Cincinnati building permits and code cases
Enter an address in the City of Cincinnati to see its building permits since 2010 and its code enforcement cases: what is open, what was condemned, what was billed to the tax bill, and which permits are issued, expired or finaled. The answers come from official city records, refreshed daily.
Start with the house number. The first 5 results of each list are free; HeritageDeed Pro shows them all. Usually answers in a few seconds.
Building permits
The city's permit records list every building permit applied for since January 1, 2010, each issued, expired or finaled (final inspection passed). Permits are matched to the Hamilton County parcel, so the result is the parcel itself and not its neighbors.
A permit that was issued but never finaled can mean the work was not completed or not inspected. Ask the seller for the final inspection, or for the work to be finished before closing.
Code enforcement cases
Cincinnati's code enforcement records cover building, property maintenance and zoning enforcement, condemned buildings and the demolition program, from 1999 to the present, not counting abandoned vehicles. Each case carries the city's own open or closed class and a status such as Orders Issued, Civil Citation Issued or Costs have been Assessed on Tax Bill.
Buying in Cincinnati
A HeritageDeed report puts these permits and code cases in one PDF with the owner of record, the Recorder's deeds, mortgages and releases, federal court cases, the flood zone and nearby EPA-listed sites. Where the records are kept and what the report searches: Hamilton County title search and property records.
Questions
How do I look up building permits for a Cincinnati address?
Enter the street address in the lookup above. It finds the property's Hamilton County parcel, then lists the City of Cincinnati building permits filed under that parcel since 2010: how many are issued, expired or finaled, with the newest ones, their type and estimated cost.
Does it show code violations too?
Yes. It searches the city's code enforcement cases for the address (building, property maintenance and zoning enforcement, condemned buildings and the demolition program; abandoned-vehicle cases are left out) and shows how many are open, how many were opened in the last three years, and any case where costs were assessed on the tax bill.
My address says Cincinnati but the lookup says it is outside the city. Why?
Many Hamilton County addresses use a Cincinnati mailing address but lie in a township or another city, such as Sycamore Township around Kenwood. The City of Cincinnati only keeps records for property inside its limits, so the lookup checks that the address is inside the city limits first.
What does "costs assessed on tax bill" mean?
When the city cleans, secures or demolishes a property after the owner does not, it can assess the cost on the property tax bill. A buyer should ask how much is owed and whether it will be paid at closing.
What else is in the full report?
A HeritageDeed report for a Hamilton County address adds the owner of record, the county parcel data, recorded deeds and mortgages with their releases from the Recorder, federal court cases, the flood zone and nearby EPA-listed sites, with the permits and code cases above in one PDF.
Official public records; statuses can lag inspections. Not legal advice.