City building department · New York
Buffalo building department
Permits, inspections, and official contacts for City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services.
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Contacts & online services
- Phone
- (716) 851-4290
- Office
- 65 Niagara Square, Room 301, Buffalo, NY 14202
Get directions (opens in a new tab) - Serves
- Buffalo · Erie County
- Online services
- Applications · Permit search
Check your address first. City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services handles building permits for property inside Buffalo city limits. Property outside city limits is usually served by Erie County or another municipality, even when the mailing address says Buffalo.
On this page
The City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services (DPIS) oversees all development and uses on private property in Buffalo. Its work ranges from a backyard patio to a multi-story office building. DPIS reviews and issues permits for:
- New buildings and additions
- Changes of use
- Remodeling and repairs
- Flat work, decks, and sheds
- Demolitions
It checks projects against the New York State Building and Fire Code, the Buffalo Green Code, and other city ordinances. DPIS also licenses contractors and many businesses, runs rental registration, and enforces property maintenance. Its authority covers private property inside the City of Buffalo. Addresses elsewhere in Erie County go to their own town or village.
Applying: ePermits and in-person rules
DPIS strongly encourages digital plan submission through ePermits, the City’s Permit & License Customer Portal. The portal moved from the older DynamicPortal site to a Civics platform. If you had a DynamicPortal account, you don’t need a new one. Your username is your email on file; reset your password before your first login. The same portal takes rental registration, multiple-dwelling, license, inspection, board-up, and cut-and-clean fees.
Since October 1, 2025, in-person building permit applications at Room 301, City Hall follow a set schedule:
| Day | In-person building permit applications |
|---|---|
| Tuesday and Thursday | Appointment required. Walk-ins are directed to book one. |
| Monday, Wednesday, Friday | Walk-ins welcome |
The counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Licensed stationary engineers, plumbers, and electricians can file mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits online at any time. For in-person trade questions, the City asks you to come or call before 9:00 a.m., or leave a detailed voicemail or email. The Permit Office number is (716) 851-4290.
The permit process
- Register the project and apply. The designer, general contractor, or owner registers the project in person or on ePermits. Some projects need earlier approvals, such as citywide site plan review (major or minor), the Preservation Board for historic districts or buildings, or Public Works for curb cuts, encroachments, and right-of-way work. A site-plan-only submission needs a survey, plans, elevations, and a site plan, not full construction documents.
- Plan review. The permit office checks zoning, then sends digital submittals to each department at the same time. Unpaid application or plan review fees are due at this stage.
- Revisions. The agent of record is notified, and revised documents are recirculated.
- Issuance. Once every department approves, the licensed contractor must be identified and permit fees paid. Work can’t start before the permit is issued, and unpermitted work is fined.
- Inspections. Typical stages are excavation, foundation, framing/rough-in, and final.
- Closeout. After the final inspection, the inspector issues a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of compliance.
Plans must be professionally drawn and comply with the 2025 New York State Uniform Code. The NYS Department of State applies the 2025 code to applications submitted on or after December 31, 2025. Plans need an original seal and signature from a New York-licensed architect or engineer for:
- All new buildings and additions
- Structural or public-safety alterations and repairs
- Most changes of use or occupancy
Plan review contacts
| Review | Location | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Code review | Room 301 | (716) 851-4919 |
| Plumbing | Room 313 | (716) 851-5067 |
| Electrical | Room 313 | (716) 851-9696 |
| HVAC | Room 313 | (716) 851-4235 |
| Elevator | Room 301 | (716) 851-9666 |
| Fire prevention | Room 321 | (716) 851-5707 |
| Sewer (Buffalo Sewer Authority) | Room 1038 | (716) 851-4667 |
DPIS can set up early meetings, including video or conference calls, with architects, engineers, developers, and owners at the concept stage. To arrange one, contact the chief of the relevant division. Building permit fees changed on July 29, 2014. The City publishes separate residential and commercial fee sheets, which don’t cover plumbing, electrical, or heating work.
Inspections
Inspections are required at the end of each phase so work can be covered or the next phase can begin:
- Foundation
- Framing
- Mechanical
- Insulation
- Vapor barrier
- Completion
The City also lists triggers such as after excavation and before formwork, after rough-ins and before close-in, and whenever work will deviate from the plans.
The contractor, construction manager, foreman, or other agent must find out who the inspectors are and give at least 24 hours’ notice. Work can’t proceed without its inspection.
| Inspection type | Phone |
|---|---|
| Building scheduling and inspection points | (716) 851-4959 |
| Electrical | (716) 851-5999 |
| Plumbing | (716) 851-5067 |
| Fuel devices | (716) 851-4235 |
District inspectors are assigned by census tract. Call (716) 851-4949 to find yours. Inspection records are public; get them through the same number or at Room 304, City Hall.
Planning a project?
These guides explain the national model-code rules most departments start from. City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services decides what applies in Buffalo, so use them to prepare your questions.
More New York building departments
Not the right office? If your property is outside Buffalo city limits, one of these may handle it.