Methodology
How we calculate closure rates and which permits we count for Anaheim.
What is a closure rate?
When a contractor pulls a building permit in Anaheim, 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
Anaheim’s Planning and Building Department publishes building permits via an ArcGIS MapServer layer. The dataset is specifically building permits, and all records are included. We classify permits using the COMRES field:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Residential - Single Family | Single-family residential construction |
| Residential - Multi-Family | Multi-family residential construction |
| Commercial | Commercial construction |
| Other | Records with no COMRES value (null/empty) |
Applicant identification
Anaheim’s dataset includes a contractorsname field that is populated on approximately 73% of all permits.
Owner sentinel values (OWNER, OWNER BUILDER, HOMEOWNER, N/A, TBD, etc.) are filtered out and treated as missing applicant data.
Status mapping
Anaheim permits use a CASESTATUS field with only 3 distinct values:
| Status | Classification |
|---|---|
| Finaled | Counted as closed — final inspection passed |
| Case Closed | Counted as closed — formally closed |
| Issued | Counted as open — permit issued |
Geographic data
Anaheim’s address field includes the full address with city, state, and ZIP code (e.g., “618 S Pathfinder Trl Anaheim, Ca 92807”). We parse out the street address and ZIP code. The councildistrict field provides 6 council districts, which we use for geographic grouping. Latitude and longitude are provided via point geometry.
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., Residential, Commercial). 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 Building Permits MapServer layer published by the City of Anaheim Planning and Building Department. The dataset covers ~152K permits from 1999 to present and is refreshed daily.
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 City of Anaheim Planning and Building Department at .