# Nearby Permits (remote · nearbypermits.com)

Building permits by address for a growing list of US cities and counties, from city open data.

- Trust score: 81/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: +3
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-10-24

## Components

- remote · `nearbypermits.com`: 81/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits)

## Channel facts

- Endpoint: `https://nearbypermits.com/mcp`
- Transports: `streamable-http`
- Auth: `none`
- Version: `0.1.1`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically against the live server, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-10-24.

- **Endpoint Security**: 80/100
  - The endpoint's TLS certificate is valid, in date, and uses a strong key.
  - No authorisation is required to call this server. Every tool declares its destructiveHint and none is destructive, so open access doesn't expose one.
  - HTTPS is enforced; there's no plaintext access path.
  - The HSTS (Strict-Transport-Security) header is present.
  - DNSSEC check failed: this domain isn't protected by DNSSEC.
- **Transport & Reachability**: 100/100
  - Verified streamable-http transport via a live MCP handshake.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 58/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (good).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1168 tokens (~194/item across 6 items; 6 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 80/100
  - Stability observed for 24 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 94/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 81% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 6 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 7 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.

## Install

### How do I install the Nearby Permits MCP server?

Nearby Permits is a hosted endpoint at https://nearbypermits.com/mcp, so there is nothing to install locally. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http com-nearbypermits-permits 'https://nearbypermits.com/mcp'
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "com-nearbypermits-permits": {
      "url": "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "com-nearbypermits-permits": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```toml
[mcp_servers.com-nearbypermits-permits]
url = "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "com-nearbypermits-permits": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add com-nearbypermits-permits --url 'https://nearbypermits.com/mcp' --transport streamable-http
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  com-nearbypermits-permits:
    url: "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "com-nearbypermits-permits": {
      "Transport": "http",
      "Url": "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add com-nearbypermits-permits -t streamable-http -u 'https://nearbypermits.com/mcp'
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "com-nearbypermits-permits": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://nearbypermits.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

The mcpServers block is a cross-client convention. Remote transports vary, so check your client's docs.

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-10-24 (score 81, 0)

- [security] Tool “permits_at_address” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads
- [security] Tool “permits_near” rewrote its description, which is the text the model reads

### 2026-10-23 (score 81, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 73 to 77. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 22 days of observed history at the previous scan, 23 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-20 (score 80, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 63 to 67. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 19 days of observed history at the previous scan, 20 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-19 (score 79, 0)

- [security] The server rewrote its instructions, which are the text every model session reads

### 2026-10-18 (score 79, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 57 to 60. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 17 days of observed history at the previous scan, 18 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-16 (score 78, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 50 to 53. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 15 days of observed history at the previous scan, 16 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-14 (score 77, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 43 to 47. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 13 days of observed history at the previous scan, 14 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-10-11 (score 76, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 33 to 37. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 10 days of observed history at the previous scan, 11 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

## MCP tools (6)

### `list_cities` (~29 tokens)

List supported cities

List the US cities and counties with building permit data, with each one's slug for the other tools.

### `permits_at_address` (~406 tokens)

Permits at an address

Use this tool when someone asks which building, remodeling or demolition permits exist at an address, whether a house had permitted work, or what is permitted next door. It returns the building permits on record at that street address in a supported city or county (Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Cincinnati, Mesa, New Orleans, Fort Worth, Columbus, San Diego, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh, Phoenix, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Montgomery County, Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington, Denver, Los Angeles County, Wake County, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Hillsborough County, Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Alachua County, Kansas City, Baltimore, Sacramento County, Memphis, Las Vegas, Tacoma, Boulder, Cambridge, Somerville, Marin County, Pierce County, Cary, Cleveland, Arlington, Naperville, Tempe, Anaheim, Riverside), newest first and at most 200: type of work, description, date, status and reported cost, from city and county open data checked around the clock. count is how many are listed; when capped is true there are more, and total gives the city's full count when it was read (else null). history_limited means the city's full history didn't load, so the list is our copy only. The address can be typed loosely (a missing N or S, "Drive" for "Dr", a trailing city, state or ZIP, a unit): it is matched to the spelling the city files. When more than one address matches (N and S Holly Dr), the answer lists them in did_you_mean; ask which one is meant and call again with it.

