Before the offer
Why buyers and agents check permits before an offer
Permit history helps you see work the city already knows about: additions, remodels, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fences, and other permitted projects. Comparing that timeline to the listing and your inspection notes surfaces questions while you still have leverage — not after closing.
Go to the source
Start with the official city record
BuiltBefore does not replace the city. For the source systems, use:
DallasNow / Accela
Search planning and development records, including permits.
One Address / Accela
Use One Address for address-linked city data, including permits, and Accela for building records.
Other DFW cities run their own portals. Coverage and online depth vary by city; older work may only exist in archived or paper records.
Read with context
What a permit history shows — and what it does not prove
It can show
Permit type, status, dates, and work descriptions the city published for that address.
It does not prove
That every remodel was permitted, that open items are a dealbreaker, or that a clean search means no risk.
Missing permits on older homes are common; so are incomplete digital archives. Treat gaps as questions for the seller, inspector, agent, or building department — not as automatic walk-aways.
Six supported cities
Cities BuiltBefore covers today
BuiltBefore currently indexes municipal permit records for Dallas, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, and McKinney. Enter a full street address in a covered city to see the formatted timeline. If an address is outside coverage, use the city portal directly.
- Dallas
- Carrollton
- Fort Worth
- Arlington
- Frisco
- McKinney
Use both
City portal vs BuiltBefore
| Comparison | City portal (DallasNow, One Address, Accela) | BuiltBefore |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Official municipal record | Readable layer on indexed records |
| Best for | Filing, status, inspections, source detail | Fast, plain-English history before an offer |
| Limitation | Different UI per city; hard to scan across systems | Only supported DFW cities; early access product |
Use both: verify important items in the city system, and use BuiltBefore when you want the address history in one place.
About two minutes
How to check an address
- 1
Confirm the property is in a covered city.
- 2
Open BuiltBefore and enter the full street address.
- 3
Read the permit timeline — types, statuses, and sourced details.
- 4
For anything material to your offer, open the matching city portal and confirm the official record.
- 5
Bring open permits, big gaps vs the listing, or unclear statuses to your inspector and agent before you waive contingencies.
Built for people making a move
A clean address story, before you commit
Homebuyers comparing offers, owners checking work before they sell, investors scanning a shortlist, and agents who need a clean address story for a client. Not a substitute for a home inspection, title work, or legal advice.
Quick answers
DFW permit-check FAQ
Can I check building permits before buying a house in DFW?
Yes. Permit records are generally maintained by the city where the property is located. In supported cities, BuiltBefore organizes indexed municipal permit records into a readable address timeline; important items should still be verified in the official city system.
Does a missing permit mean work was done illegally?
Not necessarily. Older records may be incomplete or unavailable online, and a permit search cannot prove that every project was or was not permitted. Treat a gap as something to investigate, not an automatic conclusion.
Which DFW cities does BuiltBefore cover?
Dallas, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, and McKinney.
Is BuiltBefore an official city permit database?
No. BuiltBefore reformats indexed municipal records for readability. The municipal record remains the authoritative source.