This section describes the phases of the planning process and the associated progress steps. The type of planning application determines the exact sequence of progress steps.
Phase: Pre-Consultation
The required pre-consultation is part of the planning application process. Applicants prepare and submit a pre-consultation request in Cloudpermit. Local government planning authorities review the requests, organize pre-consultation meetings to which applicants and all relevant parties are invited, and prepare the approval application requirements.
| Status | Responsible | Description |
| Draft | Applicant | An applicant has created a request that has not yet been submitted. The applicant submits project data, draft plans, and a request for pre-consultation with the municipality's planning authority. |
| Requested | Local government authority | The applicant has sent the pre-consultation request to the local government planning authority. |
| In Progress | Local government authority | The local government authority begins the pre-consultation process. The processing may include meetings and circulation requests for other stakeholders. The local government authority creates a draft application for an applicant and prepares a pre-consultation result in Cloudpermit. |
| Completed | Applicant | The local government authority completes the pre-consultation. The result is published in Cloudpermit, and the applicant receives an email notification. The applicant will receive a draft planning approval application with the required information in the application workspace. |
Phase: Application
Applicants put together an application to send to the local government planning authority during this phase. After deeming the application complete, the authorities circulate and review the application and prepare a report. In some application types, the reports are sent back to the applicants. There can also be multiple rounds of revisions and resubmissions. The planning authority decides on the application, and the process ends with approval or an agreement.
| Status | Responsible | Description |
| Draft | Applicant | The applicant starts filling out the draft planning application and uploading the required drawings and other documents. The applicant signs off an application and submits it (a digital sign-off or uploading the affidavit). |
| Submitted | Local government authority | The draft planning application moves to the municipality's planning authority for initial checks and deeming as complete. |
| Payment | Applicant | The applicant pays the application bill. The payment can happen in many phases. However, the application fee is typically collected after the local government authority has done the first checks. Other payment steps include upfront payments before submission and approval. |
| Application Complete | Local government authority | After the payment, the application returns to the planning authority's work queue for processing. |
| In Circulation | Local government authority | The local government authority continues to work on the application and sets it to the "In Circulation" step. Circulation may be needed from various stakeholders, such as departments, agencies, conservation authorities, and utility companies. The local government authority can add condition(s) to an applicant to be fulfilled during the circulation round. |
| In Review | Local government authority | The local government authority reviews the draft approval application and plans. A report is prepared, and the application is assigned to a planning authority. |
| Draft Approval | Applicant | After completing the review, the approval request is moved to the Draft Approval or In Approval step, depending on whether the application is sent back to the applicant (Step: Draft Approval). |
| Draft Approval Review | Local government authority | The applicant takes the required actions on the approval and resubmits it. The authority starts a draft approval review. If the approval application is correct, the next step is approval. |
| In Approval | Local government authority | The application has been moved to the planning authority's meeting to be decided. Reports have been published, public notices have been made, and required meetings have been held. |
| Approved | Local government authority | If the planning authority approves the application, the status becomes "Approved." Agreements can be signed off and uploaded to Cloudpermit. |
| Refused | Local government authority | If the planning authority refuses the application, the status becomes "Refused." |
| Appealed | Local government authority | An appeal can be made after the application has received a decision (or no decision in time). Appeals are made outside of Cloudpermit. However, the local government authority will change the application status to "appealed." |
| Rejected | Local government authority | After the approval has been submitted and moved to "In Approval" status, the planning authority can reject the application, for example, if the applicant has not provided the change requests or any other requested information on time. |
| Withdrawn | Applicant | When the approval request has been submitted but has not been moved to approval, applicants can request to withdraw their application. The local government authority confirms the withdrawal request. |
Phase: Fulfillment
Some planning application processes end after the approval is made. However, some processes stay open for fulfillment until the project ends.
| Status | Responsible assignee | Description |
| Approved | Local government authority | The planning authority, along with other local government departments, follows and signs off on all conditions when they are met. A planning authority may also control the securities that are paid. |
| Finished | Local government authority | When all the conditions are fulfilled and the securities are refunded, the prior application status before archival is "Finished." |