Permits Without Addresses

Yes, Shovels does capture permits that don't have an associated address. This situation commonly occurs with newly subdivided parcels or undeveloped land where construction needs to begin before an official address is assigned by the post office. In these cases, Shovels assigns a unique permit ID to track the permit, but there won't be an associated address ID, physical address, or geographic identifiers such as county, city, or jurisdiction codes. The only geo-identifiers included with these address-less permits will be state and jurisdiction information. These permits are still valuable data points as they often represent new construction projects at their earliest stages. For users interested in new development opportunities, these permits can provide early intelligence about upcoming construction activity. As the project progresses and an official address is assigned, we update our records to link the permit with its new address, allowing for continuous tracking throughout the construction lifecycle. This approach ensures we don't miss important permit activity, even when traditional address-based identification isn't possible.