Overview
Buildings and Inspections handles City building review. Check jurisdiction and zoning before selecting a record. The FAQ identifies ezTrak for applications, payments, status and results; electrical permits are handled by IBI, whose September 2026 notice directs Ohio applicants to ezTrak. OPENCINCY helps explore preliminary requirements.
Authority
Buildings and Inspections
Online service
CAGIS ezTrak; OPENCINCY for preliminary guidance
Trades
Select a trade for its permit path, licensing, code resources, fees and filing pitfalls.
Electrical review through IBI
Inspection Bureau, Inc. / CincinnatiApplicable Code
Applicable Ohio electrical provisions and IBI review requirements.
License Requirement
Confirm City contractor registration and applicable electrical credentials.
License Fee
City published initial registration $125 plus 5% = $131.25; credential fees separate.
CEUs
Follow the actual state credential renewal rules.
Permit Fee
Specific permit amount not verified in this review. IBI electrical assessment is separate from the City building table; request the scope-specific quote. This unverified amount is excluded from the worked example.
Plan Review Time
Ohio electrical applications moved to CAGIS ezTrak September 14, 2026.
Common Pitfalls
- Do not use IBI’s Kentucky-only electronic permit center for Ohio.
- A City building permit is not the separate electrical permit.
Permit-to-closeout workflow
Confirm jurisdiction
Check City limits, zoning and historic constraints.
Prepare drawings
Use the scope-specific application and scaled plans.
Register contractors
Resolve City registration and trade credentials before issuance.
Submit for review
Use current electronic instructions and respond to agency comments.
Secure all permits
Pay the applicable charges and coordinate separate electrical approval.
Inspect and close
Complete required phases and obtain occupancy approval where required.
Permit fees and worked estimates
The retrieved schedule is explicitly effective July 1, 2026. Surcharges and processing are separate components.
| Trade | Permit fee | License fee |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical review through IBI | Specific permit amount not verified in this review. IBI electrical assessment is separate from the City building table; request the scope-specific quote. This unverified amount is excluded from the worked example. | City published initial registration $125 plus 5% = $131.25; credential fees separate. |
| Plumbing fixtures and replacement | July 2026 table: first replacement fixture $68; first new fixture $97, before applicable surcharges. | Fee amount not verified in this review. City registration and prescribed plumbing credential charges separately. |
| HVAC installation and replacement | RCO replacement: $118 first unit and $48 each additional, before applicable surcharges. | Published initial City registration $131.25; state fee separately. |
| Fire protection systems | Specific permit amount not verified in this review. City construction/fire-protection valuation table applies; obtain the system-specific assessment and surcharges. This unverified amount is excluded from the worked example. | Fee amount not verified in this review. Confirm state certification and required City registration charges. |
| Building and alterations | July 2026 RCO $12,000 valuation permit $380 plus $49 processing and applicable surcharges. | Published initial annual registration $125 plus 5% = $131.25. |
Submission checklist
Homeowner and licensing
The registration page allows a personally performing owner of an RCO one-, two- or three-family dwelling who will occupy it for at least a year after completion. The guide’s plumbing owner route is specifically single-family. Neither exception removes permit and inspection duties. Hired contractors need current registration, and fire-system installers require the stated state certification.
Codes and amendments
Follow City relevant-code resources and the reviewer’s project classification. RCO and OBC categories affect fees and documentation; a mailing address in Cincinnati does not establish City jurisdiction or approval by another agency.
Inspections and closeout
Each required construction phase must conform to the permit and approved drawings. Use City inspection instructions and ezTrak results; arrange IBI electrical inspections separately. Changes may need an engineering-change application or a new permit, and the intended use can require occupancy approval.