Review triggers
Floodplains, creek setbacks, watershed rules, historic districts, the aquifer recharge zone and tree canopy, each with what the reviewer will ask for.
For Austin builders, architects and owners
Know what will slow your permit before you file
Enter an Austin address. In seconds you get the City review triggers on that lot, the submittal checklist they add, and a realistic wait from application to permit, forecast from 33,955 of the City's own permit records.
Free readiness check
3 checks a day with no account and no card. Every City layer, every finding, the full forecast.
What you get
Most permit delay is rework: a reviewer finds a floodplain, a protected tree or a historic district the plans did not account for, and the clock starts over. Dirt to Permit reads the same City layers the reviewers use, before you spend on drawings.
Submittal checklist
The documents your job type needs, plus the items this lot adds, so the application goes in complete the first time.
Realistic timeline
A forecast range for your job type, district, lot and experience, from application to issued permit, tested on permits it had not seen.
33,955City permits analyzed
10City map layers per lot
60Median days, new home
3.3xLonger for first-timers
How it works
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Enter the address
We match it to the City of Austin's official address list and read zoning, both 100-year floodplains, creek setbacks, watershed rules, the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, historic districts and landmarks, and tree canopy.
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See what will trigger review
Each finding says what the reviewer will ask for, what to do before the design is locked, and how much that trigger has actually added to wait times in Austin's records.
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Plan with a real timeline
A forecast range plus the checklist the lot adds. Save the lot, track it through issuance, and share a clean report with your lender or client.
What the records show
Builders who file 25 or more permits a year get new-home permits in a median 31 days. First-time applicants wait 103. Lot and district explain about 17% of the variation in wait time; adding the applicant's experience doubles it to 34%. Experienced builders know what the reviewers want. Dirt to Permit puts that knowledge in front of everyone else.
Median days to a new-home permit, by builder
Fastest district (District 2)28 days
Slowest district (District 3)130 days
City of Austin permits issued through October 19, 2026. Builder experience is the same contractor's issued residential permits in the prior 12 months.
Why Dirt to Permit
Independent, built on public records, and honest about what a forecast can and cannot tell you.
The City's own data
Every number comes from City of Austin permit records and map layers, refreshed monthly. The methodology page shows every table.
Private by design
No cookies, no analytics, no advertising and no tracking of any kind. We never sell information about you or your lots.
Built for builders
Plain answers in the order you need them: what will trigger review, what to submit, and how long it is likely to take.
Who it's for
Built for the people who carry the cost of a slow permit.
Small and first-time builders
The ones who wait longest. Know the triggers and file once.
ADU and infill developers
Tight lots meet trees, cover limits and setbacks. See them on day one.
Land buyers and lenders
Check a lot before you buy it, and set closing dates on a real timeline.
Architects and owners
Design around the constraints instead of redrawing after review.
Questions
Is this the City of Austin?
No. Dirt to Permit is an independent advisory tool from Brigade Management, Inc. It reads the City's public map layers and permit records; it does not file permits, and the City makes every decision. Always confirm against the City's current requirements.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the City of Austin's Issued Construction Permits records (33,955 building permits, refreshed monthly) and the City's own GIS layers. Wait time is calendar days from application to issuance. The methodology page shows every table and how the forecast was tested.
How accurate is the forecast?
It is a range, not a promise. Tested on 1,250 new-home permits it had not seen, its typical error was 6% smaller than a district-only estimate, and the range is calibrated on the latest 12 months so about 80% of permits fall inside it. Most of the remaining variation comes from submittal quality, which is exactly what the checklist helps with.
Which addresses work?
Any address in the City of Austin's address list, which covers the City's full-purpose and limited-purpose jurisdiction. Addresses in other cities or in unincorporated Travis County are not covered yet.
Do you use cookies or track me?
No. The site sets no cookies and runs no analytics, advertising or tracking. Your browser keeps only your sign-in, if you have one, and a few display settings such as dark mode. The cookie notice lists exactly what is stored.
What does it cost?
You can run 3 checks a day without an account. The Builder plan adds unlimited checks, saved lots you can track through issuance, and shareable reports; it starts with a 14-day trial. See pricing.
Check your next lot before you draw it
It takes about ten seconds and no account.