The City of Miami on July 1 launched the Easy Permits online permit program, its latest technology-driven solution to simplify and speed the permit process.
Designed for mobile devices, Easy Permits lets licensed and qualified contractors quickly secure permits for an array of projects.
The new service also means that users can skip time-consuming trips to the city’s Building Department, while eliminating paperwork and waste. Easy Permits continues the City’s strategy of providing online building services, which began in December 2018 with the roll out of ePlan.
“As a Future City, innovation lies at the core of everything we do,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said. “Easy Permits is yet another example of how we are committed to ditching antiquated systems and embracing technology to unclog our processes and procedures. This program will play a vital role in bridging the gap between the city and local contractors by modernizing the permit process and offering a new and convenient way of doing business.”
Easy Permits are permits that can be issued without the need for a plan review for a range of projects, from plumbing to electrical to mechanical jobs. Through the new platform, licensed and qualified contractors are able to apply for, pay and receive their printable permit cards within 10 minutes using their mobile devices.
“The City of Miami is constantly looking for ways to better serve our community while working smarter and more efficiently as an organization,” city manager Emilio T. Gonzalez said. “Easy Permits ticks all of the boxes and will make a wide variety of basic building permits far easier to obtain for local contractors. We’re proud to introduce it today and excited for the improved customer service experience it offers.”
Among the many permits included in the program are the following:
• Air conditioning changeouts;
• Small electrical repairs;
• Pool heater replacements;
• Water heater replacements;
• Bathtub changeouts, and
• many others
Importantly, Easy Permits aligns with the vity’s “Mobile-first” strategy for new technology, which sees city technologists designing and building new software and programs for mobile devices first. The new permitting platform has already undergone user testing and will continue to do so in keeping with the city’s commitment to continuous improvement.
The Easy Permits launch comes just seven months after the city launched its online ePlan Review, which has replaced the traditional paper-based plan review method with a completely online platform.
