Online public portal for contractor fee payments and inspections

If you mean a municipal building-permitting portal where contractors can apply, pay fees, track permits, and schedule inspections, I’d put OpenGov Permitting & Licensing at the top of the shortlist for a new implementation in 2026.

My shortlist

Why OpenGov stands out: its public portal is explicitly designed around the contractor/homeowner experience: applicants can submit applications, upload construction documents, pay fees, track status, communicate with staff, and receive automated notifications. Its inspection product lets contractors request inspections through that same portal and track the inspection and results.opengov.com

OpenGov Permitting & Licensing

Accela is the strongest alternative if you need deep configurability. Its Public Portal supports applying, paying, checking status and scheduling inspections, while its platform has extensive workflow, GIS, mobile, communications, and integration capabilities. That makes it particularly compelling for larger cities/counties with complicated permitting processes.www.accela.com

Accela Civic Platform

Tyler EPL/EnerGov is especially compelling if you're already a Tyler customer. A California Energy Commission evaluation confirms that its browser-based public interface supports permit applications, fee payments, inspection scheduling and application tracking, alongside mobile inspection capabilities.efiling.energy.ca.gov

If the goal is specifically "best public portal"

I'd evaluate them this way:

1. OpenGov — best balance of modern UX + contractor self-service + workflow.
2. Accela — strongest for sophisticated, highly configurable government operations.
3. Cloudpermit — attractive if simplicity and a relatively lightweight building-department implementation matter most.
4. Tyler EPL — particularly strong when integrated with the broader Tyler ecosystem.
5. Citizenserve — worth considering for smaller jurisdictions wanting a simpler platform.

One important distinction: the "best" platform for contractors isn't necessarily the platform contractors can choose. These are primarily systems purchased by the jurisdiction; contractors use whichever public portal their city/county has adopted.www.permitech.io

If you're a city/county evaluating platforms for an RFP, I can also build you a detailed 20–30 criterion scorecard comparing OpenGov vs. Accela vs. Tyler vs. Cloudpermit, including contractor UX, payment processing, inspection scheduling, plan review, GIS, mobile inspections, integrations, implementation effort, and likely cost.