Washington, DC’s Department of Buildings (DOB) manages construction permitting, plan review, zoning compliance, inspections, and building-code enforcement. Residential applicants can use the DOB Permit Wizard, while commercial, demolition, raze, solar, and certain other permits are submitted through the Citizen Access Portal. Projects requiring plan review use ProjectDox for electronic drawings and supporting documents.
Zoning can affect both the design and approval path of a project. DOB reviews permit applications for zoning compliance, while the DC Office of Zoning maintains the official zoning map and administers cases before the Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment. Variances, special exceptions, map amendments, and other discretionary zoning matters can therefore require a separate process beyond the underlying construction permit.
Historic preservation is especially significant in Washington. Exterior work on designated historic properties generally requires Historic Preservation Office review as part of the DOB permit process rather than a separate preservation permit. Some projects require Historic Preservation Review Board consideration, while properties in areas such as Georgetown or the Shipstead-Luce jurisdiction can also involve review by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts.
Work extending into streets, sidewalks, tree spaces, or other public areas is handled separately by DDOT through its Transportation Online Permitting System (TOPS). DDOT also regulates street-tree work and certain protected-tree removals. Applicants can begin with the DOB permit guidance and then identify any zoning, preservation, public-space, or urban-forestry approvals connected to the site.