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Franklin County

Franklin County Building Department

In short

Franklin County Building Department issues 2 permits we publish for Franklin County, last verified 2026-09-28. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Contractor Licensing — State Trade Licenses and County Building FAQ (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Building DepartmentNo feenot applicable — the county's Building FAQs page states that no contractor's license is needed for a structural building permit2026-09-28
Commercial Building Permit — State of Ohio Issues (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Building DepartmentNo feenot applicable — per the county's Residential Building Permits page, the State of Ohio issues commercial building permits2026-09-28

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Contractor Licensing — State Trade Licenses and County Building FAQ (Franklin County)

The Franklin County Building Department's Building FAQs page states: 'You do not need a Contractor's License to obtain a structural building permit to work in unincorporated Franklin County, however to perform electrical, heating, or plumbing work you must possess a valid license.' The same page states that heating and electrical permits 'are required to be obtained by a contractor licensed with the Franklin County Development Department or by the homeowner', and that the contractor generally applies as the owner's agent so the department can verify the validity of the contractor's license; this record carries no fee. At state level, the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board's own page states that OCILB 'issues licenses to qualified electrical, Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration contractors' — it names no general-contractor license — and cities such as Columbus run their own contractor licensing and registration. The Building Department's work is confined to residential construction in its township area; commercial building permits are issued by the State of Ohio, per the county's Residential Building Permits page.

Commercial Building Permit — State of Ohio Issues (Franklin County)

The Franklin County Building Department's Residential Building Permits and Information page states that the department 'is responsible for issuing building permits for 1-, 2- and 3-family residential structures and associated development' and that 'The State of Ohio issues commercial building permits', so this record carries no fee. The same page directs projects in Brown, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, Mifflin, Norwich, Pleasant, Sharon and Truro townships to the county for zoning compliance, while the other unincorporated townships (Blendon, Jackson, Jefferson, Perry, Plain, Prairie, Washington) handle their own zoning. Commercial buildings — restaurants, retail stores, salons, fitness studios, auto-repair shops, veterinary clinics, childcare centers — therefore go to the State of Ohio for building permits. A business physically located in Columbus or any incorporated suburb (the great majority of addresses) is outside the county Building Department's area, and building permitting there is a city or village function instead. The county's Building FAQs page adds that electrical, heating, plumbing, well and septic work each require separate permits, with plumbing, well and septic permits issued by Franklin County Public Health.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Franklin County
Phone
614-525-3166

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Building FAQs — the Building Department's own FAQ page, stating that commercial building permits are issued by the State of Ohio and that the county verifies rather than issues state OCILB contractor licensesFranklin County Building Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  2. Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board — licenses only five specialty trades (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, hydronics); Ohio has no state general-contractor licenseOhio Department of Commerce · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  3. Residential Building Permits and Information — confirms 1-, 2- and 3-family residential scope and the 10-of-17-townships jurisdictionFranklin County Building Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29

Other offices serving Franklin County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Ohio jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.