Input parameters:

- `address` (string, required): Street address with house number, e.g. '867 N Iliff St'. New York: include the borough, e.g. '180 West Street, Brooklyn'.
- `city` (string, required): City slug, e.g. los-angeles, new-york, chicago

### `permits_near` (~318 tokens)

Permits near an address or a point

Use this tool when someone asks what is being built near an address or a place: new buildings next door, construction on the block, what's permitted around a home they might buy or rent. Give a city and street address, or a latitude and longitude. The tool returns building permits within a radius (default 400 meters, about a quarter mile) issued since a date (default about six months back), newest first, each with distance in meters and compass direction from the point. It covers the last 24 months of city open data. counts.total is exact even when the list is capped (null if the count failed). It matches a loosely typed address the same way permits_at_address does. If more than one address matches, the answer has found set to false and lists the addresses in did_you_mean.

Input parameters:

- `address` (string): Street address with house number, e.g. '2443 W Warren Blvd'.
- `city` (string): City slug, e.g. chicago. Needed with address; optional with lat and lon.
- `lat` (number): Latitude, used instead of city and address.
- `limit` (integer): Most permits to list, default 50.
- `lon` (number): Longitude, used instead of city and address.
- `radius_m` (integer): Radius in meters, default 400.
- `since` (string): Earliest date, YYYY-MM-DD, or 6m, 1y, 2y. Default 6m (the first of the month five months back).

### `get_permit` (~45 tokens)

Look up a permit number

Look up one building permit by its city permit number: work, date, status, cost and address.

Input parameters:

- `city` (string, required)
- `permit_id` (string, required)

### `recent_permits` (~68 tokens)

Newest permits in an area

Use when someone asks what is being built in their neighborhood or ZIP code. Returns the newest building permits in a supported city or county, optionally within one ZIP code.

Input parameters:

- `city` (string, required)
- `limit` (integer)
- `zip` (string): 5-digit ZIP code

### `zoning_requests_near` (~285 tokens)

Zoning requests near an address or a point

Use when someone asks about variances, conditional uses, rezonings or zoning appeals near an address: what a neighbor asked the city for, or whether a hearing is coming up. Covers Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco and Seattle. Give a city and street address, or a latitude and longitude. Each case has the city's own status words, our plain status label (Filed, In review, Hearing scheduled, Approved, Approved with conditions, Denied, Withdrawn or Other), the hearing date when the city publishes one, and a link to the city's case record. We never infer an outcome the city's record doesn't state. Owner and applicant names are left out.

Input parameters:

- `address` (string): Street address with house number, e.g. '78 Pearl St'.
- `city` (string): boston, washington-dc, san-francisco or seattle. Needed with address.
- `lat` (number): Latitude, used instead of city and address.
- `limit` (integer): Most cases to list, default 50.
- `lon` (number): Longitude, used instead of city and address.
- `radius_m` (integer): Radius in meters, default 400.
- `since` (string): Earliest filing, hearing or decision date, YYYY-MM-DD, or 6m, 1y, 2y. Default 1y.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: TLS, DNSSEC, Authorisation, Transports. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-10-24: 81
- 2026-10-23: 81
- 2026-10-22: 80
- 2026-10-21: 80
- 2026-10-20: 80
- 2026-10-19: 79
- 2026-10-18: 79
- 2026-10-17: 78
- 2026-10-16: 78
- 2026-10-15: 77
- 2026-10-14: 77
- 2026-10-13: 76
- 2026-10-12: 76
- 2026-10-11: 76
- 2026-10-10: 75
- 2026-10-07: 74
- 2026-10-05: 74
- 2026-10-04: 73
- 2026-10-03: 73
- 2026-10-02: 72
- 2026-10-01: 64
- 2026-09-30: 63

## Common questions

### What is the Nearby Permits MCP server?

Nearby Permits is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as com.nearbypermits/permits. Building permits by address for a growing list of US cities and counties, from city open data. This page covers its hosted endpoint (https://nearbypermits.com/mcp).

### Is the Nearby Permits MCP server safe to use?

Nearby Permits scores 81 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the Nearby Permits MCP server expose?

Nearby Permits exposes 6 tools: list_cities, permits_at_address, permits_near, get_permit, recent_permits, zoning_requests_near. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 1,151 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Does the Nearby Permits MCP server require authentication?

No. We connected to Nearby Permits without credentials and it answered, so anything it exposes is reachable by anyone who knows the address.

### Is the Nearby Permits MCP server still maintained?

Nearby Permits is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 24 October 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

## Links

- Remote endpoint: https://nearbypermits.com/mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/nearbypermits/nearbypermits-mcp
- Website: https://nearbypermits.com/developers/
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/com-nearbypermits-permits/nearbypermits