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:| Stage | Status | Date Field |
|---|---|---|
| Filing | in_review | file_date |
| Approval | active | issued_date |
| Completion | final | final_date |
| Abandoned/Revoked | inactive | - |
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.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.