Start with the city or other local authority responsible for the property. Search its official website for building permits, property records, approved plans, or a GIS map. An online permit record may show dates and work history without including the approved drawings; if the plans are not attached, ask the authority how to request or inspect them.
1. Identify which authority holds the records
Building-plan archives and access rules are local. The relevant office may be a city, county, regional authority, or another building department. If the property is outside city limits or near a boundary, check which authority serves that address before searching.
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Use the authority’s official website rather than relying on a general web search. Look for terms such as “building records,” “permit history,” “approved plans,” “property information,” or “records disclosure.”
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Enter the exact street address in the official map or permit portal. If the address returns multiple properties or no result, try the parcel or assessor number, permit number, approval number, or plan-file number, if you have it. Save the permit dates and reference numbers; they can help the records office locate older files.
Municipal tools differ. Los Angeles’ LADBS Atlas can find parcels and buildings and provide permit, building, and occupancy information; LADBS lists approved building plans and other records among its available records, with special requirements for blueprint copies (LADBS records and services). Victoria, British Columbia, offers free online permit-history information through VicMap, including year built, last approved use based on permit records, and building, plumbing, and electrical permits (City of Victoria permit history). These are examples, not universal portal instructions.
3. Check whether you found a permit record or the actual drawings
A permit history can show that work was applied for, issued, or inspected without providing the approved plan sheets. Check the result’s attachments and identify what each document is: permit status and inspections, approved drawings, a site or plot plan, a certificate of occupancy, or another property record. A portal may show only selected documents or basic metadata.
For example, Victoria handles its online permit history separately from plan searches for retained records; available records vary by address, and the city says records can be viewed at City Hall after the search fee is paid (City of Victoria permit history). In San Diego, online tools support permit and application research, while archived building-plan review requires an appointment (City of San Diego records).
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4. Request or inspect plans that are not online
Use the official records or plan-request process if the portal does not include the drawings. Before submitting, ask whether the file is held in an archive, whether inspection is appointment-based, and whether copies can be delivered digitally. Follow the authority’s application instructions and provide ownership proof or authorization if required.
Access conditions vary by record and jurisdiction. Brisbane accepts requests for available digital plans and related documents, but requires proof of ownership or authorization and sets age limits for the records covered by its service: certain residential records concern structures built, altered, or renovated after 1987, and certain commercial or multiple-dwelling records concern work after 1972. Fees are listed on the council’s live page and should be checked there before applying (Brisbane building records and plans).
Hamilton allows owners to request permits, surveys, site plans, plans, and related records, subject to proof of ownership or owner permission and a fee. The city warns that requested documents may not be available and that older records may be difficult to use (City of Hamilton property record search).
5. Compare the two access routes
| Route | What it may provide | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Online permit or property search | Address data, permit history, application or inspection details, and sometimes selected attachments. | Often the quickest first step; it may be free but may not include archived plan sheets. Examples include LA Atlas, VicMap, Saskatoon’s permit-history tools, and San Diego’s online searches. |
| Formal records or plan request | Plans or related records not exposed in the online portal, if the authority holds them and permits access. | May require an application, proof of ownership or authorization, a fee, or an in-person appointment. Check the authority’s current rules and turnaround information. |
Saskatoon, for example, provides free online general information about permitted projects and separate older and newer permit-history tools. Building drawing packages can be requested by email, while property disclosure reports can be applied for through ePermitting (City of Saskatoon permit history).
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Do not assume every property has a complete digital plan set. A permit may not have required plans, records may never have been submitted, older files may be incomplete or hard to read, and some holdings may not be digitized. Milwaukee says it cannot provide building plans as digital images to the general public because applications are required to inspect each building and restrictions for secure structures may apply; it also warns that plans are not on file for every building (City of Milwaukee building plans).
Some records are also subject to privacy, security, or disclosure rules. Toronto’s rules distinguish between plan types and requester eligibility: certain issued plans for wholly residential buildings submitted after December 31, 2006 can be disclosed during a defined window if no objection is made, while other plans require eligible requester status or authorization. The city’s page, modified January 8, 2026, explains the applicable process (City of Toronto approved plans and building records).
7. If the search finds nothing
A blank search result does not establish that no plans exist or that past work was unauthorized. Ask the records office whether it can search by a former address, parcel number, permit number, or former owner or occupant name. Ask whether related files may be held in county assessor archives, microfilm, planning records, or a separate building archive. San Diego directs searches for records of properties built before 1955 to the County Assessor (City of San Diego records).
If the authority has no usable drawings, ask what documentation is available and whether a qualified local building professional can prepare existing-condition drawings. Brisbane notes that a professional may be needed for certain older buildings (Brisbane building records and plans).
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