Renovation Permit vs. Building Permit: When You Need Which

Purely cosmetic work — new flooring, paint, replacing cabinets in the same footprint — generally doesn't require a permit at all. The moment work touches structure, plumbing, electrical, or life-safety systems, though, most jurisdictions require a permit regardless of whether it's called a "renovation" or new construction, because the code doesn't distinguish based on the word used to describe the project.

Removing a wall, even a seemingly non-structural one, is one of the most common places homeowners get this wrong — plenty of walls that look decorative are quietly doing structural work, and a permit review is exactly the process that catches that before the wall comes down.