Each permit in Shovels has a unique identifier that distinguishes it from all other permits in our database.
Shovels ID vs Permit Number
| Field | Description | Uniqueness |
|---|
| ID | Generated by Shovels | Globally unique across all permits |
| permit_no | Assigned by the jurisdiction | Only unique within that jurisdiction |
Why This Matters
Different jurisdictions may coincidentally assign the same permit_no to different permits. For example:
- Los Angeles might issue permit #12345
- San Francisco might also issue permit #12345
These are completely different permits, but they share the same permit number.
Always use the Shovels ID field to organize data by unique permit identifiers, not permit_no.
Using Shovels IDs
The Shovels ID:
- Remains persistent throughout the permit lifecycle
- Never duplicates across jurisdictions
- Enables reliable data joins and tracking
- Stays consistent across data refreshes
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