Best Permitting Software for Complex Data Center Projects

You’ve secured the land, lined up contractors, and finalized your site strategy. But your construction permits still aren’t approved.

In many markets, data center permitting is unfamiliar territory for city reviewers. Local departments are unclear on classification, documentation requirements, or sequencing. Electrical and fire permits stall. Zoning questions surface late. Even grading and foundation approvals get stuck in review.

Meanwhile, you’re carrying millions in holding costs, with no clear idea of when approvals will land.

When jurisdictions aren’t ready, you need tools that are.

Where current permitting approaches fall short

Data center teams lean on consultants, expediters, and spreadsheets to get permits moving. That works for one or two sites, but it falls apart when the stakes and complexity grow.

Jurisdictions lack experience with data centers: Cities may not know how to review this type of project, leading to inconsistent requirements and delays.

Permits are multi-phase and high-risk: Demo, grading, foundation, shell, and TI permits each move on different timelines. If one stalls, the entire project stalls.

There’s no unified source of truth: Status updates live in email threads and spreadsheets, making it impossible to see what’s blocking progress.

General project management tools aren’t built for permitting: Some software solutions can track tasks, but they don’t reflect phased permitting or regulatory nuances.

What to look for in a permitting solution

If you’re building data centers, general-purpose tools won’t cut it. Here's how teams are using common software solutions, and what to prioritize instead:

Phased permit tracking

Teams lean on Excel, Smartsheets, or MS Project to map demo, grading, and TI phases. But they require constant manual updates, and one missed entry can throw everything off. Look for tools that support multiple permit types per site, each with its own timeline and dependencies.

Live forecasting

Teams often put together rough estimates in Excel or rely on word-of-mouth from contractors and expeditors. Look for systems that surface review durations and flag delays before they throw off your schedule.

Centralized task coordination

Some teams use Monday or Asana to assign tasks, but these tools don’t manage external stakeholders or agency roles well. Look for task routing that spans internal teams, consultants, and reviewers without losing accountability.

Portfolio-wide visibility

Leaders get updates from weekly calls, email threads, or dashboards built in Airtable. By the time an issue surfaces, it’s already a delay. Look for dashboards that show real-time status and risks across all sites.

While these software tools can help you patch together solutions for different parts of your permitting process, none are designed for complex, multi-phased permitting workflows.

Data center developers choose Pulley as their all-in-one permitting platform

Pulley gives infrastructure teams one platform to manage every permit, across every phase, without stitching together multiple tools.

Pulley's platform offers:

Phased permitting support: Track demo, grading, foundation, shell, and TI permits separately, with built-in sequencing.

Direct integrations with city portals: CitySync, our direct integration with over 19,000 city portals, tells you exactly where each permit stands and what’s holding it up.

Task-level ownership across stakeholders: Assign and track responsibilities across internal teams, external consultants, and reviewers.

Comment logging and version control: Eliminate confusion by keeping all feedback, revisions, and files in one structured system.

Forecasting and portfolio reporting: Anticipate delays, reallocate resources, and keep leadership informed in real time.

Pulley helps data center teams manage permitting with the same precision they bring to design and construction.

Keep your builds on track starting with permitting

Permitting delays don’t just slow construction. They jeopardize revenue, resource planning, and trust. Pulley gives your team the clarity and control needed to move faster.

Learn more about Pulley and permitting for complex data center projects.