We’ve officially crossed the threshold into 2026, which gives us the perfect vantage point to look back at everything accomplished in 2025.
At the Civic Review office, we’re obviously thrilled with how our team and software has progressed (it’s been a massive year for us!). But we know the truth: the most impressive stats don’t actually belong to us. They belong to you. We wanted to take a moment to celebrate the incredible impact you made over the last twelve months.
New and Renewal Applications:
Let’s start with the big picture. As a group, you processed over 40,000 new and renewal applications this year.
While that volume is impressive, your speed is what really blew us away. The median review time for applications was only 3.5 days. That means you aren’t just "getting through" that massive workload; you’re blazing through it.
The automated emails sent to applicants last year saved enough paper to publish 200 copies of Harry Potter—and spared you from having to lick thousands of envelopes. (You’re welcome.)
Efficiency goes both ways, too. On average, applicants submitted their renewals after receiving just 2.43 automated emails. High-speed reviews and clear communication make life easier for everyone involved.
Payments:
Once an application clears your review, it’s often time to collect fees. In 2025, applicants submitted over $21 MILLION in permit and license fees.
That averages out to about $1.75 million a month, with a massive spike between October and January. A huge shout-out to the licensing staff who survive that "renewal season" rush every year.
The data also shows that applicants are loving the modern payment options. Online payments and in-office card payments made up the vast majority of all transactions in 2025.
Files and Communication: Death to the Filing Cabinet
Now, let’s look at the "chatter." Over 100,000 messages and internal comments were logged in 2025. This represents hundreds of times you each individually reached out to clarify a detail, check in with a resident, or collaborate with a teammate.
You also processed and approved a "treasure trove" of documents and plans—just over 100,000 files in total.
If those 100,000 files were printed and stored in traditional four-drawer filing cabinets, they would stretch the length of two football fields. Instead of losing valuable office space to beige metal boxes, you’ve kept it all in the cloud. Your office floorboards (and your back) thank you.
Team Demographics:
The Civic Review community took a huge leap forward in 2025. Between new cities joining the family and existing clients expanding their teams, we added 664 new users this year.
A massive welcome to our new users joining us from all over the U.S. and Canada!
Whether you’re in a bustling county or a rural village your population dictates your workload (when it comes to permitting). Our average client serves a population of 14,241, but our users range from small towns of 257 to large cities of 93,446.
Regardless of the census count, every team has one thing in common: the creative ways you use Civic Review to solve unique local challenges.
Customization and Innovation
While the "Big Three" (Business/Animal Licensing, Community Development, and Code Enforcement) still lead the way, your creativity hasn't been stifled.
Some of our favorite "outside the box" forms we saw this year include:
- Public Comment Forms
- Burn Permits
- Community Event Registrations (Shout out to the mural, race, and car show registrations)
We’ve been SO impressed by your ingenuity in 2025, and we’re 100% positive that 2026 is going to be even better.
Looking Ahead to 2026 – A Note from Founder John Reynolds
"What an incredible year 2025 has been! Thanks to our amazing customers, we’ve grown from a humble team of four to a (still humble, but significantly faster!) team of eight.
This growth means we can roll out features more quickly and maintain the best-in-class support you expect. We’re especially excited about online inspection requests launching in early 2026, which will help slash the number of phone calls hitting your desks.
Thanks again for trusting us to partner with you in the important work of assisting your citizens and clients. Let's make 2026 the best year yet!"
