Builders can now go online for construction permits

Tom Bailey
Daily Memphian

Builders, architects and developers can now go online to apply for building permits or to submit construction plans.

The Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development just launched the online alternative to having to drive, or dispatch a courier service, to 6465 Mullins Station Road, which is near the north edge of Shelby Farms Park.

The agency had long planned to provide the convenience, but rolled it out earlier than anticipated because of social distancing required due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The service is called Accela Citizen Access.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Brett Grinder, vice president of the construction firm Grinder Taber & Grinder.

“In the short term, it addresses some of the COVID concerns,” he said. “You can do everything remotely.

“But in the long term it makes us far more efficient,” Grinder said. “We can submit plans digitally, save a lot of paper. We don’t have to have couriers running back and forth to pick up and distribute a lot of plans.”

It’s not unusual for Grinder Taber & Grinder to make two trips a day to the codes office.

Because of the early start, the service will begin with limited functions. However, users can create a profile and apply for and pay for building permits online.

“Once fully operational, customers will be able to register their construction license information, add staff members authorized to pull permits, track permit status, request inspections, and much more,” states a release from the division.

“This new online feature is part of the division’s newest campaign, “Develop901,” that will enhance the way customers move through the entire planning, construction and development process and interact with departments with a role in development permitting,” the release states.