The Department of Buildings is responsible for regulating construction activity in the District of Columbia and protecting the safety of residents, businesses, and visitors while advancing the development of the built environment through permitting, inspections, and code enforcement.
Office of the Director
The Office of the Director includes the following functions: administrative services including human resources, support services, procurement and contract administration, risk management, agency financial operations and records management; agency performance and data management; customer service and account management; legislative affairs; legal; communications; and information technology.
Office of Construction and Building Standards
The Office of Construction and Building Standards is responsible for permitting, construction compliance, building inspections, green building, and third-party inspections. This division conducts building and structure assessments for emergency and disaster response, and includes the Surveyor’s Office. This division contains the following six activities:
- Permitting: serves as the District’s central application intake and issuance center for building permits and certificates of occupancy; conducts technical building plan reviews to ensure code compliance, and approves and issues building permits
- Construction Compliance: drives policy in support of legislation and code enacted by the DC Council, provides input to and administrative support for the Construction Code Coordinating Board (CCCB), and coordinates revisions to the District’s building and trade codes to meet current demands for adequate and safe construction as outlined by the International Code Council family of model codes.
- Building Inspections: manages permit-based construction inspection requests including illegal construction inspections, issues appropriate orders and notices to ensure compliance with the District’s building codes and zoning regulations and provides emergency building damage assessments in support of ESF14 requirements for emergency and disaster response in coordination with the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.
- Green Building: regulates construction in the District of Columbia that falls under the regulations of green codes including the Green Building Act, Green Construction Code, and Energy Conservation Code. The activity operates within the structure of DOB’s permitting and inspection activities, with work including reviewing construction documents; conducting building inspections; and collaborating with sister agencies, the building industry, and the community to further the efforts to build a more sustainable DC.
- Surveyor – produces and maintains legal records of all land plots and subdivisions of private and District government property within the District of Columbia; processes condominium recordation and conducts wall checks validations.
- Third-Party Inspections: authorizes nongovernmental persons or entities, with specialized knowledge and certification, to perform regular and special inspections and plan reviews to certify that work complies with the District of Columbia Construction Codes; provides oversight of approved third-party plan review and inspection companies; drafts and enforces policy manuals for each of those functions; and inspects and performs oversight of boiler and elevator installations within the District.
Office of Strategic Code Enforcement
The Office of Strategic Code Enforcement is responsible for code enforcement, civil infractions, and fine assessment. This division develops and implements enforcement strategies and procedures, monitors violations, enforces the collection of fines, and tracks the status of both, and other duties. This division also provides alternatives to resolve civil infractions outside of the courtroom like settlements when proof of abatement is provided. This division contains the following two activities:
- Code Enforcement: develops and implements enforcement strategies and procedures.
- Residential Inspection: processes property maintenance complaints and inspects District rental properties for adherence to property maintenance codes; inspects and classifies vacant and/or blighted properties in the District.
- Civil Infractions and Fine Assessment: processes all civil infractions with the Office of Administrative Hearings, collects fines, and places property liens on unpaid fines.
- Alternative Resolution: negotiates settlements with customers to achieve case resolution without litigation.
Office of Zoning Administration
The Office of Zoning Administration is responsible for administering and determining compliance with the Zoning Regulations.
