What Does 'Ready to Issue' Mean?

One day the portal status changes: "Ready to Issue" (RTI). This is the finish line's shadow — here's exactly what it means and the small steps left.

What RTI means: every reviewing desk — Planning, Building, Fire, whoever your routing included — has signed off. The plans are approved. Nothing more will be reviewed. The city is simply waiting for the transaction that turns approval into a permit.

What's usually left:

• Fees. The remaining balance beyond your plan-check deposit: permit fees, school fees where applicable (units over 500 SF), utility connection charges some cities collect here. Get the full figure in advance so the number isn't a surprise — this is the moment Module 6.5's budgeting pays off.
• Contractor information. Many cities record the licensed contractor (license number, insurance) at issuance — or your owner-builder declaration (Module 11.11) if you're going that route. Deciding who builds before RTI keeps this from stalling you.
• Signatures and pickup. Digital in most cities now; some still love a counter visit.

What you receive: the building permit — a card or document, posted visibly at the job site — and your approved plan set, stamped by the city. That stamped set is now a controlled document: the inspector (Module 12) checks construction against it, not against your memory or your contractor's habits. Changes from here go through revision or field-approval processes, not vibes.

Two practical notes: first, permits expire — typically if construction doesn't start (or stalls) for 6–12 months, extensions available but not automatic. Don't pull the permit a year before you can build. Second, RTI is the natural moment to finalize construction contracts and scheduling — bids based on approved plans are firm bids (no more "pending plan check" hedges), and good contractors book out weeks to months. RTI to groundbreaking is its own small project; run it deliberately.