What is going on
Permits and code cases follow the property, not the owner.
Every building permit, inspection and code enforcement case is filed against the parcel in the county's own system. A permit that never got its final inspection stays on the record as open or expired. A code case stays open until the county closes it. When the house sells, the record comes with it.
It usually surfaces late: a buyer's inspector notices unpermitted work, or a title company's search turns up an open case, days before closing. Sellers often do not know. Listings rarely say. The MLS tools agents use show some of it, and almost none of it reaches the buyer.
ParcelPast reads the record and puts it in front of you at the moment it matters: before an offer, during the inspection period, or before a listing goes live.
What we do
One address in. The county's record out, assembled and dated.
- You give us one address
We match it to the county's parcel number and tell you which jurisdiction's records apply. If we cannot match it, you do not pay.
You, one line - We read the county's records
The property appraiser's roll, the building department's permit files, open and closed building violations, and code compliance cases, read at order time from the county's published data, not from a stale copy.
Us, at order time - You get one report by email
Each permit with its type, issue date, last inspection and certificate dates. Each case with its type and open and close dates. Parcel facts, the county's own permit and case numbers so you can look anything up yourself, and the date and time the record was read.
Us, usually within one business day
What it costs
One price. The county's record on one property, in one document.
- Parcel facts: use, year built, living and lot area, last recorded sale and assessed value
- Every county-issued permit on file for the address, with status, inspection and certificate dates
- Open building violations, including expired-permit cases, and closed cases from the last five years
- Open code compliance cases with the county's description of the problem
- A dated statement of what was read and from where, with the county's own record numbers
- Plain-English notes on what each item usually means at a sale
Payment is processed by SimpleApps Studio, the company behind ParcelPast; the payment page and your receipt say so. If we cannot match your address to a parcel in a county we cover, you get a full refund. The page before payment spells out the rest.
Where we read records
Florida first. Counties go live one at a time.
Each county publishes its records differently, so each one is wired up and checked against real properties before it goes live. Florida is first. Other states follow the same way.
- Miami-DadeLive
- HillsboroughLive
- Other Florida countiesNext
- Other statesAfter Florida
Coverage today is each county building department's records, which cover unincorporated county land, with permit files from 2020 on. The free check tells you which jurisdiction an address falls in before you order. Florida county pages.
Questions
Asked before ordering.
Is this a municipal lien search?
No. A lien search is a formal request to a city for unpaid utility balances, fines and recorded liens, usually ordered through a title company for a fee. ParcelPast reads the public permit and code enforcement records and summarizes what is on them. It tells you what the record says. It does not clear anything.
Does it include city permits?
It depends on the county. In Miami-Dade, the county building department covers unincorporated areas, while cities such as Miami, Hialeah and Coral Gables run their own permit systems that we do not read yet. The free check tells you which jurisdiction your address falls in, so you know what the report will cover before you pay.
Can I search the county's portal myself?
Yes, and our county pages tell you where. The report is for when you want it assembled, dated and in one place, or when you would rather not learn four portals during a ten-day inspection period.
How current is it?
The records are read when you order, from the data the county publishes. Miami-Dade updates its permit and case data daily. The report states the date and time it was read and the source for each section.
What if nothing turns up?
You still get the report: the parcel facts, every permit on file, and a dated statement that no open case or expired permit appeared in the records we read. For a buyer or a seller, that is often the whole point.
Is this legal, title or insurance advice?
No. It is a summary of public records. The county's record is the authoritative one, and anything that matters to a contract should be confirmed with the county, your title company or your attorney.