Methodology
How we calculate closure rates and which permits we count for New Orleans.
What is a closure rate?
When a contractor pulls a building permit in New Orleans, an inspector needs to verify the work was completed correctly before the permit can be closed. A closure rate measures the percentage of an applicant’s permits that have been properly closed:
The 365-day eligibility rule
A contractor who pulled a permit last month hasn’t had time to complete the work yet. To avoid penalizing recent activity, we only count permits issued more than 365 days ago when calculating closure rates.
Permits issued within the last year still appear in the data but are dimmed in the table and not factored into the rate.
Included permits
New Orleans’s Department of Safety and Permits publishes permit data with a code column identifying the permit type. We group these codes into five construction categories:
| Category | Included Codes |
|---|---|
| Building | NEWC, RNVN, RNVS, ACCS, ROTF |
| Electrical | SERV, ERPR, EVAC, EANN, SOLR, EGEN, ETMP |
| Mechanical | MECH, HVAC, FGAS |
| Plumbing | PLMB |
| Demolition | DEMO, DEMI |
Excluded permits
The following permit codes are excluded from closure rate calculations because they represent non-construction activities:
| Excluded Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| SMCL | Small cell installation (telecom infrastructure) |
| SATT / SBNR | Attached signs and banners |
| BTO | Brake tag orders (administrative) |
| LEAD | Lead-based paint forms (administrative) |
| LOOP | Construction loop (traffic management) |
| MOVG | Moving equipment permits |
| POOL | Swimming pools |
Status mapping
Only permits with a recorded issue date are included. The currentstatus field determines whether a permit is counted as open or closed:
Counted as Closed
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Temporary Certificate of Occupancy
- Meter Release
- Sub-Permits Finaled
- Complete - Historical Import
Counted as Open
- Permit Issued
- Permit Issuance - Active
- Sub-Permits Issued
Permits with other statuses (Voided, Application Pending, etc.) are excluded.
Leaderboard criteria
The leaderboard applies two additional filters:
- Minimum 20 rated permits — avoids surfacing statistically insignificant data.
- Active in the last 3 years — prevents the list from being populated by defunct companies.
The leaderboard can be filtered by permit type (e.g., Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Demolition). When filtered, both thresholds apply only to permits of the selected type.
Median comparison
On applicant detail pages, each closure rate is compared to the median closure rate across all leaderboard-eligible applicants in the same category. This gives context — a 50% closure rate means something different in a category where the median is 40% versus one where it’s 80%.
Medians are calculated from the same pool of applicants who meet the 20-permit minimum threshold.
Data source
Data comes from the Permits dataset on Data.NOLA.gov. The dataset is refreshed nightly.
Limitations
This site shows permit closure data. It does not evaluate the quality of anyone’s work. There are legitimate reasons a permit may remain open:
- Client non-cooperation — the property owner may fail to schedule the final inspection or grant access.
- Administrative backlog — work may be inspected and approved but not yet updated in the system.
- Project delays — financing, design changes, supply chain issues, or other factors outside the applicant’s control.
- Multi-phase projects — large commercial projects may legitimately take years to complete.
- Permit holder vs. contractor — the applicant may be a GC, architect, or owner — not necessarily the person scheduling the inspection.
If you believe there are inaccuracies in the underlying permit data, contact the Department of Safety and Permits at .