Franklin County Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

Franklin County Economic Development and Planning provides building-permit services for the county-served jurisdiction, including unincorporated areas and participating townships. It is not the building department for every address in the county. Columbus and other incorporated municipalities can have their own building, zoning, and inspection authorities; verify the city, village, or township before submitting an application.

Franklin County building permits

The county’s building FAQ identifies permits for common work such as new homes, additions, interior alterations, replacement doors and windows, roofing or siding, decks, pools, accessory structures over 200 square feet, moving structures, and demolition. A homeowner, contractor, or owner’s agent may apply for a building permit. Electrical, heating, plumbing, well, and septic approvals can require separate permits or agencies.

For unincorporated Franklin County structural work, the county says a contractor license is not required merely to obtain a structural building permit. Electrical, heating, and plumbing work has separate licensing requirements. The county’s permit page provides the current application path and links to the online Permit Portal for services accepted electronically.

Zoning compliance and plan review

Franklin County administers the Franklin County Zoning Resolution for county-served areas. A Certificate of Zoning Compliance is required before changing the use of a building or land, extending, erecting, or altering a structure, or disturbing one or more acres. The zoning page also identifies Blendon, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, Plain, Prairie, and Washington Townships as administering their own zoning regulations.

Zoning approval is separate from the building permit in the county’s online workflow. Obtain the appropriate zoning compliance approval first when the property is in a county-served area, then follow the building department’s submittal instructions. If the parcel is inside Columbus or another municipality, use that municipality’s zoning and building process instead.

Inspections, occupancy, and code compliance

The county’s permit and FAQ pages describe the building department’s role in applying the Residential Code of Ohio and reviewing construction for compliance. Required trade inspections and related health approvals may be handled by other agencies. Contact the county with the full property address when you need to identify the authority having jurisdiction or determine whether a permit record belongs to the county or a municipality.

Official Franklin County contact information

Franklin County Government Tower is at 373 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. The Building Department’s published phone is (614) 525-3166. The county also lists 280 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 and (614) 525-3160 for Franklin County Public Health plumbing, well, and septic permits. Use the official county pages and Permit Portal for current forms, zoning resolutions, fees, and application status.