Washington Building Permit Search & History Reports

Washington DC's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is the single permit authority for all construction within the District. DC Open Data publishes the Building Permits dataset via ArcGIS FeatureServer — searchable by address and updated continuously. DC is a federal city with a unique permit landscape: standard DCRA building permits govern private construction, while federal properties on US government land follow GSA/Army Corps processes outside DCRA's jurisdiction. DC's historic preservation overlay (administered by HPRB) adds a layer of review for properties in one of the city's 44 historic districts — common in Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan. DC adopted the International Building Code with DC-specific amendments and is one of the few US jurisdictions with citywide rent-control implications tied to permit history. For condo conversions and ADUs, permit records are essential to confirm legal unit count and compliance with the DC Condominium Act.

Records available

What's included in a Washington permit search.

DCRA-issued building permits via DC Open Data ArcGIS layer: residential and commercial construction, additions and alterations, ADUs, demolition, mechanical, electrical, plumbing. Includes permit type, issue date, declared value, contractor, and status. Live ArcGIS lookup available.

Source: DCRA Online Permit Center https://dcra.dc.gov/service/building-permits

Permit type and scope of work Full description of the work covered by each permit
Issue date, final date, current status Track open vs. finaled vs. expired permits
Contractor name & license Where recorded — required for DC permits
Original PDF document (Premium tier) Certified copy from DCRA Online Permit Center

Coverage limits

What this search does not include.

Federal properties (GSA, US Capitol, Pentagon, embassies — separate federal process outside DCRA); Maryland and Virginia suburbs (each has its own building department); permits still in active plan review.

Outside Washington, DC jurisdiction Adjacent counties and municipalities use separate systems
Pending / in-review permits Not yet issued — not in the public records database
Unpermitted work Not in the records — flagged via history gaps, not direct data
Voided / expired (cleared) records Washington may clear old records from public view after a retention period

Common questions

Frequently asked about Washington permits.

How far back do DCRA records go?

DC Open Data has permit records from approximately 2000 onward for most permit types, with better completeness after 2010. Pre-2000 records may require a DCRA public records request via dcra.dc.gov.

Does DCRA cover Georgetown and Capitol Hill historic districts?

Yes — DCRA issues building permits in all DC historic districts. However, work in a historic district also requires Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) approval before DCRA issues the permit. Our lookup includes DCRA permit status; HPRB decisions are recorded separately.

Can unpermitted additions be detected in DC?

Yes — cross-reference DCRA permit history with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) property records. Basement apartment conversions and rear additions are the most common unpermitted patterns in DC rowhouse neighborhoods.

What is the ADU situation in Washington DC?

DC allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in most residential zones under the 2016 Zoning Regulations and 2020 amendments. English basements and carriage houses are common legal ADU types. Permit records confirm legal ADU status — critical for FHA/VA financing and rent-control eligibility.

Can I get the actual permit PDF?

DCRA issues digital and paper permit documents. Our Premium tier retrieves available permit documents directly from DCRA records for DC properties.

Washington Building Permit Search & History Reports

What's included in a Washington permit search.

What this search does not include.

Frequently asked about Washington permits.

Get permit data for Washington, DC.