Official sources • Effective dates • Corrections • Update workflow
How We Choose Sources, Resolve Conflicts, and Correct Building Information
Local building information changes frequently. This policy explains how we select sources, what we do when sources conflict, and how readers can report outdated or incorrect information.
Preferred Sources
Government departments, official portals, adopted ordinances, forms, fee schedules, code-adoption pages, inspection instructions, and government maps.
Common Update Triggers
New permit systems, department reorganizations, new code editions, amended fees, replaced forms, changed inspection rules, or new jurisdiction boundaries.
How We Resolve Conflicting Information
- Identify which source has direct authority. A current official ordinance or department page normally carries more weight than an old blog post or archived brochure.
- Check the date. We look for effective dates, revision dates, adoption dates, and publication dates.
- Check whether the information is local or general. A state code may allow local amendments; a model code is not automatically the locally adopted code.
- Look for related official confirmation. We may compare the building department page with planning, GIS, ordinance, inspection, or clerk resources.
- State uncertainty when necessary. If the official information remains unclear, we prefer to explain the uncertainty and direct readers to the responsible agency.
What to Include in a Correction Request
| What to send | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Exact usbuilding.org/ URL | Identifies the page that needs review |
| Specific statement or link | Lets us verify the exact issue |
| Official supporting source | Provides the strongest basis for correction |
| Effective/revision date | Helps distinguish current information from archived information |
| Short explanation | Clarifies whether the issue concerns jurisdiction, fee, form, portal, code, or process |
Typical Corrections We May Make
- Replace a broken or retired permit portal.
- Update department addresses, office hours, or phone paths.
- Correct the permitting jurisdiction for an area.
- Replace an outdated fee schedule or form.
- Update the locally adopted code edition or effective date.
- Clarify that a city and county split responsibilities.
- Add a warning when a planning, fire, floodplain, septic, utility, or special-district approval may also apply.
- Correct an overbroad statement about permit exemptions.
Our goal: When reliable evidence shows a material error, update the page so the reader reaches the correct authority and understands the practical next step.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026