The following is a list of the permits you will likely need:
• Zoning
• Building Permit
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Mechanical
• Swimming Pool
• Septic Analysis, Design, and Installation
• Excavation/Clearing/Grading
• Tree Removal
• Driveway permit
• Environmental Permit
• Soil Test
• Flood Letter
• Energy Calculations

Building Permit costs and fees

Permits cost money! In fact they can be a very expensive part of the home building process. Expect to spend several thousand to meet all of the city's requirements for permits. There are fees for everything from connection to sewer, water, and power to having someone review and approve your plans. Some areas have mitigation fees for schools, roads, etc. (this is a way the government pre-taxes homeowners for services they may or may not be providing).

Every area differs, but you may have to leave a deposit for damages you may incur to sidewalks or curbs during your construction, you may not. Some are refundable, some not. Permits aren't free, so go prepared to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000 or more for your permits. Make sure you have the money available or it will be a waste of time.

If it is taking a while to get your permits through you should try and maintain communication with the inspector who will be handling your project. It is important--very important--to develop a good rapport with the inspectors. They can really help you out. Depending on what you need, it could take several months to get your zoning etc. approved. So, find out in advance what it will take to get your permits to go through quickly.

Zoning

You should have any zoning issues resolved prior to getting this far. This should never be a problem at this stage. Remember when you buy your lot, to set up your earnest money with a contingency that allows you to get the proper zoning before you purchase the lot, and it should include ample time to get the job done with any automatic extensions as needed.

Once you get your building permit you have to post it before you can do anything else. You will want to post it somewhere where it won't get removed, and protect it from the weather in some way or another. This is very important, if you don't have your permit posted you can't start doing anything to your site. So, put a post in the ground, put the permit in a Ziplock bag to protect it from weather, and nail it to the post. This should be sufficient.