The investment minister, Ashraf Salman, admits that in order to start a company, investors must get permits from 78 different agencies.
Landscape architects do the drawings, and community groups get permits from the Office of Community Beautification within the city's Department of Public Works.
The typical process to get permits from the Department of Buildings takes several weeks, and if you are in a landmarked building it takes even longer.
Americans cannot travel there freely, so many businessmen attach themselves to state officials as part of a delegation (and still must get permits from Washington).
Originally the bank tried to sell the house but gave up after several potential buyers were unable to get permits from the city.
Unlike in Zaatari where a long street of refugee-run shops sell everything from vegetables and grilled chicken to electronics and tools, refugees in Azraq must get permits from the government to set up shops.
However, Ms. Fink said, it generally is necessary to get permits from the Department of Buildings if any construction or alterations are necessary to convert a home into a community facility.
When Mills was unable to get permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to build on wetlands in the town of Carlstadt, the state in 2005 let Mills swap its 587 acres for a 66-acre tract at the sports complex.
Gamesa buys land, get permits from local authorities, identifies wind sites and sets up the wind farm for its customer.
I soon realized that Odeh was in touch with the people we were supposed to get permits from and was now telling them to deny the permits.
The company spends countless hours getting permits from the Department of Transportation and other agencies to pull up manhole covers, divert traffic and use public rights-of-way.
