Tech acquisition advances government plan reviews

Accela, a provider of civic technology solutions, has acquired ePermitHub, a company known for its tools that support digital plan review and document management.

The acquisition is intended to strengthen the Accela Civic Platform by improving permitting workflows and enabling future AI-based automation in plan review.

ePermitHub’s key offerings–including its Digital Plan Room and COMET Version Engine–are already integrated into the Accela platform. The acquisition formalises this integration and is expected to help agencies standardise and streamline plan submission, review, and approval processes.

In a blog post announcing the deal, Accela stated: “Government agencies are under pressure to deliver services faster, more transparently, and with fewer resources. That’s why we’re excited to announce Accela’s acquisition of ePermitHub–a major step forward in modernising the permitting and plan review process for state and local governments.”

The combined solution introduces several operational enhancements:

• Submission validation: plans can be automatically reviewed for completeness and accuracy, potentially reducing resubmissions and administrative workload.
• Integrated collaboration: built-in markup and version tracking tools allow for more effective communication between departments and applicants.
• Process efficiency: the system is designed to reduce manual tasks, lower review cycle times, and improve cost efficiency.

Accela is also investing in future enhancements through artificial intelligence. According to the blog post: “In the near future, you’ll see features like: automated code interpretation and compliance checks, real-time feedback on plan issues before submission, AI-assisted review of complex plan sets to support faster decision-making.”

These features are being developed using ePermitHub’s repository of plan data to improve speed, accuracy, and relevance in real-world applications.

“We are thrilled to welcome ePermitHub into the Accela family,” said Noam Reininger, CEO of Accela. “This pivotal step forward enhances our ability to serve our communities more effectively, integrating cutting-edge technology that empowers governments to meet the evolving needs of their constituents.”

Image: Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com