Services
All conveyances such as elevators and escalators must be inspected and certified for operation under District regulations. (DCMR 12A, 3001 General)
What Are Conveyances?
Types of conveyances are:
Instant Permits Now Include Streateries!
Instant Permits (formerly “postcard permits”) allow you to easily get a building permit online for the most common home improvement and small construction projects, with the click of a button. It offers clearly defined scopes of work tailored for:
One- and two-family residential structures: This includes the installation of solar panel systems up to 15 Kilowatts and the in-kind replacement of up to 15 windows. NEW: Streateries, which are designated outdoor dining areas in a roadway or alley.For any work outside these new scopes, a standard building permit is required.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Installation, repair or replacement of a refrigeration and/or air conditioning system.
The following applications serve District residents and businesses as a part of the Department of Buildings’ (DOB) commitment to use data and technology to increase efficiency and deliver more accessible service.
Construction of an entirely new structure that has not been previously occupied.
Excessive or unnecessary noises within the District pose a menace to the health, safety, welfare, and peace and quiet of residents and businesses.
DOB continues to improve online services for our customers with the Permit Expediter Form. All filing representatives are required to register using this form when filing a permit application on behalf of a property owner. The process is quick, simple
Repair, replacement or installation of a plumbing or gas system.
Recommended browsers: Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge
Do you have a large-scale project, such as construction of a new residential or office building? Let us help you today with a Preliminary Design Review Meeting (PDRM). The PDRM provides applicants with a...
ProjectDox is DOB's online platform for the electronic submission of building plans and supporting documentation to be reviewed by DOB's plan reviewers. Following are the steps to use the platform.
DOB's mission is to provide District residents with the highest quality records center. DOB works to safeguard document integrity and the orderly safekeeping of all essential departmental records that will ensure their preservation and accessibility.
If you received a DOB notice regarding a vacant or blighted designation for your property, learn bellow if it may qualify for an exemption from higher property taxes.*
Exemption Criteria
Need to report a property in the District of Columbia? Choose from the services below when reporting activities regarding properties.
District Regulations (DCMR 14, Section 302 Exterior Property Areas) prohibit property owners – both commercial and residential – from allowing grass and weeds on their premises to grow more than 8 inches in height.
The DOB Resident Inspector Program is an innovative approach: DOB trains District residents to perform housing, illegal construction, and vacant building inspections and then pays the trained inspectors whenever they successfully complete an inspection.
A structure that retains earth (soil). Common retaining wall material includes concrete, rocks or timber.
A temporary structure that servers as platform to do work on existing and/or new building. If the scaffold will occupy public space such as a side walk or public alley, a permit from District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is required.