Building Department Digitalization

ICC Resources to Help Modernize Your Community

What is Digitalization?
Building department digitalization is the use of technology to improve permitting, plan review, inspections, records management, and customer service. Modernizing these processes helps jurisdictions deliver services more efficiently while improving transparency, consistency, and resilience.

  • Faster permit turnaround
  • Improved customer experience
  • Increased staff efficiency
  • Better data and reporting
  • Greater operational resilience
  • More consistent service delivery

ICC Resources

Plan Your Digital Journey
  • Roadmap for Code Department Digitalization View pdf
  • Strategies for Filling Digitalization Gaps View pdf

Remote Virtual Inspections
  • Model Program for Online Services: Permitting, Plan Review and Remote Inspections Purchase book
  • Recommended Practices for Remote Virtual Inspections Purchase book
  • ANSI/RESNET/ICC 1450-2025 Standard for Remote Virtual Inspections for Energy and Water Performance in Buildings View standard
  • RVI Checklist for the 2018 and 2021 IECC View resources

Department Capacity & Performance
  • Jurisdictional Best Practices Examples
    View web page
  • The Code Department Squeeze: Workforce, Demand and the Case for Local Optimization View article
  • Building Department Recognition
    View web page

Research &
Webinars

Survey findings

  • Code Department Operations During COVID‑19 (2020) View survey
  • Code Official Digitization and Efficiency Support (CODES) project (2025) View survey

Webinars

Need Additional Support?
ICC can help through: