1: Introduction: Embracing the complexity of building permit systems PART I. Transitioning to innovative building permit processes: Foundational understanding 2: What is a building permit process? ? An international review 3: Maturity models for digital building permits 4: Complexity in building permit decisions ? beyond pass and fail 5: Sustainability in building permitting 6: Logbook and permits interconnection - realisation, common data and added value 7: Legal reasoning for interpreting requirements PART II. Evolving technology: Technical developments serving digital building permits 8: Putting automated compliance checking in context 9: AR, VR and XR in building permitting 10: Semantic web technologies for building permitting 11: Integrating emerging technologies to streamline urban planning, cadastral registration, and building approvals 12: Integrating 3D geodata-based spatial plans into 3D land administration for digital building permits 13: Using information delivery specification for compliance checking in building permitting 14: XPlanung and the digital transformation of urban planning in Germany: Standards, practice, and perspectives 15: Data profiling and validation through linked data technologies 16: AI for building permitting ? Balancing speed, flexibility and trust 17: AI-driven interpretation of regulatory documents using natural language processing and large language models PART III. Implementing digital building permits: International experiences and case studies 18: Finland’s digital leap in building permits: Journey through hands-on BIM-piloting and cross-sectoral collaboration 19: BIM-based building permit: Semi-automated code-compliance checks in Estonia 20: Digital building permit service at the municipality of Rotterdam 21: Implementing nationwide public service software in federal systems: A case study of the ‘one for all’ approach in Germany 22: Driving digital transformation in building permits: BIM and automated checks in Vila Nova de Gaia 23: The status of digitalisation of the planning and building permissions system in Ontario, Canada 24: Permitting system digitalisation in USA 25: Brazilian scenario for digital building permits: Initiatives from pioneering municipalities 26: Conclusions