FREE BUILDING PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS — OH, IL, IN, MI, KY, PA
Need to look up a building permit by address? Here are the free online tools for every major city across the Midwest.
OHIO PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Columbus
permits.columbus.gov
Search by: address, permit number, or contractor name
Updated daily
Cleveland
Cleveland Building Department ePlans
Search by: address or permit number
Some older permits require phone lookup
Cincinnati
Hamilton County Building Inspections
Search by: permit number or parcel ID
Akron
City of Akron Building Department
Search by: address or permit number
Toledo
Toledo Building Inspection
Search by: address
Dayton
City of Dayton Permit Center
Search by: address or permit number
ILLINOIS PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Chicago
chicago.gov — Buildings section
Search by: address (most comprehensive portal in IL)
Rockford
City of Rockford Building and Inspections
Search by: address or permit number
Springfield
City of Springfield Building and Zoning
Search by: address
Aurora / Naperville / Joliet
Each has its own portal
Search by: search "[city name] building permit lookup" for direct link
INDIANA PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Indianapolis
indy.gov — eGov permits
Search by: address or permit number
Fort Wayne
City of Fort Wayne Building Commission
Search by: address
South Bend
St. Joseph County Building Department
Search by: permit number
MICHIGAN PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Detroit
Detroit BSEED (Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department)
Search by: address
Grand Rapids
City of Grand Rapids Building Safety
Search by: address or permit number
Lansing
City of Lansing Building Safety Office
Search by: address
KENTUCKY PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Louisville
Louisville Metro — One Stop Shop
Search by: address or permit number
Lexington
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
Search by: address
PENNSYLVANIA PERMIT LOOKUP BY ADDRESS
Philadelphia
Philadelphia Licenses and Inspections — eCLIPSE system
Search by: address (one of the best portals in the country)
Pittsburgh
City of Pittsburgh PLI (Permits, Licenses, and Inspections)
Search by: address or permit number
Allentown / Erie / Harrisburg
Individual portals per city
Search by: search "[city] permit lookup" for direct links
WHEN MANUAL LOOKUP GETS TEDIOUS
If you're a contractor tracking permits across multiple cities and projects, logging into each portal individually adds up fast.
ClearedNo's Permit Tracker monitors status changes automatically across major Midwest cities. You enter your permit numbers once and get email alerts when anything changes — approved, inspected, or flagged.
SEE HOW PERMIT TRACKER WORKS
Automatic status alerts across OH, IL, IN, MI, KY, and PA. No more portal-hopping.
SEE HOW PERMIT TRACKER WORKS →FAQS
Can anyone look up a building permit?
Yes — building permits are public records in all 50 states. Anyone can search by address.
How far back do permit records go online?
Most portals go back 10–15 years. Older records may require an in-person request at the building department.
What if I can't find a permit for a property?
Either no permit was pulled — which is a red flag for unpermitted work — or the record isn't in the online system yet. Call the building department directly to confirm.
Can I see permit history for a house I'm buying?
Yes — permit history is one of the most useful things to check before purchasing a property. Look for open permits, failed inspections, or unpermitted additions.