Washington Building Permit Lookup
Search 788,545 DC Department of Buildings (DOB) records covering 2009 to 2026. See what was filed, who filed it, and what was never closed out.
Searching in Washington, District of Columbia · Street address only, no city or state
Navigating the Washington permit registry
Building permits in Washington are public records. Every renovation, addition and structural change that went through the proper process left a filing with DC Department of Buildings (DOB), and the gaps in that record are often more revealing than the filings themselves.
We pull directly from DC Department of Buildings (DOB), whose published records begin in 2009 and now run to 788,545 permits. That includes building work alongside the trade permits — electrical, mechanical and plumbing — that carry most of a house's renovation history. You can verify any permit at the source.
Work started without a permit, or started under one that was never closed out, can surface at the worst possible moment: during an appraisal, at closing, or when you make an insurance claim. A permit that shows as open or expired years after the work finished is the signal worth chasing.
Use Cases
Source
- Authority
- DC Department of Buildings (DOB)
- Feed
- ArcGIS FeatureServer
- Index refreshed
- September 2026
- Typical review
- ~20 days
Washington Permit Registry FAQ
How far back do the records go?
Washington's published permit records begin in 2009 and run through 2026. Work done before then will not appear here, even if it was properly permitted at the time.
How many permits are in the database?
788,545 for Washington, pulled from DC Department of Buildings (DOB) over ArcGIS FeatureServer. Our index was last refreshed in September 2026.
Are these records official?
Yes. Every permit shown comes from DC Department of Buildings (DOB) through its public data feed. We reformat the records, we do not create them.
Can I see which permits are still open?
Yes. Each permit carries its current state, so you can see what is open, what expired or was revoked, and what closed out properly.
What if I find work without a permit?
Unpermitted work is common and usually negotiable before closing. Get a contractor's estimate for bringing it into compliance, and raise it with the seller while you still have leverage.
Does every minor repair need a permit?
Most cosmetic work does not. Anything structural, electrical or plumbing almost always requires a filing, which is why those are the gaps worth checking.
How current is the data?
We query DC Department of Buildings (DOB)'s feed directly at search time. How fresh that feed is depends on the department, and some publish on a lag of days. The most recent permit in our Washington index was issued 2026.
Ready to check another address?
Searching in Washington, District of Columbia · Street address only, no city or state