PERMITBuilding Permits (PERMIT) — Current Value & Historical Data
Building Permits (PERMIT) Chart & Data Table
Gray bands: NBER recessions
What is Building Permits (PERMIT)?
Starting with the 2005-02-16 release, the series reflects an increase in the universe of permit-issuing places from 19,000 to 20,000 places.
Current Building Permits (PERMIT) Value
As of August 1, 2026, the current new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units is 1403.00 Thousands of Units. This is the most recent observation available for this series, updated monthly.
Building Permits Historical Trend
New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units fell 2.09% month-over-month. Over the past year, new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units rose 0.21% from July 2025. In the series' tracked history, the highest recorded value was 2419.00 (December 1972), and the lowest was 513.00 (March 2009).
Methodology & Source
Source
U.S. Census Bureau / HUD
Frequency
Monthly
Units
Thousands of Units
Notes
Starting with the 2005-02-16 release, the series reflects an increase in the universe of permit-issuing places from 19,000 to 20,000 places....
Frequently Asked Questions About Building Permits (PERMIT)
What is the current new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units?
As of August 1, 2026, new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units stands at 1403.00 Thousands of Units.
Where does new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units data come from?
New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units data is sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) system and related U.S. government agencies. Data quality and historical coverage vary by series.
How often is new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units updated?
This series is updated according to its publication schedule. Check FRED or the source agency for the most current release calendar.
What is the historical high and low for new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units?
In the available data, the highest value was 2419.00 Thousands of Units in December 1972, and the lowest was 513.00 Thousands of Units in March 2009.
How has new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units changed over the past year?
Over the past year, new privately-owned housing units authorized in permit-issuing places: total units increased 0.21%.
See Building Permits in context
PERMIT is tracked on the Housing Market dashboard, alongside related indicators and historical context.
View the Housing Market dashboard →Related government-spending dashboards
How Building Permits connects to the federal budget across GOVSPENDING.ORG:
Federal Debt
Total public debt, debt held by the public, and intragovernmental holdings.
Receipts vs Outlays
Federal revenue, spending, and the resulting surplus or deficit over time.
Congressional Activity
Recent legislation, appropriations, and fiscal-related bills in Congress.
Interest Expense vs Revenue
How rising debt service costs crowd out federal spending as a share of receipts over time.
Revenue Composition
Federal receipts broken down by source — individual income, corporate, social insurance, excise taxes, and customs duties as shares of total revenue.
Agency Spending (FY 2019 vs FY 2025)
Net outlays by federal agency for FY 2019 and FY 2025, from the Treasury Monthly Treasury Statement. Both nominal and inflation-adjusted comparisons.