Free · public permit records
Open Permit Check
A permit that was never closed out can come up when you sell, refinance or file an insurance claim. Enter an address to see whether the county record shows a permit with no inspection or close-out on file.
Available today for the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Plantation and permits issued by Miami-Dade County.
What this check is — and isn't
We read public building permit records and show permits issued more than six months before the latest record we have that show no approved inspection or close-out. Records can be incomplete or late, and older permits and permits issued by other offices aren't included, so this isn't a title search or an official permit history.
The building department that issued a permit is the only office that can confirm its status or close it.
We show property and permit facts only. Owner names and mailing addresses are never shown on this page.
What is an open permit?
A building permit is meant to end with a passed final inspection or a close-out from the building department. When the record never shows that, people call it an open permit. Sometimes the work was finished but the last inspection was never scheduled; sometimes the job stopped partway.
Why it can matter
Open permits often come up during a home sale, a refinance or an insurance review, when a title company, lender or insurer looks at the permit history. Finding one early gives you time to sort it out on your own schedule.
How permits usually get closed
Start with the building department that issued the permit: it can tell you the permit's status and what it needs. Often the remaining inspections have to be scheduled and passed. If the original contractor isn't available, the department can explain the options. Every office sets its own steps.