Cincinnati Building Permit Office
Cincinnati
City of Cincinnati
513-352-3275
Permit Center: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
805 Central Ave., Suite 500, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202
For property inside Cincinnati city limits, building permits are issued through the City of Cincinnati Department of Buildings & Inspections (B&I). The department coordinates permit intake, plan examination and construction inspections, while zoning review is handled through the City’s Department of City Planning and Engagement. Projects may also be routed to Fire, Health, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, the Metropolitan Sewer District or Transportation & Engineering when those approvals apply.
Confirm the Property Is Within Cincinnati Before Applying
Cincinnati’s permit process applies to properties within the city limits. The City’s zoning map can be used to check both jurisdiction and the zoning assigned to an address. A Cincinnati mailing address alone should not be treated as proof that the property is under City of Cincinnati building jurisdiction.
Zoning compliance is required before a building permit can be approved. The applicable rules depend on the property’s base zoning district and any overlays, including historic, hillside or urban design districts.
The Department of City Planning and Engagement administers Cincinnati zoning regulations. Buildings & Inspections handles the building permit and coordinates affected reviews through the permit process. Some projects need a variance, conditional-use approval, historic review or another zoning decision before the building permit can proceed.
From Zoning Check to Permit Issuance
Check jurisdiction, zoning and permit requirements
Confirm that the site is inside Cincinnati and review the zoning district before preparing the permit package. New buildings, additions, many alterations, demolition, changes of occupancy or use, excavation or fill, and development in a floodplain are among the work types for which the City lists permit requirements.
Prepare the forms and project documents
Cincinnati publishes project-specific application lists rather than relying on one universal document checklist. Depending on the work, the required package can include a building application, site plan, construction drawings, HVAC application, geotechnical information, special-inspection documents or other material identified for that project type.
Plans and specifications are generally required for new buildings, additions and alterations to existing buildings.
Submit the application and digital plans
The City’s electronic procedure begins with a completed permit application submitted to the Permit Center. After intake, the primary project contact receives instructions and a OneDrive link for the digital plan files. Cincinnati’s current instructions provide a 48-hour window for uploading the requested documents after access is issued.
Complete plan, zoning and agency reviews
Buildings & Inspections routes the project through the reviews that apply. Cincinnati uses tiered plan review for qualifying residential and commercial work. Smaller qualifying projects may receive Tier 1 same-day review, while other work proceeds through appointment or standard review based on project scope.
Projects can also be reviewed by agencies responsible for fire protection, water, sewer, health or transportation issues. A permit is approved only after the required reviews are cleared.
Pay the remaining charges and obtain the permit
When the permit is ready for issuance, the City collects the remaining amount due. For electronically submitted plans, the primary contact can then receive access to approved documents through ProjectDox. Construction subject to the permit can proceed after issuance.
Electronic Plans and Permit Status
Electronic document submission
The City accepts digital drawing files through its electronic submission procedure. Cincinnati identifies PDF, JPG and TIFF as accepted formats and provides specific naming and indexing requirements for plan sheets and later revisions.
EzTrak permit tracking
EzTrak, operated through CAGIS, can be used to review Cincinnati building permit status, agency review status and review comments. The City’s instructions direct users to the Quick Search function under Review Records. A limited group of permits can also be applied for online.
Trade Permits and Reviews May Follow Different Paths
A building permit does not automatically replace permits required for individual building systems or other regulated work. Cincinnati identifies separate permitting requirements for work such as HVAC, plumbing, elevators, fire alarm systems and certain other project components.
Electrical permits are handled through IBI
The City contracts with Inspections Bureau, Inc. (IBI) for electrical permit review and electrical inspections. Electrical work should therefore be checked separately rather than assumed to be covered by a City building permit.
Some projects receive multi-agency review
Depending on the work and site, plans can be routed to the Cincinnati Fire Department, Health Department, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Metropolitan Sewer District and Department of Transportation & Engineering. The required approvals depend on the characteristics of the project.
Cincinnati Contractor Registration Can Affect Permit Issuance
Contractors performing regulated work within Cincinnati generally must maintain City contractor registration, and Buildings & Inspections states that applicable contractor registrations must be current before a building permit can be issued.
An exemption applies in certain owner-performed residential situations. For example, an owner of a qualifying 1-, 2- or 3-family dwelling regulated under the Residential Code of Ohio may be exempt when personally performing the work and meeting the City’s occupancy conditions. The City’s contractor registration rules should be checked before relying on an exemption.
Schedule Construction Inspections Through the Permit Inspector
Cincinnati performs construction inspections for permitted residential and commercial projects, including stages such as soil, framing, plumbing, HVAC and final inspection. For a building, plumbing or mechanical permit, the City instructs permit holders to contact the inspector listed on the front of the permit to schedule the applicable project inspection.
Electrical inspections follow the separate IBI process. When a project requires a Certificate of Occupancy, Cincinnati issues the certificate after the required final inspections have been approved.
Cincinnati Permit Charges Are Based on the Project and Permit Type
The current Cincinnati fee schedule is effective July 1, 2026. The City collects a nonrefundable application processing fee when the application and plans are submitted. Building permit charges are based on the project valuation determined by Buildings & Inspections, with other charges applying when required by the work.
Cincinnati lists a 3% technology surcharge, 1% training surcharge and 1% financial recovery fee on scheduled fees, subject to the exclusions stated in the City’s fee rules. A 5% planning surcharge applies to construction, plumbing and HVAC permits. State surcharges also apply at permit issuance. The official fee schedule should be used for the final project calculation.
Cincinnati Permit Applications, Tracking and Review Links
City Permit Center
Cincinnati Permit Center
Open official City page
Applications
Building Permit Forms and Project Checklists
View official forms
Plan submission
Electronic Document Submission
Review submission instructions
Permit status
EzTrak Permit and Review Lookup
Search permit records
Zoning
Cincinnati Zoning Administration
Check zoning information
Fees
Building Permit Costs and Current Fee Schedule
Review official fees
Inspections
Building Construction Inspections
Review inspection procedures
Contractors
Cincinnati Contractor Registration
Review registration requirements