Permit Arlington: Help

There are three online payment options available:

• eCheck (no fee)
• Credit card (2.5% fee)
• Note: Debit cards can only be used online if processed as a credit card (2.5% fee)

Online payments are convenient – you’ll receive receipts for your transaction in your inbox and can easily track your payment history in Permit Arlington.

For building, trade, and Land Disturbing Activity permits, use this link to pay fees. 

For all other permits, use the Permit Arlington Customer Portal. 

Common Tasks

• Add or Update Mechanic's Lien – PDF(PDF, 194KB)
• Create a Collection – PDF(PDF, 256KB)
• Create a New Permit Arlington Account – Video
• Pay Fees – Video
• Records Research and Requests – PDF English(PDF, 224KB)  | PDF Spanish(PDF, 225KB)
• Renew a Land Disturbing Activity Permit – PDF(PDF, 247KB)
• Reset Password – Video
• Schedule a Building, Trade, Sign, Fence, or Demolition Permit Inspection – Video
• Schedule a Certificate of Occupancy Inspection – Video
• Schedule Inspections (all permit types) – PDF(PDF, 799KB)
• Submit Active Revisions (Revisions to Approved) for Building and LDA Permits – PDF(PDF, 262KB)
• Submit Active Revisions (Revisions to Approved) for Trade Permits (Electrical, Fire, Mechanical, Plumbing) – PDF(PDF, 313KB)
• Submit Revisions after Rejection – PDF(PDF, 310KB)
• Update Account Information – Video
• Update Contractor Information – PDF(PDF, 211KB)
• Upload Plans and Documents to Complete Application Submittal – PDF(PDF, 313KB)
• View Permit, Placard, CO or Plan Set – PDF(PDF, 353KB)  | Video
• View Plan Review Status and Assignments – PDF(PDF, 324KB) | Video
• Where and How to Scan Plans and Documents – PDF English(PDF, 745KB)   | PDF Spanish(PDF, 742KB)

Permit Applications

• Accessory Dwelling and Family or Caregiver Suite Permit – Video
• Asbestos Removal/Abatement Permit – Video
• BZA Use Permit and BZA Appeal – Video
• Certificate of Occupancy – Video
• Code Appeal Application – Video
• Code Modification Request – Video
• Commercial Building Permit – Video
• Demolition Permit – Video
• Electrical Permit – Video
• Elevator Permit – Video
• Mechanical Permit – Video
• Other Permits and Applications – Video
• Periodic Inspection Elevator (PIE) Renewal Process and Requesting an Inspection – Video
• Plumbing Cross Connection – PDF(PDF, 402KB)
• Plumbing Permit – Video
• Residential Building Permit – Video

Technical support 

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Online: Submit a request for technical support.

For process-related or other permitting questions, contact us by phone or email.

If you’ve encountered a technical problem with Permit Arlington, it may be listed as a known issue. Check the list to follow any workaround instructions.

How do I access my account?

After successfully registering (i.e., creating) an account, visit the Permit Arlington Customer Portal and log in using the username and password created during registration.

How do I reset my password for the customer portal?

1. Navigate to the Permit Arlington Customer Portal
2. Click the “I’ve forgotten my password” link
3. Enter the email associated with the account
4. Click Continue
5. Enter the answer to the security question that appears onscreen
6. Click “Send New Password”
7. Open the “Reset Password…” email
8. Click the link within the email
9. Enter the User ID and the Temporary Password provided in the email
10. Click Save

How do I change my password?  

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Account
3. On the Manage Your Account page, scroll down to the Contact Information section
4. Click Actions>View
5. Enter a new password to replace the current one
6. Click Save

How do I change my email?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Account
3. On the Manage Your Account page, scroll down to the Log In Information section
4. Click the section’s corresponding Edit link
5. Enter a new email to replace the current one
6. Click Save

How do I update my contact information?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Account
   Note: A My Account link also appears in the upper right of the page
3. Scroll down to the Contact Information section
4. Click Actions>View
5. Edit fields as necessary
6. Click Save

What is a Delegate?

A Delegate is someone to whom you can assign access to your account with the permissions that you allow them to have.

How do I add and/or manage my Delegates?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Account
3. Scroll down the page to the Delegates section
4. Click Add Delegates
5. Complete the page
6. Click Invite a Delegate

Once created, you can view and manage Delegates.

