Submitting an application with Denver’s Permitting Office may soon be faster and less frustrating if a contract for a new AI-driven platform passes muster with the full City Council.

Members of the city’s Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Tuesday voted to advance a five-year, $4.6 million contract with ComplyAI, Inc. for implementation of CivCheck, an online tool for permitting intake and plan review. 

Officials said the platform uses AI automation, machine learning and “intelligent document analysis” to streamline intake and code compliance, improving application quality and speeding up permit reviews by city staff.

Robert Peek, who serves as the development systems performance director for the Denver Permitting Office, said the new platform will guide applicants through a process and “works like a smart checklist or validation engine for our customers, and as they submit their construction drawings, it’ll surface any deficiencies.”

“The beauty about this (platform) is they can do it in their kitchen, on their kitchen table,” Peek said. “They can work with their design team or their contractor, figure out what the city needs for our requirements, and then upload their plans to the tool.” 

From there, Peek said, the platform will flag potential issues, allowing applicants to correct them before submitting to the city for final review, where it will be evaluated by a permit review technician.

“The (Denver) permitting system is made up of seven different agencies across the city and multiple functions within those agencies, and staff will still provide final review for accuracy,” Peek added.

Peek noted that all application submittals to the city are currently done electronically through the city’s e-permit portal.

The city receives close to 1,000 permit applications per month on average, with roughly 38% accepted without issue.

Peek said his office would like to see that number grow to close to 80% accepted without issue, freeing up staff time to work on more complicated projects.

Other metro areas are already using AI-assisted pre-application and intake review tools, including Honolulu, Vancouver, New York City and Seattle.

“The results include 99% alignment with reviewer expectations and up to 70% reduction in reviewer time, and intake time has dropped from approximately 30 minutes to under 10 minutes in those jurisdictions.” Peek said. “So, this isn’t experimental. It’s a tested solution that improves efficiency and our customer experience. Even if we save 5 to 10 minutes per application, that’s huge time savings for our staff.”

In April 2025, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston overhauled the city’s permitting office and made a public commitment to ensure every permit submitted is reviewed and completed within 180 days of reaching the city’s hands.

Created by executive order, the “shot clock” sets an expedited timeline for the city to review and approve permits for renovations and new construction. In cases where the city fails to meet that deadline, applicants may appeal to the Denver Permitting Office, with the city refunding up to $10,000 in some cases.

The AI-based tools come at an interesting time, shortly after citywide layoffs were triggered by a $250 million budget deficit spanning 18 months.

For 2025, the city’s Community Planning and Development Department, which coordinates with the city’s permitting office, had a total of 310 budgeted positions. For 2026, that number has been pared down by 59 positions to 251, according to city documents.

Pending approval by the full City Council, city officials anticipate the project will go live in the fall.