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Issue and track permits to work

Pro and above

From your project's Documents tab, open Permits to Work. Every permit records what the work is, where, who issued it, who received it, and the time window it covers — no paper forms. Issuing and revoking are for account owners and admins; team members see the same list read-only.

This page is for permits you issue on a site you run. For a permit your client hands to you on their site, use Client Permits instead — see the related article.

Check an unconfirmed mobile save

On the mobile permit form, choose Cancel, then Check list. The app refreshes the permit list before leaving and keeps the saved attempt. If that check fails, it keeps you on the form with recovery intact. An empty list also has a Refresh button.

A refreshed list cannot prove whether the earlier attempt saved. To deliberately replace its recovery, choose Start a new attempt, Check list first, then Start new. This clears that saved attempt and may allow a duplicate, so inspect the records carefully.

Retry needs a current server check. If its time cannot be verified or the conservative 30-day replay window has elapsed, the app does not send another create. Keep the saved details and resolve the result by checking the project records. If local storage is unavailable, use Retry local recovery; a storage failure never counts as a successful save or clear.

Issue a permit

  1. Click Issue a Permit to Work.

  2. Pick the permit type and describe the work and its location.

  3. Set the start and end times, name who's issuing and who's receiving.

    Add the safety precautions in place — for example "fire extinguisher positioned, hot work area cleared of combustibles" — rather than leaving the field blank.

  4. Click Issue Permit to Work.

Track and close out

The Active section shows live permits with who holds them; Expired / Closed keeps the history. To stop work early, click Revoke Permit — you'll be asked to confirm, and revocation is permanent.

In the Site Book app, the project's Permits screen lists every permit — tap one for its full record. Edit permit changes the details while the permit is live, and Revoke permit on that edit screen stops the work permanently. Once a permit is revoked — or its work window has ended — it becomes a read-only audit record on both the app and the website; issued permits stay in the history and can't be deleted.

Frequently asked questions

What permit types are there?

Six: Hot Works, Working at Height, Confined Space, Electrical Isolation, Excavation, and General for anything else.

When does a permit expire?

At the end time you set when issuing it. Active permits are listed separately from expired and revoked ones, so the live picture is always at the top.

Can I cancel a permit early?

Yes — account owners and admins click Revoke Permit on the active permit. Revoking can't be undone; issue a fresh permit if the work resumes.

What if the mobile app says Save not confirmed?

On the mobile permit form, tap Retry same details to retry the saved attempt. Before sending, the app stores its details securely on this device. An unconfirmed attempt survives closing the app or an expired login; sign back into the same user, account and project with current access to recover it. Recovery never sends automatically. Deliberately signing out or switching users clears this local recovery.

Which plan includes permits to work?

Pro and above, on both the website and signed-in mobile app. Accounts with retained Permits access and projects bought through our setup service keep it working. On mobile, an account owner or admin with retained access can still issue a permit; Starter accounts see an advisory before the form.

Related guides

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