Building Permit Technician

Building Permit Technician

Performs a variety of clerical and technical duties in support of building inspections by staffing the building permit counter; resolves permit or project related issues; provides information and direction to the public on building issues relating to processes and requirements; receives, reviews, routes and processes applications and permits; coordinates building plan review and inspection issues; uses specialized database/permit tracking management programs; performs administrative duties associated with permitting such as calculating fees, processing payments, producing reports, and reporting and financial reconciliation; and performs related work as required.

Building Permit Technician I – Is an entry level class of the Building Permit Technician series. This class typically has limited technical work-related experience and knowledge of the applicable building codes. Incumbents work under immediate supervision while learning the various regulations, codes, and permit requirements applicable to the building permit process, plans review process, fee estimating, and learning the full range of job duties and tasks.

Essential Duties

• Serves as the first point of contact for customers to provide assistance with building permit policies and procedures.
• Assists with building permit applicants and other by phone, online, and in person.
• Screens calls and refers questions to appropriate staff or department.
• Answers questions related to building codes, related land use and zoning, environmental health ordinances and regulations, and applicable local, state, and federal laws.
• Interprets and explains policies and regulations accurately and tactfully to the public.
• Performs preliminary application review for completeness and accuracy, and determines appropriate fees.
• Processes and reviews building permit applications, documents, and plan submittals to assure accuracy and compliance with pertinent laws and established criteria.
• Reviews parcel and subdivision maps for conformity with laws, regulations, and ordinances.
• Records permit information into permitting software database and maintains electronic and hard file property information.
• Collaborates with the Building Plans Examiner to respond to the permit inquiries and assesses appropriate project valuations and permit fees.
• Scans documents for storage in electronic content management databases.
• Issues building permits for approved plans and certificates of occupancy for completed projects.
• Calculates and processes permit fees and refund requests, as well as providing fee estimates, as requested.
• Accesses, enters, and updates computerized plan check data entry and tracking systems.
• Schedules travel and accommodation for training courses for department staff.
• Creates permit reports for internal and external customers.
• Provides information to the public relating to the status of projects and permits.