Sources, all read 23 October 2026: the City's German Village Commission page, its Historic Common Staff Approval List, and the German Village Society's residents FAQ.
The rule
The Commission and the district date from 1960 (Ordinances 976-60 and 1221-60); its guidelines from 1989. It reviews exterior alterations under City Code chapters 3116 and 3119 and the German Village guidelines. The Society's FAQ puts it plainly: "A COA is necessary for any exterior changes to buildings located within the German Village Historic District," and landscaping that changes how the property looks needs one too.
Staff-approvable items still need a COA application; they skip the hearing, and the Commission ratifies staff approvals at its next meeting without you there.
What staff can approve
From the City's staff approval list (items marked for GVC where the list sets a German Village exception):
| Work | Staff can approve if |
|---|---|
| Asphalt re-roof | Asphalt to asphalt, from the Approved Shingles List, metal ridge roll and ridge venting, no hat or power vents |
| Slate roof | Repair or replacement with matching slate |
| Flat roof | Rubber or metal, repair or replacement |
| Gutters, downspouts, eaves, soffits | Like-kind material and style |
| Chimney | Rebuilt to original height, placement, material and detail |
| Windows | Repair of historic windows; low-profile storms; replacement of inappropriate or damaged windows from the Approved Windows List |
| Doors | Full-view storm doors; repair; replacing inappropriate or damaged doors with photos and manufacturer information |
| Painting | Paint chips or swatches and current photos; unpainted masonry stays unpainted |
| Masonry | Tuckpointing per Preservation Brief 2; cleaning up to 300 psi with a broad fan tip, or mild chemicals after a patch test |
| AC unit or generator | At grade, with screening |
| Radon system | In German Village, not on an elevation facing the right-of-way |
| Rear shed | Up to 168 sq ft and 8 ft high, no foundation, no plastic, vinyl or faux wood grain |
| Fence | Rear privacy fences have GVC-specific limits; no dog-eared fencing |
| Siding | The modern-siding replacement item "does not apply to GVC" |
Anything not on the list, or not meeting its conditions, goes to the Commission's hearing.
2026 hearing dates and deadlines
Hearings are generally the first Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., 111 N. Front St., 2nd floor, Room 204; you or your contractor or architect must attend to get a decision on a hearing item.
| Hearing | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| 4 November 2026 | 8 October 2026 |
| 2 December 2026 | 5 November 2026 |
| 6 January 2027 | 10 December 2026 |
Apply through the City's Citizen Access Portal under Planning, selecting German Village Commission, with material specifications, drawings or plans and current photos. Questions: GVC@columbus.gov.
What it means for hiring
- Order of steps. COA first, then the building permit and the work. A contractor who offers to start before the COA is putting the risk on you.
- Product lists. Ask for the exact shingle or window and check it against the City's Approved Shingles and Approved Windows lists; that is what makes a re-roof or window job staff-approvable.
- Who files. Agree in writing whether the contractor or you files the COA, and who attends a hearing if one is needed.
- Timing. A hearing item needs an application about four weeks ahead of the meeting; a staff item avoids that wait.
What our Columbus data shows
| Measure | Columbus roofing, siding and windows | Columbus remodel |
|---|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 19,187 | 2,621 |
| Firms | 815 | 635 |
| Usual filed value | $11,726 | $22,000 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 38.3% | 69.4% |
| Busy firms finishing under 70% | 120 of 182 | |
| Busiest month | April | April |
Exterior permits in Columbus rarely reach a final: only 38.3% of those a year or more old did, and 120 of 182 busy firms finished under 70%. For a German Village house, where the COA already adds a step, pick from the firms that do close permits. Permit mix and values for ZIP 43206, which includes German Village, are on our ZIP 43206 page.
Compare Columbus roofing, siding and window firms →
Permit rules for interior and structural work: Columbus remodel permit. Find past permits on a house: Columbus building permit search. Costs by firm: Columbus exterior cost. Totals by year: Columbus permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
Our data is citywide and does not flag which permits were inside the historic district or had a COA. The City's page does not list a COA fee or the district boundary; check the boundary with the Historic Preservation Office before you assume you are in or out. This page covers the German Village Commission only.
How we know this
The COA rule, history, hearing schedule and application steps are from the City of Columbus German Village Commission page; staff-approvable items from the City's Historic Common Staff Approval List; the tree and landscaping notes from the German Village Society residents FAQ; all read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City of Columbus permits classified as roofing, siding and windows or remodel on homes, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old.
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
- Do I need German Village Commission approval to replace my roof?
You need a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for any exterior change in the German Village Historic District. An asphalt-to-asphalt re-roof using the City's Approved Shingles List, with metal ridge roll and ridge venting and no hat or power vents, can be approved by staff without a hearing; slate must be repaired or replaced with matching slate.
- Can I replace windows in German Village?
With a COA. Staff can approve repair of historic windows, low-profile storm windows, and replacement of inappropriate, deteriorated or damaged windows with a product from the City's Approved Windows List. Anything else goes to the Commission's monthly hearing.
- When does the German Village Commission meet?
Generally the first Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m., 111 N. Front St., Room 204. For 2026 the application deadline is about four weeks before; for example, the 2 December 2026 hearing has a 5 November deadline and the 6 January 2027 hearing a 10 December 2026 deadline.
- Do I need a COA to paint my house in German Village?
Yes, but staff can approve it with paint chips or swatches and current photos. Unpainted masonry must stay unpainted.
- Do I need approval to remove a tree in German Village?
Yes. The German Village Society says removing large trees on your lot needs GVC permission and a COA, and street trees also need permission from the Columbus Recreation and Parks Urban Forestry Division. On the City's staff list, removal of trees 12 inches caliper or less is staff-approvable.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
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- Columbus, Ohio contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Columbus, Ohio building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need a remodel permit in Columbus, Ohio? Yes, with plans: the $385 alteration permit and who can pull it
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For one city
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- 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
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- German Village Commission — City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Historic Common Staff Approval List (PDF) — City of Columbus Historic Preservation Office (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residents FAQ — German Village Society (accessed 2026-10-23)