Frequently Asked Questions

A permit is required for the following projects:

• Additions
• Carports
• Change of Use
• Commercial Construction (ie. apartments, condos, churches, businesses, restaurants)
• Cooling Systems
• Construction Trailers
• Decks (Including decks less than 2 feet above the ground)
• Demolitions
• Detached Structures (such as detached garages)
• Driveways
• Electrical Installations
• Fire Alarm
• Fireplaces
• Fire Protection/Suppression Systems
• Food Sales & Service (from General Health District)
• Garages (attached and detached)
• Heating Systems
• Kiosks
• Modular Homes(State of Ohio Industrialized Units)
• Moving Buildings
• Plumbing (from General Health District)
• Pool (Inground and Above Ground)
• Power Poles (temporary for construction and permanent for electric lines)
• Range Hoods
• Remodeling (involving structural, electrical or heating and cooling changes)
• Right-of-Way
• Roofing
• Septic Installation (from General Health District)
• Sewer Tap In
• Signs
• Single Family Dwellings
• Site Development (Water Management & Sediment Control)
• Sprinkler Systems
• Storage Buildings
• Structural Repairs
• Swimming Pools (above and inground)
• Tents (greater than 400sf)
• Towers (ie. communication, water, etc.)
• Water Lines (from General Health District)
• Water Tap
• Woodburning Stoves

To meet code requirements, and for the protection and safety of the occupants.

Check with the local zoning office for the designated area (township or village). A building permit is required for fences over 6’ tall.

Residential Construction: (2) sets of drawings are required. The drawings should consist of a cross-section and floor plans.

For commercial construction, you need (4) sets of sealed drawings consisting of a cross-section, ADA requirements, floor plan, elevations, energy calculations, electrical and HVAC, plumbing, fire suppression/alarm.

Yes, (4) sets of drawings are required.

The same amount of drawings are needed for a site plan as indicated for residential or commercial drawings. Your site plan/plot plan should show the following:

1. The outline of the property showing all dimensions.
2. The proposed building or addition with distances to all property lines and other existing buildings on the property.
3. Show all walks and driveways.
4. The use of all structures, proposed and existing.
5. The number of family units or housekeeping units.
6. All easements of records or proposed easements.
7. All storm water management systems.
8. The limits of clearing, grading, excavation, or fill.
9. Show elevations above sea level for basement or lowest floor.
10. Show the approved drainage system from the downspout inlets to its outlet in a swale, street curb, or ditch, etc. Storm water disposal and final grading shall comply with an approved subdivision plan. If any, and shall also comply with the WMSC Regulations as enforced by the CCBID.
11. Elevations of the existing and proposed grades at each corner of the proposed building and at each corner of the building site.
12. If property has sanitary sewer, show sanitary sewer line and sewer invert elevation at point of connection of building sewer. Sewer and water permit to be granted by the Clermont County Sewer District before a Building Permit can be issued or before construction is begun.
13. If property is to have onsite sewage disposal, such information as may be required by the Clermont County General Health District must be included on the plot plan, and a permit from the General Health District must be issued before a building permit is granted or construction begins.
14. The driveway curb cut permit must be issued before a building permit is granted.

The following will require a plot plan as described above, but will not require certification by a registered Professional Engineer or Surveyor.

• Additions or improvements: The cost of which does not equal or exceed fifty (50) percent of the market value of the original structure. Cost shall be confirmed by the Chief Building Official. See R-115.
• Accessory Building: Any structure on the same lot with the main structure and of a nature customarily incidental and subordinate to the principle structure.

Residential: Our goal is to complete residential plan review within 10 to 15 business days. If revisions need to be made, a correction letter will be sent to the owner/contractor indicating the corrections to be made. Your plans will then need to be revised and re-submitted for further plan review.

Commercial: Our goal for commercial plan review is 15 to 30 business days. If revisions need to be made, a correction letter will be sent to the owner/contractor indicating the corrections to be made. Your plans will then need to be revised and re-submitted for further plan review.

After you have passed all of your final inspections, the owner will be issued a “Certificate of Occupancy”.

NO OCCUPANCY IS APPROVED UNTIL THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OR A CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IS ISSUED.

CONTACT THE OFFICE TO REQUEST A CONDTIONAL CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

Zoning Approval – You will need Zoning Approval from the respective jurisdiction you’re building the structure in (village or township). A copy of your Zoning Certificate/Approval is to be filed with our department.

No, as long as the structure is not to be used primarily as a retail or commercial structure, and the Building Inspection Department receives a copy of a letter of approval from zoning designating that the structure being built is being used in conjunction with the agricultural use of the land.

When the stage of construction you’re working on is complete. Inspections must be called for by 4:00 p.m. the business day before the inspection is to be scheduled.

It depends on the type of construction you are performing. You could have the following: footer, slab, crawl, rough building, insulation, electric or mechanical, trench, fireplace, temporary pole, electrical service release, electric for a sump pump, final building, insulation, electric or mechanical, fire suppression testing, driveway, sidewalk, sewer lateral, WMSC (Water Management & Sediment Control).

The frost line is 30 inches below grade.

The depth of a trench should be 24 inches to the top of the cable, and 26 inches to the bottom of the cable. Red, electrical caution tape is to be placed 12 inches above the wire.

The depth of the cable under asphalt/concrete should be 24 inches. The cable shall be protected in pipe (PVC or rigid).

Your local fire department, the Clermont County General Health District, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Our inspectors are typically in the office, and available to speak to the public, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. each morning. After completing their routes, Inspectors are available in the afternoon generally around 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.