Building Permit Application Process - What if something is built without a permit?

• If work is completed without the benefit of permits, it is a violation. No further permits will be issued for that site until the violation is corrected. Additional fees and/or fines may result and a lien may be placed against the property until the violation is corrected. 
• Building permits must be obtained as required for new construction. The work must comply with the applicable codes in effect at the time of application. Therefore, work that may have been legal at the time of construction, may not be acceptable at the time of permitting. 
• If the unpermitted work is commercial, a licensed architect or engineer must prepare and certify all plans and documents as indicated in this pamphlet and submit to the Building Official for review and approval. When the plans are approved by the Building Official, a building inspector will perform the normal inspections. However, any construction which the inspector cannot verify must be qualified by a licensed engineer or architect to the satisfaction of the Building Official. This may require expensive testing and/or demolition and often becomes very time consuming. 
• If the unpermitted work is residential, you can pay for a building inspector to perform a site inspection and he/she will indicate, in writing, what documents and information must be provided to the building department in order to obtain the building permit. A licensed engineer or architect may be required to certify plans and documents. Again, any work that cannot be verified by the inspector must be qualified by a licensed engineer or architect to the satisfaction of the Building Official.