# Permit Status Tracker — Track Building Permits Across Cities (`curative_blanket/permit-status-tracker`) Actor

Stop refreshing city portals. Track your building permits by number across major US cities — daily status rows, change flags, official data. No logins. Pay per check.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/curative\_blanket/permit-status-tracker.md
- **Developed by:** [Salim](https://apify.com/curative_blanket) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $5.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md):

```bash
npm install apify-client
```

In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md):

```bash
pip install apify-client
```

In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):

````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash

In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md).

If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).


# README

## Permit Status Tracker — Track Building Permits Across Cities

Stop refreshing city portals. Track your building permits by number across major US cities — daily status rows, change flags, official data. No logins. Pay per check.

### What it does

Give it a list of permit numbers with their cities. Each run returns one row per permit with the current status, whether it changed since last time, and key details like address, permit type, and issue date. Schedule it daily and get an alert when anything moves.

**First run:** every permit gets `first_check: true` and `previous_status: null` — this is your baseline.  
**Second run:** each permit gets `first_check: false`, `status_changed: false` (if nothing moved), and `previous_status` filled from the prior run.  
**`changesOnly: true`:** only emits rows where the status actually changed. A run with no changes costs $0.

### Cities

| Key | City | Status |
|---|---|---|
| `austin` | Austin, TX | ✅ Live |
| `sf` | San Francisco, CA | ✅ Live |
| `chicago` | Chicago, IL | Coming soon |
| `nyc` | New York, NY | Coming soon |
| `los_angeles` | Los Angeles, CA | Coming soon |
| `seattle` | Seattle, WA | Coming soon |

Coverage expands by request — open an issue.

### Input

```json
{
  "permits": [
    { "city": "austin", "permitNumber": "2024-123456" },
    { "city": "sf",     "permitNumber": "202401234567" }
  ],
  "changesOnly": false
}
````

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `permits` | array | required | Each item: `{city, permitNumber}`. City must match a key from the table above. |
| `changesOnly` | boolean | `false` | Only emit rows where status changed. Runs with no changes cost $0. |
| `resetState` | boolean | `false` | Wipe all tracked state and re-baseline on next run. |
| `appToken` | string | — | Optional Socrata app token for higher rate limits. |

### Output fields

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `permit_number` | Permit number as provided |
| `city` | City label (e.g., "Austin, TX") |
| `city_key` | City key (e.g., "austin") |
| `found` | `false` if the permit wasn't found in the dataset |
| `status` | Current permit status |
| `previous_status` | Status from the prior run (`null` on first check) |
| `status_changed` | `true` if status differs from last run |
| `first_check` | `true` on the very first run for this permit |
| `address` | Permit site address |
| `permit_type` | Permit type / work class |
| `issued_date` | Issue date (ISO string) |
| `zip` | ZIP code |
| `latitude` / `longitude` | Coordinates |
| `description` | Work description |
| `checked_at` | ISO timestamp of this run |

### Sample output

| permit\_number | city | status | previous\_status | status\_changed | first\_check | address |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-070339 PP | Austin, TX | Active | null | false | true | 9305 BREEZE HILL DR |
| 201806293452 | San Francisco, CA | expired | null | false | true | 930 Sutter St |
| 2026-070339 PP | Austin, TX | Active | Active | false | false | 9305 BREEZE HILL DR |

### Billing

**$5.00 per 1,000 results** ($0.005 per status row) — billed via Apify's automatic per-dataset-item event. No double-billing. A `changesOnly` run that emits zero rows costs $0.

### Schedule it

Set a daily schedule with your permit list and `changesOnly: true` for a zero-cost daily watch that only charges you when a status actually changes.

### Data sources

- Austin: [Issued Construction Permits](https://data.austintexas.gov/Building-and-Development/Permit-Information/3syk-w9eu) — Austin Open Data
- San Francisco: [Building Permits](https://data.sfgov.org/Housing-and-Buildings/Building-Permits/i98e-djp9) — DataSF / DBI (updated nightly)

### See also

[US Building Permits](https://apify.com/your-actor-link) — daily feed of new permits across cities, for lead generation and construction analytics.

# Actor input Schema

## `permits` (type: `array`):

List of permits to track. Each item must have a 'city' key and a 'permitNumber'. Example: \[{"city":"austin","permitNumber":"2024-001234"},{"city":"sf","permitNumber":"202301234567"}]

## `changesOnly` (type: `boolean`):

When enabled, only emit rows where the permit status changed since the last run. Runs with no changes cost $0.

## `resetState` (type: `boolean`):

Clears all previously-tracked permit states so the next run re-baselines every permit as a first check.

## `appToken` (type: `string`):

Optional free Socrata token for higher rate limits. Falls back to the SOCRATA\_APP\_TOKEN environment variable.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "permits": [],
  "changesOnly": false,
  "resetState": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `statusRows` (type: `string`):

One row per permit per run. Fields: permit\_number, city, status, previous\_status, status\_changed, first\_check, found, address, permit\_type, issued\_date, zip, latitude, longitude, description, checked\_at.

## `runSummary` (type: `string`):

JSON object with checkedCount, emittedCount, changesOnly flag, and checkedAt timestamp. Also contains a NO\_RESULTS notice when changesOnly=true and nothing changed.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("curative_blanket/permit-status-tracker").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("curative_blanket/permit-status-tracker").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call curative_blanket/permit-status-tracker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=curative_blanket/permit-status-tracker",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

