Guides / 6 min read
BC building permit data, explained for trades
What a BC building permit record contains, what the fields mean, what is public and what isn’t, and how open-data licences let a business use it.
Published September 8, 2026 · PermitRadius team
What a permit record contains
A typical BC permit record lists the permit number, issue date, address, permit type, project description, declared construction value and, in most cities, the applicant or contractor. Some cities add the property use, the number of units and the geographic coordinates.
Public versus personal
Company names, addresses of the project and permit values are public. Individual homeowners’ names, phone numbers and emails are personal information under BC’s Personal Information Protection Act and must not be used for marketing. PermitRadius removes personal information before anything is published or sent.
Open Government Licences
Cities that publish under an Open Government Licence let anyone use the data for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as the licence and source are attributed. That is why every PermitRadius report carries a source line.
Reading the timing
The issue date is the reliable one. Application dates can be months earlier and are not always published. Work typically starts within two to six weeks of issue for residential permits.
PermitRadius reads every BC permit source every Monday and sends the new builds inside your radius.
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