Building permits, county by county.
Find the office that issues permits for your property, with its official links, contacts and what to ask before work begins.
Find your permit office
Or browse all statesThe directory in numbers
- 3,147
- local profiles for counties, parishes, boroughs and other county equivalents
- 50 + D.C.
- states and the District of Columbia covered
- 2,050
- profiles list a county permit office
- 1,097
- point you to a city, town or state agency instead
- 1,226
- link to an official online permit portal
Compiled from official agency websites. Dataset last updated October 1, 2026. How we compile the data
Popular project guides
What the model codes say about common home projects, what your county may change, and what to ask the permit office.
- DecksAttached and freestanding decks
- FencesFences and garden walls
- ShedsSheds and small accessory buildings
- RoofsRe-roofing and roof replacement
- Water heatersTank and tankless replacements
- SolarRooftop solar panels
Start with your state.
Choose a state to see its counties, then open a profile for the office, contacts and official links. Numbers show how many local profiles each state has.
- Alabama67
- Alaska32
- Arizona15
- Arkansas75
- California58
- Colorado64
- Connecticut8
- Delaware3
- District of Columbia1
- Florida67
- Georgia159
- Hawaii5
- Idaho44
- Illinois102
- Indiana92
- Iowa99
- Kansas105
- Kentucky120
- Louisiana64
- Maine16
- Maryland24
- Massachusetts14
- Michigan83
- Minnesota87
- Mississippi82
- Missouri115
- Montana56
- Nebraska93
- Nevada17
- New Hampshire10
- New Jersey21
- New Mexico33
- New York62
- North Carolina100
- North Dakota53
- Ohio88
- Oklahoma77
- Oregon36
- Pennsylvania67
- Rhode Island5
- South Carolina46
- South Dakota67
- Tennessee95
- Texas254
- Utah29
- Vermont14
- Virginia134
- Washington39
- West Virginia55
- Wisconsin72
- Wyoming23
Some profiles point to a city or state office rather than a county. Always confirm that the listed agency serves your address. What the listing types mean.
City or county?
The address comes first.
A county is a good place to start, but it does not always issue the permit. Inside an incorporated city or town, the city often handles building, zoning and trade permits. Give the office the exact address and ask it to confirm.
A local example: Fairfax County, Virginia, says residential additions in the towns of Clifton or Vienna need separate approvals from those towns. Read the county’s instructions.
More about finding the right officeBefore you contact
the permit office.
You don’t need every answer to call. Gather what you know and use the conversation to fill the gaps. The agency will tell you what the application itself needs.
Read the application guideA few things
worth knowing.
Take the questions specific to your property to the local office.
Explore the permit guidesCan I apply through this website?
No. This directory helps you find the agency and its official resources. Where we found one, the profile links to the office’s application portal or forms. Submit applications and payments directly to the issuing agency.
How do I check whether my project needs a permit?
Give the agency your address and a specific description of the work. Ask which permit or written exemption applies, and whether zoning or trade approvals are separate. A rule for a different city or project may not fit yours.
Where can I find the actual permit cost?
If the agency publishes a fee schedule, the profile links to it. Confirm the charges for your scope with the office, including plan review, trade permits, revisions or reinspections, and when each is due.
Does a county profile cover every city in that county?
Not necessarily. A profile may list a county office, or point to a municipal or state agency. Use it as a starting point, then confirm the service area with your property address.
What if a link or office detail is out of date?
Check the agency’s main website for its current permit department, and tell us about it with the page address and a link to the official source.
Independent, and always pointing to the source.
County Permit Search is independently published and not affiliated with any government agency. Profiles link to the official sources they were compiled from, and say so plainly when an agency doesn’t publish something.
The issuing agency remains the authority on current requirements.
About the directoryOur methodology