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The Key To Managing Annual Licensing Renewals on Your Government Website 

By Mary Malcolm
 

In the web of responsibilities shouldered by local government officials, prioritization of managing annual license renewals may fall relatively low. License renewal is riddled with complexities and tedious steps as you navigate seemingly endless paperwork and coordinate with varying departments to complete the process. Streamlining this process is a necessity that needs to be mitigated in all government offices for improved efficiency and productivity. 

Traditional methods of license renewal consume valuable time and resources, with the additional held potential for errors and delays. Government management software provides a beacon of hope in easing these stressors. Automated management software, like we provide here at GovPilot, is designed with the specific needs of your municipality in mind. 

Management of annual license and permit renewal is facilitated by a comprehensive, integrated platform. Then, government offices are offered an opportunity to leverage this automation, allocating time that would have been wasted on more strategic and impactful initiatives. Community members are granted similar benefits, as they are permitted convenience and simplicity from what was formally burdensome. Further it is advantageous to know your representatives are making a commitment to efficiency, transparency, and sustainability with a realigned focus on the critical issues. 

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Consider Workflow Automation For Governments here.  

Why Local Government Permitting Should Be Done Online 

Making your way to city hall for annual license renewal is very likely low on constituents to-do lists. Software like GovPilot's  automates this process, consolidating accompanying steps to an online forum expedites the process entirely and saves you the trouble outright. 

  • Ease of Government Form Tracking

Maintaining a paper trail manually for the innumerable permits and licenses that are given every year seems nearly impossible, how this has been done for so many years is unfathomable. This is a methodology of the past as automation of pertinent processes allows for government offices to track forms that are all automatically stored in the government cloud after submission.

Learn all about How Local Governments Can & Should Use the Cloud.  

  • Real-Time Online Approval/Denial of Applications 

Knowing exact dates of permit and license expiration is difficult to manage, real-time permit tracking will keep citizens aware of when expiration dates are approaching and will aid in their time management. Using the online portal digitizes the entire process, including the approval or denial of applications. The entire process is then expedited and citizens can take appropriate steps moving forward with their speedy turnover from their government.

  • Use of The Cloud For Data Storage 

The government cloud provides a secure and digital means of storing information on the internet, contrasting with traditional physical data servers. It enables the availability of your uploaded materials worldwide, granting unrestricted access at any time, free from physical constraints. This secure hosting platform is a safe way to keep important materials localized, alleviating the stress of locating and collecting documents. 

Learn all about Storing Data in The Cloud here.

  • Clerks Department Time Savings 

The clerks’ role is not to be overlooked or understated. Their facilitation of operations within the local government offices maintain structure and order, their roles include: record keeping, data entry, correspondence, processing of forms and applications amongst numerous other responsibilities. Any efforts to conserve the time of the clerks’ will be rewarded in time better spent elsewhere, likely to the direct benefit of the community. 

Check out GovPilot’s Municipal and County Clerks' Software

  • Constituent Time Savings 

Leveraging cloud-based storage not only streamlines document retrieval, saving valuable time, but also eliminates the need for travel to City Hall, providing constituents with even more free time. With the alleviation of concerns about the time-consuming nature of permit and licensure renewal, completing online permit applications promptly becomes more likely. Additionally, the automated process expedites the time from application submission to certification so constituents are satisfied with the process, beginning to end. 

Consider learning How Permitting Software Works to Improve Your Local Government's Workflows

Streamlining Permitting on Your Government Website 

When transitioning to automated management software, selecting a platform that prioritizes user experience is paramount. GovPilot stands out by not only catering to the overall needs of government offices but also ensuring a tailored approach to meet the specific requirements of individual departments. The implementation of permitting technology revolutionizes interdepartmental workflows, seamlessly conducting processes from start to finish in an online environment.

Here is how automated permit software operates across different government departments:

1. Construction Department 

We are all too familiar with prolonged and inconvenient construction projects that encounter numerous obstacles, often bringing the entire project to a standstill. Building permit software accelerates the pace of construction projects, overcoming impediments associated with traditional permitting methods. 

Whether it is certifications, registrations, or permits, any construction permit can now be submitted digitally from the convenience of your phone or computer on your government’s website. Moreover, inspections can be conducted with enhanced mobility. GovPilot's mobile inspection app, GovInspect, enables inspectors to seamlessly upload and file inspection reports, eliminating the need for travel to and from sites, ensuring continuous economic development and keeping constituents satisfied.

