If you’re wondering where you can find your building permit number, start with the permit card itself: the number is printed near the top, usually labeled “Permit No.,” “Permit #,” “Application ID,” or “Project Number.” If the card is gone, your local building department’s online portal lets you search by property address and pull up every permit on file for the parcel. A phone call to the department covers anything the portal doesn’t.
Look at the Permit Documents First
Jurisdictions issue a permit card or certificate that the owner or contractor has to post at the job site during construction. If you kept it, the number is printed prominently on the front, typically in the top-right corner or inside a bordered box near the header.
No card? Check the approved plan set. When a building department signs off on construction drawings, staff stamp each sheet with the permit number, the approval date, and the examiner’s initials. That stamp is the number you need. The same number appears on inspection correction notices, the final inspection sign-off, and any certificate of occupancy tied to the project.
On multi-page permits the number sometimes only shows up on the first page or on the inspection card, so check every sheet. And be careful not to confuse it with the parcel number, plan check number, or contractor license number sitting nearby on the same page. The label is what identifies it.
How to Recognize the Number on the Page
Permit numbers aren’t random. Most municipalities build in a logic that tells staff the year, the permit type, and where the application fell in the sequence. A residential building permit might read something like “BR-24-0037,” where “BR” flags it as building-residential, “24” is the year, and “0037” is the sequence. Other common formats include a date stamp like “202401015” or a simple year-and-sequence combo like “24-0001.” Once you know the local format, the number is easy to pick out.
Search the Local Government Portal
Most city and county building departments maintain online permit databases that are searchable around the clock. Enter the property’s street address and the system returns every permit on file for that parcel, from the original construction permit down to a recent water heater replacement. Each result shows the permit number, the issue date, the permit type, the listed contractor, and the current status: open, finaled, or expired.
If an address search returns nothing, try the assessor’s parcel number (APN) instead. Street addresses change as roads get renamed or parcels get subdivided, but the APN stays tied to the land. You can find it on your property tax bill, your county assessor’s website, or your deed. Some portals have a dedicated APN field; others accept it in the general search bar. This is especially useful for rural properties that use route numbers rather than standard street addresses.
A few things to know about portals. Some systems require you to create a free account before showing detailed records. Older permits often don’t appear in the digital system at all if they predate the jurisdiction’s switch to electronic records. If the portal only shows permits from a certain year forward, that doesn’t mean earlier permits don’t exist. It means you need to contact the department directly.
Call or Visit the Building Department
When online searches come up empty, the building or permitting department is the reliable fallback. Staff have access to internal databases and, for older projects, physical file archives that aren’t online. Before you call, gather what you can: the property address, the approximate year of the work, the type of project (roof replacement, addition, electrical upgrade), and the name of the contractor or original applicant. The more detail you give them, the faster they can narrow the search.
Many departments will look up a permit number over the phone at no charge. If you need copies of the actual permit documents, plans, or inspection records, expect to pay a small fee. Municipalities commonly charge between $10 and $55 for manual file retrieval, depending on the complexity of the search and whether physical copies are involved. Some offices also charge per page for photocopies of archived plans.
Other Places the Number Shows Up
Your contractor’s paperwork is an underrated source. Many contractors include the permit number on invoices, change orders, and project contracts because they need it for their own records. If you still have the project file or can reach the contractor, ask them to look it up. Licensed contractors who pulled the permit on your behalf should have a record of it.
Official correspondence from the building department is another good bet. Any letter, email, or notice tied to the project — an inspection scheduling confirmation, a correction notice, a final approval — will reference the permit number. Check your email for messages from the jurisdiction’s permitting system; many departments send automated notifications with the permit number in the subject line.
If you bought the property after the work was done, look through your closing documents. Seller disclosure forms sometimes list recent or open permits as a material fact about the property. Title reports occasionally flag open permits as exceptions and may reference the number. Your title company or real estate agent may be able to pull this information from their files if you no longer have the documents yourself.
Older Properties and Pre-Digital Records
Many jurisdictions didn’t digitize permit records before the 1990s or 2000s, so online portals usually have a cutoff date. For anything older, you’re looking at physical archives: paper files, microfilm, or microfiche stored at the building department, the county recorder’s office, or sometimes a regional archive facility.
Call the building department and ask what year their digital records begin and how to access older files. Some departments will search physical archives for you; others require you to visit in person and search yourself. Building permit records are generally kept permanently by local governments because they document the legal status of structures that may stand for a century or more. The record likely exists. It’s a matter of finding it in the right filing system.
For very old properties, property tax records, historical city directories, and county assessor files sometimes reference construction dates and original builders. That’s often enough information for the building department to locate a permit in their archives. A title search can also help reconstruct the property’s construction history.
When to File a Public Records Request
If the building department won’t release permit information through normal channels, or if you need records for a property you don’t own, a formal public records request is your backstop. Building permits are public records in every state. Anyone can request them regardless of whether they own the property, and you don’t need to explain why you want the information.
Every state has its own open records or sunshine law governing how local agencies must respond. Some require a response within a few business days; others allow several weeks. The request itself is simple: submit a written request (letter, email, or web form, depending on the jurisdiction) identifying the records you want as specifically as possible. Include the property address, an approximate date range, and the type of records. Federal FOIA does not apply to local governments, so don’t route the request through the federal FOIA process. Go directly to the local agency or follow your state’s public records law.
Why It’s Worth Tracking Down
You probably need the number for a specific reason right now, but the number matters past the immediate task too. Open permits — permits that were pulled but never received a final inspection — are one of the most common issues that surface during a home sale. Buyers routinely run permit searches, and an open permit raises immediate red flags. Most states require sellers to disclose material facts about the property, and an open permit qualifies.
Unpermitted or unclosed work also affects insurance. If damage occurs in a part of the home that was built or remodeled without a proper permit, say an electrical fire in an unpermitted room addition, an insurer may deny the claim on the grounds that the work was never inspected or brought up to code. In some cases, discovery of unpermitted work during a claim investigation can lead to policy cancellation or non-renewal.
And when you apply for a new permit, the department often reviews the property’s permit history. If prior work was unpermitted or prior permits were left open, you may be required to resolve those issues before the department approves the new application. Knowing your existing permit numbers and their status before planning a renovation keeps those problems from stalling a new project.