What permit records can show
Depending on the jurisdiction and age of the work, permit records may show applications, the work described, inspection results, and whether a permit was closed. These records can help explain a finished basement, addition, deck, converted garage, new electrical service, plumbing work, or mechanical replacement.
The absence of an online result does not prove that work was unpermitted. Older files may be archived, records may sit with a township instead of the county, and an address may have changed. Start by identifying the government that issued permits for the property.
How to check permits for an address
- Identify the city, village, or township with jurisdiction over the parcel; do not assume an Ann Arbor mailing address means the City of Ann Arbor.
- Search the current permit portal and any archive the jurisdiction provides. Note permit numbers, descriptions, issue dates, inspection status, and final approval.
- Compare the record with the listing, seller disclosures, and what is physically present. Focus on changes that affect structure, egress, electrical, plumbing, heating, or occupancy.
- Ask for invoices, plans, warranties, and final inspection documents when material work is advertised but the public record is unclear.
- Have the appropriate building official, inspector, contractor, lender, insurer, or attorney explain any unresolved issue before the relevant contract deadline.
Open, expired, or missing permits
Check whether the work matches the permit description, whether required inspections were passed, whether the permit was finalized, and whether later alterations changed the original approval. An electrical permit, for example, may not cover changes to the surrounding basement layout.
If a record is open, expired, or missing, do not assume the remedy or cost. Give the responsible department the address and details of the work, then allow enough time in the purchase agreement to obtain its response.
Permits and inspections answer different questions
A closed permit does not replace an independent home inspection, and an inspection cannot create a missing municipal approval. Treat the permit file, physical condition, seller disclosures, and professional inspections as separate pieces of the same diligence record.