Washington, DC

How permitting works in Washington, D.C.

The "City" role is the primary face of the permitting process in DC. The Department of Buildings (DOB) acts as the local Building Official, performing all plan reviews (including zoning and historic preservation), issuing all building and trade permits, and conducting every field inspection. There are no smaller municipal sub-units with independent permitting power.

The District government acts as the sole authority for code adoption and permit issuance.