Direct mail to building permit leads: timing, cost and what to include

Short answer: A permit tells you a homeowner is doing a job now. Mail goes to the owner's mailing address from county records, and it works best when it offers something useful for the job they are doing, or the next one.

Who you're mailing and why the timing matters

Issued is not finished. By the time a roof or window permit is issued, the homeowner has often already signed with a contractor. So the useful angles are usually:

• Adjacent trades. Gutters and ice-dam work after a reroof, storm doors after new windows, siding or deck work on a house that is clearly getting attention.
• The next project. A homeowner who just replaced the roof may be planning windows or siding next year.
• A second bid. When the permit is for a different scope than yours, or when a large job may still be open.

Timing. Mail in the first week the permit shows up (that is what the Monday email is for), and consider one follow-up a few weeks later. Treat that as a suggested cadence, not a measured result; test it against your own close rate.

Address. Use the owner mailing address, not just the job site. The owner is the name on the tax record, which may be a person, a trust or a company, and the mailing address may differ from the job address.

Addressed mail vs EDDM: what postage costs

Postage per piece from USPS Notice 123, effective October 4, 2026 (prices checked 2026-10-15). Printing is extra.

Option	Postage per piece	Notes
First-Class postcard, stamped (retail)	$0.65	Any quantity
First-Class letter, 1 oz, stamped (retail)	$0.82	Any quantity
First-Class postcard, presorted automation 5-digit (commercial)	$0.453	Needs a mailing permit and minimum volume
USPS Marketing Mail letter, automation 5-digit (commercial)	$0.395	Needs a mailing permit and minimum volume
EDDM Retail flat, up to 3.3 oz	$0.26	Every address on a carrier route; see USPS EDDM

EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is the cheapest per piece, but it goes to every address on a carrier route, with a minimum of 200 pieces per drop and a daily cap of 5,000 pieces per ZIP for EDDM Retail. Addressed postcards are the opposite: you pay more per piece but only mail the homes you choose. At 10 to 30 permit addresses a week, stamped postcards cost single-digit to low double-digit dollars in postage.

Worked example. 25 stamped postcards = 25 × $0.65 = $16.25 in postage, before printing.

The neighbor play. A permitted job is a visible project: a dumpster, a crew, a new roof. Some contractors pair an addressed card to the permitted home with an EDDM drop on the surrounding carrier route, so neighbors who saw the work hear from you too.

What to put on the card

• Your business name, phone or website, and your Minnesota contractor license number. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry requires residential building contractors and remodelers to be licensed.
• One specific offer tied to the trade they just permitted, such as a gutter and ice-dam check after a reroof.
• Keep it neighborly. Don't quote their permit back to them; "We work in [neighborhood]" is enough.
• A return address. USPS needs one for return service, and it is good practice anyway.
• If you add a QR code or URL, send it to a page about that offer, not your home page.
• If you also call or text: the TCPA and Do Not Call rules apply (see the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule guide). If you email: CAN-SPAM.

Where the leads come from

Minneapolis issued 4,921 residential exterior permits in the 12 months to September 2026 (full report). By trade: roofing 2,322, windows & doors 1,741, siding 418, solar 347, decks 93. See all Minneapolis permits, and how contractors find permit leads for the full process.

FAQ

Is it legal to mail a homeowner after seeing their permit?

Permits are public records in Minnesota (see are building permits public?), and mailed advertising has no opt-in requirement. Honor removal requests. For EDDM, USPS facing slips include a "Do Not Deliver" column for addresses that have asked not to receive it.

EDDM or addressed postcards?

Addressed postcards for the permitted home itself; EDDM for the carrier route around it.

How soon after the permit should I mail?

The week the permit appears, with one follow-up a few weeks later. That is a suggested cadence, not a measured result.

Where do the owner names and mailing addresses come from?

Hennepin County property records. They are included in subscriber emails only, not on the public site.