How to Research Building Permit History (and Why It Matters)
When you’re buying, selling, renovating, or just doing due diligence on a property, permit history is one of the fastest ways to understand what really happened to a home over time—additions, remodels, roofs, HVAC, electrical upgrades, ADUs, pools, grading, and more.
Most local agencies now provide online permit portals where you can search by address or permit number. The trick is knowing which portal each city uses, what information it actually shows, and what to do when older records aren’t online.
What permit records typically show
Depending on the jurisdiction and portal, you may find:
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Permit type (building / electrical / plumbing / mechanical / planning)
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Status (applied / issued / finaled / expired)
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Scope/description (short or detailed)
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Valuation (sometimes)
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Contractor (sometimes)
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Inspection history (some portals show this)
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Attachments (often limited; full plans are frequently restricted)
Note: Older permits are often not fully digitized, so online results may only go back a certain number of years.
Typical search steps (works for most cities)
Use this workflow for nearly all local permit portals:
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Start with the address (simple format).
Use “123 Main” first. Add “St / Ave / Rd” only if needed. Avoid unit numbers and punctuation at first.
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Try alternate search keys if the address doesn’t hit.
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Permit number (from disclosures, seller files, or inspection reports)
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APN (some cities support it)
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Street name only + filter results
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Owner/contractor name (occasionally supported)
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Open the record and confirm the big three:
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Scope (what work was done)
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Dates (applied/issued/final)
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Status (finaled matters most)
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Check related permits around the same timeframe.
Big projects often include multiple permits: building + electrical + plumbing + mechanical + planning.
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Save what matters.
Screenshot or export the permit detail page, including status and final date. If available, download inspection lists or permit cards.
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If results look incomplete, pivot to records requests.
For older homes or missing attachments, contact the building department or submit a Public Records Request to obtain archived permit cards, finals, or plan sets (when releasable).
City links (permit portals)
Los Altos – eTRAKiT
Los Altos link
Los Altos Hills – eTRAKiT
Los Altos Hills Link
Portola Valley – Planning & Building (info + reports):
Portola Valley link
Woodside – eTRAKiT:
Woodside Link
Menlo Park – Accela Citizen Access:
Menlo Park Link
Palo Alto – Permit View:
Palo Alto Link
Mountain View – Permit History search:
Mountain View Link
Sunnyvale – Permit Center (E-OneStop Online Services):
Sunnyvale Link
Cupertino – Accela Citizen Access:
Cupertino Link
Cupertino – Building Online Services/Resources link
Santa Clara County (Unincorporated areas):
Santa Clara County Link
What these sites generally offer (at a glance)
Across these portals, you’ll usually be able to:
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Search permit history by address/record number (varies by city)
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View permit status and key dates
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See basic scope/description
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Sometimes view inspection history
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In some systems, apply/pay/submit documents online (contractor/homeowner workflows)
Best practice: treat online portals as the starting point, then escalate to the building department/records request when the story looks incomplete or when you need documentation for disclosures, underwriting, or renovation planning. The best practice is to goto the local jurisdiction to check in detail. Not all permits show online so best to list the local jurisdiction and do the search in person with a building specialist from the jurisdiction