frustration around "stuck" permits comes from a lack of visibility. You do not know if the city is reviewing, waiting on another department, or waiting on you. You do not know if comments were posted yesterday or two weeks ago.

TrackingPermitschecks your permits every morning before 6am CT across 9 Texas jurisdictions. When a reviewer posts a comment, changes a status, or adds a condition, it shows up in your daily digest. You never have to wonder if your permit is stuck — you know exactly where it stands every single day.

For firms managing multiple permits, this means you catch the "waiting on you" comments on day one instead of day 15. That alone can eliminate weeks of accumulated delay across your portfolio.