Why demolition permits get denied or delayed
Demolition permits are held or refused when utilities are not yet disconnected, when the property has open code violations or unpaid taxes and liens, when an older building lacks its asbestos report, or when a historic review finds the building significant and imposes a waiting period. Missing site plans and right-of-way permits also stop the application.
Updated
Rather not do this yourself? We prepare your demolition permit file for your address, and revise it until approved.
Get my permit · $399Key facts
- Abilene, Kansas, states it on the application itself: permits will not be approved if any code violations are present on the property.[1]City of Abilene, Kansas, Community Development, Application for demolition or…
- Liberty, Missouri, asks the owner to prove that the property is free of delinquent taxes and liens when applying for a demolition permit.[2]City of Liberty, Missouri, Building Division, Demolition permits for commercial and…
- Liberty requires sewer, water, electricity, natural gas and cable to be disconnected and abandoned before the permit is issued, with a letter of verification, and its Utilities Department inspects the capping of water and sewer.[2]City of Liberty, Missouri, Building Division, Demolition permits for commercial and…
- In Boston, every building at least 50 years old is subject to Article 85 review.[3]City of Boston, Landmarks Commission, Article 85 Demolition Delay
- A significant building goes to a public hearing within 30 days, where the applicant presents alternatives to demolition, and the permit cannot be issued until 90 days after the hearing closes.[3][4]City of Boston, Landmarks Commission, Article 85 Demolition Delay
Why do demolition permits get denied?
Tearing down looks simpler than building, so owners expect a formality. The city sees a site with live gas lines, a sewer opening into the public system, possible asbestos and, sometimes, a piece of the town's history. Each of the reasons below is written in an official requirement.
1. The property has open code violations
Abilene, Kansas, states it on the application itself: permits will not be approved if any code violations are present on the property[1]. Clearing the open violations, or agreeing with the city how the demolition resolves them, comes first.
2. Unpaid taxes or liens
Liberty, Missouri, asks the owner to prove that the property is free of delinquent taxes and liens when applying for a demolition permit[2]. Settle any balance before you file.
3. The utilities are still connected
No city wants an excavator near a live gas line. Liberty requires sewer, water, electricity, natural gas and cable to be disconnected and abandoned before the permit is issued, with a letter of verification, and its Utilities Department inspects the capping of water and sewer[2]. Abilene requires documentation from every provider confirming that gas, electric, water and telecommunications are disconnected[1]. Ask each provider early: their schedule, not yours, sets when the letter arrives.
4. A septic system not emptied
In Liberty, all sewage must be removed from septic systems and cesspools before demolition, and the voids filled with sand, gravel or other approved material[2].
5. The asbestos paperwork is missing
Abilene requires an asbestos inspection report for structures built before a certain year, with 1980 given as an example[1]. Liberty points owners to state and federal rules on asbestos inspection, notification and handling, and to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 10 working days before the demolition starts[2].
The federal rule has a residential exemption, but it is narrow. The EPA's 1995 notice says that, in its opinion, an isolated small residential building of four or fewer units is not covered by the asbestos NESHAP, while several small residential buildings demolished on the same site by the same owner are covered, and homes demolished as part of a commercial or public project are not exempt[5]. Two houses cleared together for one new project can fall on the wrong side of that line.
6. The building is historic, or might be
In Boston, every building at least 50 years old is subject to Article 85 review[3]. Staff decide within 10 calendar days of a complete application whether it is "significant", using five criteria, and a building can be found significant even if it is on no official list or survey[3]. A significant building goes to a public hearing within 30 days, where the applicant presents alternatives to demolition[3], and the permit cannot be issued until 90 days after the hearing closes[4]. The 10-day review does not start until the application is complete, with keyed photographs, a map, a plot plan, proof of ownership and a notarized signature page[3].
Liberty requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before the application can even be started for a city-designated historic structure[2], and Abilene sends structures in a historic district to its Heritage Commission[1].
7. An incomplete site plan or a missing right-of-way permit
Abilene requires a site plan showing the structure, nearby utilities and adjacent buildings that could be affected, and a separate right-of-way permit if equipment, vehicles, dumpsters or materials will be placed in a public street, alley or sidewalk[1]. Liberty needs a plot plan when some buildings on the site stay, and a report of existing damage to curbs and sidewalks[2]. If a contractor does the work in Liberty, a current contractor business license must be on file with the city[2].
8. The permit is issued, then lapses or is revoked
Liberty's demolition permit is valid for 30 days unless extended, and it may be revoked if a code violation or a hazard to public health exists[2]. Book the crew and the dumpsters around that window.
What happens if you demolish without a permit
| Where | Consequence | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | A significant building demolished in violation of Article 85: no building permit for new construction on the parcel for two years | [4] |
| New York City | Work removed after being done without a permit: $600 penalty on a one- or two-family home, even if the removal needed no permit | [6] |
| Jerusalem, New York (2026) | Working without a permit: $250 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater; stop work order $250 | [7] |
The Boston rule is the one that hurts most, because it blocks the reason most people demolish: building something new.
How to avoid a refusal
A demolition file is mostly a sequence: utilities off, taxes and violations cleared, asbestos paperwork where required, historic clearance where it applies, then the permit. Our Permit Kit lists that sequence for your address from your city's own rules, with each form and fee. The All-in offer adds the review before filing and handles each city comment until the permit is issued.
Common questions
Can a city refuse to let me demolish my own house?
It can delay it, and some cities can refuse for designated landmarks. In Boston, a building at least 50 years old that the Landmarks Commission finds significant goes to a public hearing, and the demolition permit cannot be issued until 90 days after the hearing closes. Liberty, Missouri, requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for city-designated historic structures before the application can be started.
What happens if I demolish a significant building without approval in Boston?
Under Article 85, if the Landmarks Commission determines that a significant building was demolished in violation of the article, no building permit for new construction may be issued for that parcel, and abutting parcels under common ownership, for two years.
Why does the city care about my property taxes?
Some cities make it a condition. Liberty, Missouri, asks the owner to prove that the property is free of delinquent taxes and liens when applying for a demolition permit.
My demolition permit expired before the work was done. What now?
Ask the building department for an extension before it lapses. In Liberty, Missouri, the permit is valid for 30 days and the chief building official may extend it.
We handle the permit. You build your demolition.
- Your city's rule, for your addressThe code section, its link and the date we checked it.
- Site plan and dimensioned drawingsDistances to your property lines, ready for the application.
- The form, where to file it, and the published feePlus the documents list and an HOA request template.
- Reviewed, then revised until approvedWith All-in, after every comment from the city, for up to 6 months.
Sources
- City of Abilene, Kansas, Community Development, Application for demolition or relocation permit and Specifications and Inspections. Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Liberty, Missouri, Building Division, Demolition permits for commercial and residential structures. Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Boston, Landmarks Commission, Article 85 Demolition Delay. Checked October 13, 2026.
- City of Boston, Boston Zoning Code, Article 85, Demolition Delay (text published by the City). Checked October 13, 2026.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Asbestos NESHAP, clarification of intent on residential buildings, Federal Register Vol. 60, No. 145 (July 28, 1995). Checked October 13, 2026.
- New York City Department of Buildings, Form L2 instructions, civil penalties for work without a permit (rev. 03/2026). Checked October 13, 2026.
- Town of Jerusalem, New York, Department of Code Enforcement and Zoning Administration Fee Schedule 2026. Checked October 13, 2026.