
By Liz Tanner
Executive Vice President- Client Services
Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
Q. What is all this e-Permitting stuff about?
A. The Rhode Island Statewide e-Permitting Initiative strives to offer an effective, affordable, user designed platform for online permitting. Some of the features of the system include:
- Convenient self-service: Applications and payments may be submitted online at any time of the day, and permits may be received electronically and printed out as soon as they are approved.
- Transparency: Processing status is tracked step-by-step, giving applicants visibility into not only where their application is in the process, but the name of the actual employee working on it.
- Contractor validation: Applicants and government officials won't need to question the validity of licensed/registered professional credentials. The system validates against databases at the Contractors Registration Board, Department of Labor and Training, Department of Business Regulation and Department of Health.
- Workload Management: Governmental bodies can collect information related to a permit application in one place, track progress across multiple applications simultaneously, and assign tasks to achieve higher levels of efficiency and service for the public.
- Collaboration and Consistency: The State has partnered with Rhode Island municipalities to design and implement the same platform for online permitting, providing a more comprehensive solution and allowing both levels of government to benefit from economies of scale both in system cost and implementation timelines.
Are you interested in learning more about e-Permitting for your community? Please contact Shawn Selleck at shawn.selleck@ode.ri.gov or visit www.permits.ri.gov.