Roger Morph 
Building permits are an essential building block of getting commercial and residential construction done – no pun intended. This is because you can’t begin a project without having all your paperwork in order, regardless of how eager you may be to get it done. It doesn’t matter if you need an in-ground pool out into your yard or you want to build a skyscraper; it all starts and ends with a building permit.
While these documents are important, you may be wondering – are building permits public record? And if so, how can I find them? The good news is that we’re here to help. We take you through what building permits are, whether or not they’re available to the public, and how you can find them.
What Is a Building Permit?
Building permits are official documents that state that you can build what you want to build. Sounds simple, right? While these documents may not sound like much, the opposite is true because they’re the real foundation of any project. This is because government agencies or local townships have to approve your project and allow you to work on it.
Due to zoning and property laws in some states, it’s a good idea to look into what you need for a building permit before you start knocking walls down or laying cement.
What Information Can You Find in a Building Permit?
Building permits aren’t just little pieces of paper with a big yes stamped on them to allow construction to begin. While this can be the case for some minor projects, most building permits will have the outline of a construction job in detail with information like:
- Layouts of the building and how they will change
- Architectural drawings and designs
- Demolitions
- Zoning laws and whether or not they’re met
- The parties involved in the building
- Dates for approval
- Signatures
This is only some of the information you can find on a building permit because it varies based on the job.
Are Building Permits Public Records?
Yes, building permits tend to be public records. This information is often filed by the city where the project is being built and is open to the public. Therefore, you can walk into most county offices and request information about building permits for a specific process.
While building permits tend to be public records, some permits might be unavailable. This tends to happen if the building was done by the FBI, CIA, or other government agencies. For this reason, it’s a good idea to learn more about the project before starting to determine if you’ll be able to find records of the project.
How to Find Building Permits in Public Records
Most building permits are public records, which means you can find them. That said, locating them is easier said than done. The good news is that we have a few methods you can try that will bring you quick results without a lot of work on your end.
Publicrecord.com
The best way to find a building permit in public records is to use a public records search tool. When it comes to the best public records search tool, we can’t recommend publicrecord.com enough. This is because the search tools available on the platform are connected to millions of databases across the country and can pull records about any publicly available building permits.
All you need to start your search is the names of the parties involved, contact information for the company, or the address of the building. Any of this information will do, and once you enter it into the search tool, you’ll have results almost immediately.
Not only can you find building permits, but you can also view other records about the building or the parties involved in its construction.
State Databases
State databases are great tools you can leverage to find building permits, especially because most states require permits before any construction begins. You’ll have to check which databases are available in your state, but most states have an online system to help you run these searches.
The downside is that they can be clunky, and sometimes, you’ll have to head to the state department that handles building permits in person for more information.
Find Building Permits in Public Records Today!
Building permits are not hard to find when you know where to look. The fact that they’re public records means that information about them is housed in state databases, sometimes with paper copies you can view in your county’s Department of Building.
That said, if you want the best, we always recommend a public record search tool like publicrecord.com. You can comb through millions of records across all 50 states in a matter of minutes.