2. Economic Development Department 

There are several complexities littered throughout registration and licensure for local businesses to navigate when opening their doors. Determining relevance for differing permits and licensing may seem daunting, but simplifying this process with an online forum eases those worries. 

Business registration software simplifies the process for local businesses to register in your community and apply for industry-specific permits and licenses. The use of digital document storage, integrated into an intuitive GIS mapping platform, enables government officials to easily locate pertinent documentation for a local business. Untangling these processes encourages business owners to consider your neighborhood. 

Learn more about Economic Development Software

3. Parking Department 

In neighborhoods with limited parking availability, registering for parking permits to guarantee parking spaces is imperative for car-owners. The influx of people that need to go into City Hall as they move into the area creates hassle for all parties involved. Having the option to file and pay for parking permits online using parking software and keep records stored in the cloud, simplifies a classically challenging task.

Inversely, those who park illegally in the neighborhood may now pay parking tickets online, and given the user-friendliness of this server, may be pointed towards parking permit applications to mitigate reoccurrence. This also considers accessibility for all and creates a more inclusive space. People with mobility issues that may find it difficult to travel to and from government offices may apply for handicap placards directly online

Consider GovPilot’s Parking Management Software and Parking Permit Module here. 

4. Parks and Recreation Department 

Your local parks and recreation department likely bears the responsibility of permitting and licensing for a multitude of public spaces. Citizens being able to apply for relevant permits online rather than tasking the parks and rec department with unproductive paper-based methodology, fosters functionality and practicality. 

Parks and Recreation Department Software empowers staff to assess and authorize applications in a matter of minutes.

5. Health Department 

The health and safety of the community should always remain for utmost priority to any locality’s government. Providing citizens with an efficient means to maintaining that health is a key player in the prosperity of the community. An organized, productive health department will streamline operations and subdue confusing paper-based structure. GovPilot's health department software is crafted to offer your community cloud-based health inspection and automated permitting procedures, enhancing the efficiency of your local government.

Getting Constituents to Utilize Online Permitting 

Getting Constituents to utilize online permitting may seem like a daunting task. How can you reach them? WIll they actually use the software? All of the answers to these questions are below: 

  • Make Sure They Are Aware of It 

Should local governments want constituents to begin utilizing these online platforms, they need to assure the citizens know it is an option. Debuting the software in a variety of ways reaches several audiences, guaranteeing the masses have some sort of familiarity. Social media serves as an exceptional channel for swiftly disseminating information to the public. Other effective alternatives include public meetings or general announcements.

Ensure your government has a strong Social Media Strategy here. 

  • Explain The Benefits

While it is obvious that the online medium for government permitting and licensing is an easier method as compared to traditional in-person, paper-based methods, the novelty and impersonality of online formatting may be intimidating to some. When introducing the format to the public, they need to understand the benefits. Be sure to explain the quickened turnaround for approvals. Without the maintenance of a paper trail and physical record-keeping, organization is maximized, helping clerks and staff get license and permit requests approved with speed.

  • Highlight Convenience 

Previous, traditional methods have been made obsolete with current innovations that streamline permitting processes, but moreover the convenience is the selling point. Constituents should be made aware of the time saved with eliminated travel time. Remote filings available 24/7 from anywhere in the world is a luxury similar to UberEats or GrubHub that cannot be passed by. Coordinating city hall operating hours with their generally busy lives is not easy for constituents, this software will afford them the opportunity to complete their license renewals at their own convenience. 

Utilize GovPilot’s Licensing and Permitting Software Now

Local government officials are strongly urged to consider the transformative benefits of GovPilot software in streamlining the online permitting process. By adopting this advanced solution, municipalities can not only enhance efficiency but also realize substantial time and cost savings. GovPilot offers a tailored approach to permit management, providing a user-friendly platform that ensures seamless operations. To explore the full potential of GovPilot and discover how it can revolutionize your permitting procedures, book a consultation today!

Online License Renewal FAQs

  • Why is online permitting superior to manual government permitting? 

Manual data entry for government permitting and licensing is a tedious outdated workflow. Online formatting eliminates travel time, boosts accessibility nationwide, and preserves the time and efforts of clerks’ who may allocate that time to more pressing initiatives for the community. 

  • What are the benefits of online permitting?

Not only are local government officials and employees benefited by the lessened, unnecessary workload but constituents are offered great convenience and a better understanding. Without travel time or being asked to navigate a labyrinth of confusing paperwork, the process is simplified to a few clicks all from their computer or mobile device. 

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Tags: Constituent Engagement, Government Efficiency, Constituent Experience, Digital Transformation