Where Columbus permits live
Citizen Access is for apply, track and "Record searches". It also has a separate Search for Licensed & Registered Contractors, which lists contractors by licence type, not their permits. To see one contractor's permits together, use our compare pages.
BZS is at 111 North Front Street, on (614) 645-7433.
How to look up the permits on a Columbus address
- Open Citizen Access and go to the building records search.
- Enter the house number in Street No. and the street in Street Name, then search.
- Open each permit for its status and inspections.
- Check that the contractor on the permit is the one you hired. The City says owners "cannot purchase permits for work that they will hire a contractor to perform".
- If the record is older than the portal shows, send BZS a records request (below).
How to read Columbus permit statuses
In the City's permit layer these statuses mean the job reached its end:
| Status in the record | What it means | Finished in our data? |
|---|---|---|
| Final Inspection Approved | Final inspection passed | Yes |
| Certificate of Occupancy Issued | Building signed off for use | Yes |
| Permit Issued | Work allowed, not yet finaled | Not yet |
| Expired Permit | No start within 12 months of plan approval, or 6 months since the last inspection | No |
The expiry rules are the City's: a permit expires if work does not start within 12 months of plan approval, and once started, six months after the last inspection. Our finish date is the date the record reached final status, not an inspection date (Columbus about page, methodology).
When the permit you want is not online
BZS's Records Research page asks for its Records Request Form, sent to bzsrecords@columbus.gov or by mail to BZS - Records, 111 North Front Street. Allow 7 to 10 business days, up to 14 for large requests; most requests are free. It also says "Recent public records can also be obtained on our Citizen Access Portal" (read 23 October 2026).
What our Columbus file adds
Citizen Access answers "what was permitted at this address". We answer "what does this firm's Columbus record look like".
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Finished | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 21,342 | 527 | 65.7% | 115 |
| Electrical | 13,769 | 499 | 77.7% | 73 |
| Plumbing | 13,097 | 357 | 67.8% | 111 |
| Remodel | 2,621 | 635 | 69.4% | 155 |
| Addition | 329 | 179 | 86.0% | 258 |
| New home | 2,607 | 148 | 92.5% | 252 |
3,526 firms pulled the 75,332 permits. Roofing, siding and window permits are filed under one type and only 38.3% of them a year or more old were finaled, because many firms never call for the final inspection.
The Columbus permit statistics page has the same file by trade, year and month; the firm lists are on the HVAC, roofing, siding & windows and electrical compare pages. To check the licence behind a name on a permit, use the Columbus contractor license lookup; to check whether your job needs a permit at all, see Do I need a permit?.
See every Columbus roofing, siding and window firm →
What this does not tell you
Electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits carry a $0 job value, so those trades show no typical cost. The contractor is the applicant business, sometimes a builder or retailer filing for a subcontractor. Our file covers October 2023 to September 2026.
How we know this
Search and records details are quoted from the City of Columbus BZS FAQ and Records Research pages, read 23 October 2026. Statuses are from the City's Accela permit layer, October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from City of Columbus Building & Zoning Services permits on 1-, 2- and 3-family homes (the city's Accela permit layer), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Columbus?
Search Citizen Access (portal.columbus.gov). If you do not have a permit number, BZS says to enter the address in the Street No. and Street Name fields.
- Are Columbus building permits public record?
Yes. BZS says recent public records are on Citizen Access, and older permit records can be requested with its Records Request Form at bzsrecords@columbus.gov; most requests are free.
- How long does a Columbus records request take?
BZS asks you to allow 7 to 10 business days for an accurate request, and up to 14 for larger ones.
- Can I search Columbus permits by contractor?
Citizen Access has a search for licensed and registered contractors, but it lists contractors, not their permits. Our Columbus compare pages group every permit by firm.
- How long does a Columbus permit take to final?
In our file the usual electrical permit reached final in 73 days, HVAC in 115 and a remodel in 155.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Columbus, Ohio contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Bellevue building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Medford building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Saint Paul building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an electrical permit in Columbus, Ohio? What is exempt, the $140 and $275 permits, and who can pull them
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Columbus, Ohio? Yes: the $140 minor work permit for a furnace or AC swap, who pulls it, and timing