Permits—Expiration.
Columbus City Codes § 4113.03
in effect4113.03 - Permits—Expiration.
(A) The following conditions shall apply to all building and trade permits issued by the department for work involving a building, structure or site that is governed by the provisions of this Building Code.
(1) The approval of permits, plans or drawings and specifications in accordance with this chapter is invalid if construction, erection, alteration, or other work upon the building has not commenced within 12 months of the approval of the permits, plans or drawings and specifications.
Exception: The approval of permits, plans or drawings and specifications may be granted for work on a building, structure or site not governed by the Ohio Basic Building Code (OBBC) for a predetermined and non-extensible period of time of less than 12 consecutive months at the discretion of the chief building official or designee. No permit issued in conformity with this exception shall be subject to a permit extension.
(2) One extension shall be granted for an additional 12-month period if requested by the owner at least ten days in advance of the expiration of the permit and upon payment of a fee prescribed in the fee schedule.
(3) If in the course of construction, work is delayed or suspended for more than six months, the approval of permits, plans or drawings and specifications is invalid. Two extensions shall be granted for six months each if requested by the owner at least ten days in advance of the expiration of the permit and upon payment of a fee for each extension as prescribed in the fee schedule.
(4) The following shall apply to the permits, plans or drawings and specifications that involve a building, structure or site that is governed by the Ohio Basic Building Code (OBBC). Before any work may continue on the construction, erection, alteration, or equipment of any building for which the approval is invalid, the owner of the building shall resubmit the plans or drawings and specifications for approval as required under Rule 4101:2-1-17 of the Administrative Code.
(5) For permits, plans or drawings and specifications that involve a building, structure or site that are not governed by the Ohio Basic Building Code (OBBC), the following shall apply. Before any work may continue on the construction, erection, alteration, or equipment of any building for which the approval of permits, plans or drawings and specifications is void, the permittee shall resubmit all the plans or drawings and specifications and other items as required for review and approval by the chief building official or designee.
(B) Determination of the Date of Work Cessation for a Permit Extension. It shall be the sole responsibility of the permittee to accurately and fully document the actual date on which the work on or within a building, structure or site authorized by the permit was abandoned, delayed, or suspended. After this documented date has been conveyed to the chief building official or designee and verified, this date shall then be used in determining the eligibility for a permit extension. The chief building official's determination shall be final.
In the event the actual date of work cessation authorized by the permit cannot be accurately documented by the permittee to the chief building official or designee, then the department's latest recorded date of an inspection of the work of the permit shall be utilized in accordance with the following:
(1) For a building permit without any type of a trade permit associated with it, and all types of trade permits that are not associated with a building permit, the latest recorded inspection date of the work authorized by the specific type of permit to be extended shall be used.
(2) For a building permit with any type of a trade permit associated with it, and all types of trade permits that are associated with a building permit, latest structural or valid trade permit inspection date of the work authorized by either type of permit to be extended shall be used.
(3) If none of the above can be accurately determined, the chief building official's discretion shall determine the date of work cessation. This determination shall be final.
Thirty (30) calendar days shall be added to the date of work cessation as determined above. The resultant date shall then be used to determine eligibility for a permit extension.
(Ord. 1483-97 § 2 (part); Ord. 1671-01 § 1.)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT41BUCO_CH4113PEFE_4113.03PEXPFetched: 10/27/2026