Washington DC Building Permit Search & History
Look up 2,664 recent Washington DC building permits — addresses, permit types, contractors, and valuations, updated multiple times a day from the city's official records, with history back to April 14, 2026. Free email alerts when new permits match your filters.
Recent Washington DC Permits
Showing 20 of 2664 recent permits.
Sign up to see all permits and set alertsWashington DC Permit Filing Trends
Weekly filing volume from the last 12 weeks of Washington DC permit data:
| Week | Permits filed | Declared value |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2026 | 453 | — |
| July 6, 2026 | 834 | — |
| June 29, 2026 | 731 | — |
| June 22, 2026 | 630 | — |
| June 15, 2026 | 710 | — |
| June 8, 2026 | 599 | — |
| June 1, 2026 | 431 | — |
| May 25, 2026 | 642 | — |
| May 18, 2026 | 769 | — |
| May 11, 2026 | 650 | — |
| May 4, 2026 | 568 | — |
| April 27, 2026 | 414 | — |
Most common permit types in the last 90 days: ELECTRICAL (1803) · PLUMBING AND GAS (1584) · ALTERATION AND REPAIR (963) · MECHANICAL (704) · BUILDING (637) · PLUMBING (357)
Busiest ZIP codes: 20002 (966 permits) · 20011 (853 permits) · 20020 (650 permits) · 20001 (534 permits) · 20019 (499 permits) · 20007 (435 permits)
Most Active Washington DC Permit Applicants
The applicants named on the most Washington DC permits filed in the last 90 days:
- MARGO RICKS — 270 permits
- BRYCE CARRINGTON — 166 permits
- MARCOS ARREDONDO TORRES — 75 permits
- KARLEN MURRAY — 60 permits
- DOMINIC DIPIETRO — 54 permits
- MATTHEW YOUNG — 48 permits
- DFM PERMITS — 44 permits
- CHRISTOPHER HARTMAN — 43 permits
Washington DC Building Permit History
Building permits are public records: every filing leaves a permanent paper trail of what was built, altered, or repaired at an address. The Permit Sheet's Washington DC feed currently covers 8,694 permits going back to April 14, 2026, refreshed multiple times a day from the city's official database.
DOB does not publish a start date for Scout's online coverage (it reflects permits processed in the modern Accela system, plus digitized documents in eRecords). Older records exist offline: permits from 1877 to September 1949 are on National Archives microfilm; roughly 1958-1995 records can be requested from DOB Records Management (about 30 days); 1949-1962 requests require National Archives processing; and DOB may not have building plans for 1995-1998.
DC building permits issued 1877 through September 1949 are on microfilm at the National Archives (pre-1915 architectural drawings survive at the Archives' Cartographic Branch; drawings for 1915-1949 permits were destroyed), while records from roughly 1958-1995 can be requested from DOB Records Management via dob.dc.gov/page/records-information. For quick historical research, HistoryQuest DC maps original construction dates, architects, and builders — drawn from historical permits — for about 127,000 DC buildings.
To research a specific property, start with the address search on Scout (SCOUT), then use our free permit lookup to see recent filings, contractors, and valuations side by side.
Each weekly Washington DC digest also lists the biggest projects filed that week by address.
Washington DC Building Department
District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB)
Go to scout.dob.dc.gov, pick the "By Address" search, and type the property's street address to pull up permit applications, statuses, and timelines for that property; if you already have a permit number, use "By Permit #" instead. Scout is DOB's consolidated public database (shared with the licensing agency DLCP), so results can include permits, inspections, Certificates of Occupancy, and enforcement actions. Scout shows permit data only — to view the actual scanned permit documents and plans, use eRecords, which requires a free Access DC login.
Which Washington DC permit tool do I use?
The city runs several official tools; each answers a different question:
Weekly Washington DC Permit Digests
Free weekly reports on the biggest Washington DC projects filed, with addresses and valuations:
Washington DC Permit Guides
About Washington DC Building Permits
Building permits in Washington DC are public records administered by the District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB). They cover new construction, renovations, demolitions, electrical work, plumbing, roofing, solar installations, and more. Every permit includes the property address, type of work, estimated valuation, and the applicant and contractor on record.
The Permit Sheet monitors Washington DC's official permit records multiple times per day, so you can search recent filings on this page without paging through the city portal — and get an email the moment a new permit matches your trade, neighborhood, or valuation filters. Contractors use it to be first to new projects; investors and neighbors use it to see what's being built nearby.
How to search Washington DC permits
- Browse the live feed above — the 20 newest filings with addresses, types, and valuations, refreshed all day.
- Look up a specific address — use the free permit lookup or the city's official Scout (SCOUT) to pull filings for one property.
- Set an alert — create a free account and get new Washington DC permits matching your filters by email within minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up building permits in Washington DC?
Two ways: search the city's official portal, Scout (SCOUT) (Go to scout.dob.dc.gov, pick the "By Address" search, and type the property's street address to pull up permit applications, statuses, and timelines for that property; if you already have a permit number, use "By Permit #" instead. Scout is DOB's consolidated public database (shared with the licensing agency DLCP), so results can include permits, inspections, Certificates of Occupancy, and enforcement actions. Scout shows permit data only — to view the actual scanned permit documents and plans, use eRecords, which requires a free Access DC login.) — or browse the live feed on this page, which tracks Washington DC filings continuously and adds contractor and valuation details.
How do I find the permit history of a Washington DC address?
Search the address on Scout (SCOUT) for the city's official record. The Permit Sheet's Washington DC feed goes back to April 14, 2026 with 8,694 permits tracked — each weekly digest also lists the biggest filings by address. DC building permits issued 1877 through September 1949 are on microfilm at the National Archives (pre-1915 architectural drawings survive at the Archives' Cartographic Branch; drawings for 1915-1949 permits were destroyed), while records from roughly 1958-1995 can be requested from DOB Records Management via dob.dc.gov/page/records-information. For quick historical research, HistoryQuest DC maps original construction dates, architects, and builders — drawn from historical permits — for about 127,000 DC buildings.
How many building permits were filed in Washington DC this month?
2664 building permits appear in our Washington DC feed for the last 30 days. The most common type is PLUMBING AND GAS.
Can I get email alerts for new Washington DC building permits?
Yes. The Permit Sheet sends real-time email alerts within minutes of new permits being filed. Filter by permit type (roofing, electrical, solar, HVAC), valuation range, and neighborhood. Free tier available.
Where is the Washington DC building department?
District of Columbia Department of Buildings (DOB), 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 671-3500. Walk-in center: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 8:30 am - 4:00 pm; Thu 9:30 am - 4:00 pm.