Building Permit Search by Address: All 50 States + DC

To look up building permits by address, use the city or county permit portal for that property; there is no single national database. Pick your state below.

Last checked: September 2026. Need to look up a building permit by property address, permit number, or parcel number? There is no single U.S. permit database: records are held by the city or county with jurisdiction. Use this directory to open official permit search portals for major cities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, plus state building-code agencies where applicable.

Every link below points to an official city, county or state website (or the official permit portal those governments use). We do not run any of these systems. For what to look for once you are in, see our guide on how to check permit history before buying a house. See our disclaimer.

How to use this directory

1. Find your state using the letters below or the search box.
2. Pick the city or county that issues permits for the address. If the property is outside city limits, the county usually handles permits.
3. Search by address first. Many portals also accept a permit number or parcel number (APN/TMK).
4. Note the status of each permit: issued, finaled/closed, expired, or open. Open and expired permits matter most at sale time.

Quick jump by state

Official permit lookup links by state

Your city is not listed?

1. Search for "[city name] building permit search" and look for a result on a .gov site or the city's official domain.
2. Look for terms like Citizen Access, Accela, eTRAKiT, EnerGov / Self Service, OpenGov or CityView. Those are the systems most U.S. building departments use.
3. If there is no online search, call or email the building department and ask for a permit history or records request for the address.
4. For unincorporated areas, check the county building or development services department.

Use our 10-minute AHJ permit checklist to prepare the call.

What you can learn from a permit search

• Permit type and scope, such as a re-roof, water heater, addition or deck.
• Dates and status: issued, finaled, expired or still open.
• Inspection results, including failed inspections and corrections.
• Contractor of record, useful for warranty questions.

A finished basement, addition or garage conversion with no matching permit is a red flag. Read selling a house with unpermitted work and expired or open building permits for next steps.

Not online? How to request permit records

Many departments only have part of their history online. Portland is a good example: plans and applications for permits issued from June 1, 2012, through December 2023 are free on Portland Maps, while older permits, and most documents for permits issued after December 2023, need a public records request (Portland Permitting & Development). Portland charges a minimum of $8 per address for building permit records and warns that requests can take two weeks or more.

Wherever you file, make the request easy to fill:

• The full address and, if you have it, the parcel number from the county assessor's record or your tax bill.
• The record types you want: permits, plans, inspection cards, and certificates of occupancy. Portland lists all of these as requestable.
• A date range if you're after one project.

For what a certificate of occupancy tells you, see certificate of occupancy vs completion.

Getting copies of old plans

Seeing a permit record and copying the plans aren't always the same thing. In California, the building department's official copy of the plans can be inspected at the department, but duplicating it generally needs written permission from the professional who signed the plans and from the original or current owner. You also sign an affidavit that the copy is only for the maintenance, operation, and use of the building. If the professional doesn't respond within 30 days of the department's request (up to 60 in some circumstances), the law treats that as an unreasonable refusal (Cal. Health & Safety Code 19851). Portland asks for a copyright indemnification form with written requests for a similar reason: building plans may be copyrighted.

Searching a whole street, neighborhood, or zip code

Most portals are built for one address at a time. To see permit activity across an area, look for your city's open data or reports tools. Chicago publishes a Building Permits dataset covering permits issued from 2006 to the present (Chicago Data Portal), and Portland Maps Reports let you filter and download recent residential and commercial permit data. Search for "[city] open data building permits" to see if yours has something similar.

FAQ

Is there a national building permit database?

No. Permits are issued and stored by local building departments, so you need to search the city or county that has jurisdiction over the address.

Are permit records public?

In most places, basic permit records are public. Plans and drawings may have restrictions, and older records may need a formal records request.

Why can't I find an old permit online?

Many portals only cover records from when the system went live, often the late 1990s or 2000s. Older permits may be on paper or microfilm at the building department.

Can I link to this page?

Yes. Home inspectors, real estate agents and contractors are welcome to link to this directory as a resource for their clients. If you spot a broken or outdated link, please tell us through our contact page.

Can I look up building permits by zip code?

Not in most permit portals, which search by address, permit number, or parcel. Some cities publish open data you can filter by location; see the section on searching a whole area above.

How long does a permit records request take?

It depends on the department. Portland, for example, says building permit record requests can take two weeks or more (Portland Permitting & Development). Ask for an estimate when you file.

Related guides

• How to check permit history before buying
• Do I need a building permit?
• How to apply for a building permit
• After-the-fact building permits