You can do whatever you want, I do.
The caveat is, actions have consequences, and a prudent person incorporates those consequences into their calculations of how much they want to do something. I want to drink beers all night, I don't want to be hungover tomorrow, so my net desire is to just drink a few beers. I could drink more beers and incorporate hydration and aspirin into my evening plans, or I could drink all night anyway and deal with the consequences tomorrow.
Getting permits and doing things "the right way" is a strategy to mitigate the consequences you face for your actions. There are alternative strategies, but if you do nothing to mitigate your consequences, you may be unhappy with the result.
So do what you want, but take precautions or the consequences may outweigh the benefits.