Getting started with Application Assistant

Your city has two ways to help you through the permit process — one for research and one for applications. You don't need to use both, and you can start with either one.

How this is different from the regular permit portal

The city's existing permit portal is a set of forms you fill out from scratch. These tools work differently:

• You start with documents, not blank forms. Upload your plans and the AI extracts what it can — your zoning is already loaded from city records, your setbacks are calculated, and the AI pulls your project details from the plans. You review what it found and fix anything it missed.

• You get guidance as you go. The chat assistant answers questions about requirements, and the system tells you exactly what's missing before you submit.

• Your property data is already loaded. Zoning, lot size, critical areas — the system pulls this from city records so you don't have to look it up yourself.

The regular portal still exists — you can still use it directly if you prefer.

Research and apply

Know Before You Apply helps you figure out what you need before you commit to an application. Enter your address, describe what you want to build, and it tells you which permits you'll need, what documents to gather, and whether your property has any special conditions that affect your project.

Application Assistant is where you actually prepare and submit your permit application. Upload your documents, and the AI reads them, fills in what it can, and tells you what's still missing. You can ask questions along the way.

Most people research first and apply when they're ready, but you can skip straight to the application if you already know what you need. Using Know Before You Apply doesn't commit you to anything — some people use it just to understand what's involved and come back weeks later.

Creating an account

1. Go to [your-city].permits.govstream.ai

2. Enter your email and click “Log in with email”

3. Follow the link in the email that is sent to your inbox

4. You’re in

The verification link expires after a short time, so click it soon. If it's expired, just request a new one.

Signing in

Once your account exists, you can create a password. Bookmark the login page so you don't have to hunt for it later.

Managing multiple properties

Each permit project is tied to an address. If you're working on multiple properties — say, a fence at home and a remodel at a rental — each one gets its own project in the “My Properties” drop down. You can switch between them anytime without losing progress.