General contractor permit checklist for trade contractors

Ask which building permit, land-use review, zoning clearance, or other approval applies to the site and work. Confirm who files, which permit holder is named, and what status or approval record the GC needs from you. Local business location can affect applicable zoning rules, regulations, licenses, and permits.[1]

Confirm the current drawing set and revision, specifications, product data, shop drawings, cut sheets, and any deferred submittals your scope touches. Agree on who submits each item and who returns reviewer comments. Portland’s residential process, for example, may ask for plans and additional forms and can send a checksheet when reviewers need corrections.[2]

Write down the trade work you will perform, then ask whether it needs a separate permit, registration, license, or project credential. Check the issuing authority, responsible permit holder, expiration date, and any credential the GC needs on file. Requirements depend on the activity and location; verify them with the relevant state, county, or city office.[1][2]

Ask the GC for its written insurance requirements: requested policy types, limits, certificate holder, additional-insured wording, and dates. Have your broker confirm what your policy provides and send the requested evidence through the channel the GC specifies. Do not assume one project’s limits or endorsements apply to another.

Ask whether the contract calls for a bid, payment, or performance bond, who must furnish it, and when. SBA explains these bond types and notes that some public and private contracts require surety bonds.[5]

Confirm which legal business name and tax form the GC needs. Form W-9 gives a requester a taxpayer identification number for information reporting; use the current IRS form and submit it through an appropriate private channel.[4]

Ask what the GC expects for your task: a site orientation, hazard assessment, job hazard analysis, emergency contacts, training records, equipment inspections, or daily coordination notes. OSHA’s construction guidance covers hazards such as falls, electrical incidents, struck-by events, and trenching; some of its program guidance is recommended practice and goes beyond specific OSHA requirements.[3]

Identify which inspections touch your work, who schedules each one, what must be ready, and where results are recorded. Ask what the GC needs at closeout: final approvals, test records, warranties, operation manuals, photos, or outstanding-item sign-off. Portland’s example permit process uses an inspection card to list likely inspections and says a final approval inspection completes its permit.[2]

Flag work that could involve structural review, fire or life-safety coordination, excavation, site development, utilities, environmental controls, traffic, or special equipment. Ask the GC which additional reviewers, permits, inspections, or plans apply before you schedule the work. Portland’s process illustrates how site conditions and proposed work can bring in different review groups; that example is specific to Portland.[2][3]