How It Works
As updates are made to a permit—such as status changes, valuation adjustments, or contractor assignments—we update the data while maintaining the same permit ID. This approach ensures:- A continuous record of the permit’s progression
- No duplicate entries from status updates
- Reliable tracking across data refreshes
Permit Lifecycle Stages
The permit lifecycle typically flows through several stages:Status Updates
For each status change, we update the corresponding date fields while maintaining the same unique identifier. This allows users to track a permit’s complete history without piecing together fragments across multiple records. Status changes reach Shovels with the twice-monthly data refresh rather than in real time, so a permit carries its previous status until the refresh that captures the change. See how often data is refreshed.Deduplication
Our deduplication process ensures that even when jurisdictions report the same permit multiple times with different statuses, Shovels presents a single, up-to-date record with the most current information.If a permit has a final status but no final date, it typically indicates an over-the-counter permit—one that was approved immediately without the need for a follow-up inspection.