Columbus building department

Columbus Building and Zoning Services (BZS) reviews plans, issues building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and zoning approvals, and inspects work for properties inside Columbus city limits. The department works out of the Customer Service Center at 111 North Front Street downtown. BZS also licenses contractors and handles zoning clearance, so most residential and commercial jobs in the city go through this one office. A Franklin County address outside the city, such as a suburb or township, may have a different building or zoning authority. Confirm the property is in Columbus before applying. Columbus enforces the Ohio Building Code for commercial and multi-family work and the Residential Code of Ohio for 1-, 2-, and 3-family dwellings. Land use is governed by the Columbus Zoning Code (Title 33).

What does not need a permit

The BZS FAQ’s homeowner guide lists these common exemptions. For the full list, the city points to Ohio Building Code section 102.10.

Work	Exempt when
Sheds, playhouses, tool storage	One-story, detached, floor area 120 sq ft or less
Playground structures	Exempt
Fences	Not over 6 feet high
Sidewalks and driveways	Not more than 30 inches above grade, not over a basement or story below, and not part of an accessible route
Minor electrical	Lamp replacement, plugging approved portable equipment into existing receptacles
Plumbing leaks	Repairing leaks only. Removing and replacing a defective concealed pipe or trap counts as new work and needs a permit

Decks, pools, roofing, siding, windows, and doors all have their own permit categories in the city fee schedule (see below). For general background, see do I need a permit for a deck.

How to apply

Applications go through the city’s Citizen Access Portal (portal.columbus.gov/permits, also reachable at ca.columbus.gov/ca), which runs on Accela Citizen Access. The portal has modules for building, zoning, contractor licensing, right-of-way, engineering, and code enforcement. Register an account to apply, upload plans, pay, and track review status. The city also publishes a PDF user manual for online MEP permitting. In person, bring a completed application, the required number of plan copies, and a Certificate of Appropriateness if the property is in a historic district or other area that needs one.

• Payment: All fees are due when you submit. Fees are non-refundable except as allowed by Columbus City Code 4113.17.
• Review time: BZS says plan review for 1-, 2-, and 3-family residential projects takes about one week.
• Permit life: Work must start within one year of issuance, and a permit may expire if progress stops for more than six months. Limited extensions are available ($100 per permit). For expired permits, contact [email protected] or (614) 645-8563.

2026 residential permit fees (1-, 2-, and 3-family)

These figures come from the city’s 2026 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule. Each base fee includes the number of inspections shown.

Permit	Fee
New construction or addition (6 inspections)	$1,100
Alteration or accessory structure (2 inspections)	$385
Foundation (2 inspections)	$275 / $300
Mechanical, electrical, or plumbing (2 inspections)	$275
Minor work permit, MEP items on the approved list (1 inspection)	$140
Roof, siding, windows, and doors (1 inspection)	$140
Deck (3 inspections)	$350
Fence (2 inspections)	$300
Above-ground / in-ground pool	$100 / $300
Demolition (1 inspection)	$275

Other building fees in the schedule:

• Additional inspection trip: $225
• After-hours inspection: $650 for the first two hours
• Residential plan revision review: $225 for the first hour, then $125 per hour
• Certificate of occupancy for an existing 1–3 family building with no permit: $300
• Working-without-a-permit penalties: $200 to $4,000, in four levels

Zoning clearance with no associated building permit costs $100 for 1–4 dwelling units.

Inspections

BZS inspects electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and structural work, plus fire alarm/suppression and special inspections. Inspectors are in the field 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on business days. Every required inspection must pass before a permit can be closed.

• Online: In the Citizen Access Portal, open the building section, choose “Schedule an Inspection,” then search by permit number or address. Pick a business day. You can ask for an AM/PM window or a call-ahead, but neither is guaranteed.
• Phone (IVR): Call (614) 645-8235. You can schedule until midnight for the next business day or a later one.
• After hours: The city has an online request form for inspections weekdays between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., or from 5:00 p.m. Friday to 5:30 a.m. Monday. To avoid charges, cancel by 3:00 p.m. (for weekend or holiday inspections, by 3:00 p.m. the business day before).
• Fire protection: Only rough fire inspections can be scheduled in the portal. All other fire inspections use the Fire Protection Inspection Request Form.
• Escalation: Building Inspection Manager, (614) 645-8445 or [email protected].

After final inspections pass, BZS issues the Certificate of Occupancy, the final document that allows a new or changed use to be legally occupied. A partial certificate may be available for an approved portion of a project, and occupying a building without one carries a $2,500 fee.

Homeowner permits and contractor licensing

Property owners can pull permits for structural work on their own 1–3 family dwelling. They can also pull mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits for work on an existing single-family home they live in, and permits to demolish an accessory structure. Owners cannot buy a permit for work a hired contractor will do. See owner-builder permits.

Contractors must be licensed or registered with the city (Columbus City Code Chapter 4114) before they can get permits:

• Home Improvement General Contractor (HIC): Needed for structural work on 1–3 family homes. Requires a notarized application, a score of 70% or higher on the 767 Ohio Home Improvement Contractor exam, three years of hands-on residential experience, and approval by the Board of Review of General and Home Improvement Contractors. Submit at least seven days before the board’s meeting.
• HIC-Limited: Covers trades such as roofing, siding, and fencing.
• General Contractors: Need a $25,000 bond and a liability insurance certificate naming BZS as certificate holder.
• Electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, hydronics, and plumbing contractors: Must hold a State of Ohio OCILB license before registering with the city.

The 2026 fee schedule lists a $300 application fee for HIC, HIC-Limited, demolition, and several other licenses, plus a $350 annual license fee. Licensing questions go to [email protected]. Use “Search for a Contractor” in the portal to check whether a contractor is licensed.

Zoning clearance and related offices

Zoning clearance is required before building or altering a structure, and before changing or establishing a use. On commercial sites, it is also required for added impervious surface, parking lot work, dumpsters, equipment, or signs. Interior commercial work is cleared during building plan review ([email protected]). Projects with exterior site changes go through a Final Site Compliance Plan with Site Engineering ([email protected]). Minor exterior changes can be submitted as zoning clearance only to [email protected], phone (614) 645-3111. Zoning Review closes from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month for staff training. Zoning confirmation letters can require a permit application, a current site plan, sealed drawings, and fees. The city’s zoning map is at gis.columbus.gov/zoning.

Office information

• Address: Building and Zoning Services, 111 North Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Main line: (614) 645-7433
• Inspection IVR: (614) 645-8235
• Fee schedule and forms: BZS Documents & Forms