Methodology
How we calculate closure rates and which permits we count for Orlando.
What is a closure rate?
When a contractor pulls a building permit in Orlando, 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
Orlando publishes all permit types through its Socrata open data portal. We include seven construction-related application_type values:
| Application Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Building Permit | General building construction (~173K) |
| Mechanical Permit | Mechanical work (~50K) |
| Electrical | Electrical work (~44K) |
| Plumbing | Plumbing work (~39K) |
| Fire Permit | Fire protection systems (~13K) |
| GAS | Gas line work (~10K) |
| Demolition Permit | Demolition work (~2K) |
Non-construction types such as Right of Way, Landscaping, Sign, Site Development, Tree, Zoning, Pre-Application, and Annual Facility permits are excluded.
Applicant identification
Orlando’s dataset includes two contractor fields: contractor_name (company name, preferred) and contractor (individual name, fallback). We use the company name when available, falling back to the individual name. Together these fields are populated on approximately 89% of recent permits.
Owner sentinel values (OWNER, HOMEOWNER, N/A, TBD, etc.) are filtered out and treated as missing applicant data.
Status mapping
Orlando permits use an application_status field with 10 distinct values. We map these to our open/closed system:
| Status | Classification |
|---|---|
| Finaled | Counted as closed — final inspection passed |
| Closed | Counted as closed — formally closed |
| Completed | Counted as closed — work completed |
| Open | Counted as open — active permit |
| Issued | Counted as open — permit issued |
| Stop Work | Counted as open — work halted |
| In Review / Hold / HardHold | Excluded — pre-issuance |
| Void | Excluded — cancelled |
Geographic data
Orlando’s dataset includes a neighborhood field with 127 distinct values and a 95% fill rate, which we use for geographic grouping. ZIP codes are not available in this dataset.
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, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fire, 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
All data comes from the Approved Building Permits dataset on City of Orlando Open Data. 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 City of Orlando Permitting Services at .