```json
{
    "openapi": "3.0.1",
    "info": {
        "title": "Permit Status Tracker — Track Building Permits Across Cities",
        "description": "Stop refreshing city portals. Track your building permits by number across major US cities — daily status rows, change flags, official data. No logins. Pay per check.",
        "version": "0.1",
        "x-build-id": "dxnzGf0b7AZKbgC5Y"
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
        }
    ],
    "paths": {
        "/acts/curative_blanket~permit-status-tracker/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-curative_blanket-permit-status-tracker",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/curative_blanket~permit-status-tracker/runs": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "runs-sync-curative_blanket-permit-status-tracker",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK",
                        "content": {
                            "application/json": {
                                "schema": {
                                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/curative_blanket~permit-status-tracker/run-sync": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-curative_blanket-permit-status-tracker",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    },
    "components": {
        "schemas": {
            "inputSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "required": [
                    "permits"
                ],
                "properties": {
                    "permits": {
                        "title": "Permits to track",
                        "type": "array",
                        "description": "List of permits to track. Each item must have a 'city' key and a 'permitNumber'. Example: [{\"city\":\"austin\",\"permitNumber\":\"2024-001234\"},{\"city\":\"sf\",\"permitNumber\":\"202301234567\"}]",
                        "default": []
                    },
                    "changesOnly": {
                        "title": "Changes only",
                        "type": "boolean",
                        "description": "When enabled, only emit rows where the permit status changed since the last run. Runs with no changes cost $0.",
                        "default": false
                    },
                    "resetState": {
                        "title": "Reset tracked state",
                        "type": "boolean",
                        "description": "Clears all previously-tracked permit states so the next run re-baselines every permit as a first check.",
                        "default": false
                    },
                    "appToken": {
                        "title": "Socrata app token (optional)",
                        "type": "string",
                        "description": "Optional free Socrata token for higher rate limits. Falls back to the SOCRATA_APP_TOKEN environment variable."
                    }
                }
            },
            "runsResponseSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "data": {
                        "type": "object",
                        "properties": {
                            "id": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "actId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "userId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "startedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "finishedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "status": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "READY"
                            },
                            "meta": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "origin": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "API"
                                    },
                                    "userAgent": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "stats": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "inputBodyLen": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2000
                                    },
                                    "rebootCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "restartCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "resurrectCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "computeUnits": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "options": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "build": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "latest"
                                    },
                                    "timeoutSecs": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 300
                                    },
                                    "memoryMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1024
                                    },
                                    "diskMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2048
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "buildId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultDatasetId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultRequestQueueId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "buildNumber": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "1.0.0"
                            },
                            "containerUrl": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "usage": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "usageTotalUsd": {
                                "type": "number",
                                "example": 0.00005
                            },
                            "usageUsd": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "number",
                                        "example": 0.00005
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```