Case Study: Town of Kernersville slashes permit processing by 75% and launches online permitting in 2 months with OpenGov

How Kernersville, NC Launched their Modern ePermitting Solution in Just 2 Months

Kernersville, North Carolina—a growing town of 25,000 in the Triad metro—faced mounting pressure on its Community Development Department after years of paper-based permitting and an ill-fitting software workaround left staff without core functionality, field inspection capability, or public access. With rapid commercial growth, the Town needed a modern, efficient permitting solution that would streamline workflows and support inspections in the field.

Kernersville defined clear requirements, evaluated Esri partners, and selected OpenGov Citizen Services via an RFP; the team launched online permitting in just two months. The customizable, cloud-based platform integrated with ArcGIS, expanded to Code Enforcement and Fire, and now serves 15+ staff—cutting average permit processing from two months to two weeks, reducing walk-ins by 80% and calls by 50%, saving roughly 7 staff hours per day and noticeably boosting team confidence.

Town of Kernersville

Mike Horney

Development Services Manager