Convert iPhone HEIC Photos to PDF Before Uploading to a Building Permit Application

Building permit portals usually accept PDF for supporting photos, not HEIC — and iPhones save photos as HEIC by default. So site photos, existing-condition shots, and progress photos that look fine on your phone can be refused by the upload form with a vague "invalid file type" message, often while a permit review clock is already running.

1. Keep the HEIC originals
   Do not overwrite your originals. Convert copies for the application and keep the HEIC masters, in case the permit office later asks for a clearer photo or the original file with its metadata.

2. Do not just rename them to .pdf
   Renaming changes the extension, not the contents. The file will still be HEIC data, and the form will still reject it.

3. Put the photos in the order the checklist asks for
   Permit applications usually want photos in a specific sequence — street view, each elevation, interior rooms, then details like electrical panels or drainage. Rename the copies in that order before converting, so the pages land in sequence in the final PDF.

4. Convert copies to PDF for the application
   If you need a PDF quickly, you can convert HEIC photos to PDF for building permit applications entirely in the browser: the conversion happens on your own device, nothing is uploaded, and no account is needed. Then check the PDF preview before submitting — confirm every page is the right way up, fully legible, and the file you meant to submit. A preview that looks right is the only confirmation that matters.

5. Common mistakes to avoid

6. Submitting one photo per file when the portal expects a single combined PDF — merge the set first.

7. Uploading photos straight from a shared album link instead of the converted file.

8. Converting only the first photo and forgetting the rest of the set.

Disclosure: I'm the developer of FileOnTap.