---
title: "Record whether the work needs a permit before it starts"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/record-whether-the-planning-instrument-requires-consent-before-the-work/united-states"
type: "task_jurisdiction_version"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A12-FL20261022-15-US"
practice_area: "Planning & Environment"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
jurisdictions: ["US"]
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Record whether the work needs a permit before it starts

> From the work description, copy any statement on the department page that this kind of work needs a permit, and any statement that it does not. Leave blank whether this proposal is in either list.…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/record-whether-the-planning-instrument-requires-consent-before-the-work/united-states  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Planning & Environment](https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | From the work description, copy any statement on the department page that this kind of work needs a permit, and any statement that it does not. Leave blank whether this proposal is in either list. If the lawyer has marked the work as emergency work, record the two-business-day notice the page describes. Do not decide that the work is exempt. Do not state a penalty. |
| What the lawyer must review | The lawyer decides whether a permit is required before this work starts. The NYC Department of Buildings page says most construction requires approval and a permit. Some minor alterations may be done without a work permit. The examples it gives of work that does not need a permit are painting, plastering, installing new cabinets, plumbing fixture replacement, resurfacing floors, and non-structural roof repair. It says the Administrative Code clarifies other categories, including ordinary plumbing work, emergency work, and minor alterations and ordinary repairs, and it names sections 28-105.4.4, 28-105.4.1, 28-105.4.2, and 28-105.4.5. Those code sections were not opened. The page itself says licensed contractors may do emergency work before a permit is issued if an emergency work notice is filed within two business days after the work is completed, with a description of the emergency and the repair. Work the page lists as not needing a permit must still comply with other laws the department enforces. |
| Written for | United States |
| Applies to | [Record whether the planning instrument requires consent before the work starts](https://ailawframework.com/practice/planning-and-environment/record-whether-the-planning-instrument-requires-consent-before-the-work.md) |

## Checking plan

- What the AI does: From the work description, copy any statement on the department page that this kind of work needs a permit, and any statement that it does not. Leave blank whether this proposal is in either list. If the lawyer has marked the work as emergency work, record the two-business-day notice the page describes. Do not decide that the work is exempt. Do not state a penalty.
- Basis: Checked against the linked sources on 22 October 2026. Confirm the current instrument before reliance.

## Notes

- This is New York City. Other cities differ. The code PDF linked from the page was not opened, so no code text beyond the page is used.
- The page on obtaining a permit confirms that the majority of construction requires a department permit. It does not list the exemptions.

## Sources

- [NYC Department of Buildings, does my project require a permit](https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/property-or-business-owner/do-i-need-a-permit.page) (checked 2026-10-22)
- [NYC Department of Buildings, obtaining a permit](https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/property-or-business-owner/obtaining-a-permit.page) (checked 2026-10-22)

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*