How do I add attachments to my account?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Account
3. Scroll down to the Attachments section
4. Click Add
5. Click the Add button on the pop-up message
6. Double-click the appropriate file
7. Click Continue
8. Complete the Attach To and Type fields
9. Click Save

How do I view or find my submitted applications/Permit Types?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
   Note: Permit Types are organized into three groups:  Building, Planning, and Zoning  
3. If necessary, click a group’s respective arrow to expand the section
   Note: Each group’s arrow appears next to its name 

What do I do when I don’t see a submitted record/application?

Contact our technical support team for assistance.

How do I check my fees?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Refer to the Action column for messages of any outstanding fees

For building, trade, and Land Disturbing Activity permits, use this link to pay fees. 

For all other permits, use the Permit Arlington Customer Portal. 

What is “Work in Progress”?

“Work in Progress” refers to permit applications not yet completed or submitted. Any such applications appear in Home>Dashboard.

What is a Collection?

Collections are groupings or “folders” of Permit Types. When viewing a Permit Type, you can add it to an existing Collection or create a new Collection.

How can I view or find my Collection(s)?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click the Collections link in the upper right portion of the page

How do I add a Permit Type to a Collection?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Click the checkbox(es) adjacent to the appropriate Permit Type(s)
4. Click Add to Collection
5. Select the appropriate Collection from the drop-down menu (i.e., the Collection to which the selections will be added)
6. Click Save

Alternatively, after clicking the Add to Collection link, you may create a new Collection to which the selections will be added.

How do I change the name of a Collection?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click the Collections link in the upper right portion of the page
3. Click the name of the appropriate Collection
4. Click the Rename Collection button
5. Edit the existing name with a new name
6. Click Change

Where do I check for processing status?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Refer to the Status column

Where can I see additional information on my application or other applications?

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Click the Permit Type’s ID (e.g., EXCV19-T-62, TREX19-T-40)
4. Scroll down to view Permit Type details

Can I edit my application (including plans) after it has been approved?

Yes, provided that the permit type is Civil Engineering (CEPL) or Excavation ROW (EXCV). Contact your Planning Coordinator and let him/her know that you wish to edit your application. Please note that a revision fee applies – you can pay by logging into your Customer Portal account.

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Locate your permit type (e.g., CEPL19-00015, EXCV19-00025, etc.)
4. Click the Revision to Approved link adjacent to your permit type
   Note: The first page of the online application opens, pre-filled with data originally entered
5. Edit fields as necessary and click the Continue Application button to progress from page to page
6. On the final page, upload, delete or replace required documents as necessary. Do not delete any documents that are part of the approved parent record.
7. On the final page, upload, delete or replace plan sheets as necessary. You must submit a comment response letter with revised plans/drawings.
   Note: You can also click the Edit Names button to edit the names of existing/uploaded plan sheets
8. Click the Submit Revision to Approved button
9. Click the Submit button on the confirmation message
10. Click the OK button on the confirmation message
11. Take note of your renamed permit type — RA1 is appended (e.g., CEPL19-00015-RA1)
    Note: If this is the second revision, RA-2 is appended; if the third, RA-3, etc.

You will receive an email containing a link to the My Records page within your Customer Portal account. Click this link to be taken to the Fee page where you can pay the Revision fee. You can also intermittently log into your account and check to see if you have been invoiced:

1. Log into your Permit Arlington Customer Portal account
2. Click Home>My Records
3. Click the appropriate permit type link (e.g., CEPL19-00015)
4. Click Payment>Fees
5. Complete payment

Can I schedule inspections for a permit for which I am not the applicant?

• Yes.  An inspection may be scheduled on any permit requiring inspection as long as you are logged into the system.  The permit number will be required.

Does my general contractor need to have access to my Permit Arlington account in order to schedule inspections?

• No.  An inspection may be scheduled on any permit requiring inspection as long as you are logged into the system.  The permit number will be required.

What information do I need to schedule an inspection?

• You must be logged into your Permit Arlington account, and the permit number will be required. 

Are inspections scheduled all at once (e.g. electrical, plumbing, building, etc.)?

• No. Each inspection must be scheduled separately.  For building permits that include multiple trade permits, inspections must be scheduled for each permit.

Can I continue to schedule inspections using the automated phone system?

• No. Starting on June 28, the automated phone system will be discontinued. From that point on, all inspections will be scheduled via Permit Arlington.