Permits, Certificates, & Registrations.
Need help with Building permits?
To apply for a permit, please click the appropriate application below to complete the form. All documents are to be submitted to the Building Department at building@hamilton-oh.gov. For questions about permit and inspection requirements you can also call us at (513) 785-7360.
Engineering & Planning Permits Online.
Apply for Permits for Engineering, Planning and Concrete Contractor License.
Please Note:
Building permits and contractor registration are not available online at this time. Please download the appropriate pdf listed below and email to the address at the bottom of the permit application form.
Birth & Death Certificates.
Birth, Death, and Stillbirth Certificates must be pre-ordered (same-day pickup usually available for Birth Certificates if requested before 1pm). Birth Certificates can be requested using the form below. The price of certified certificates is $25 per copy and we do not charge any extra fees for orders completed through our request form. We accept MasterCard or Visa only (cash orders should be directed to the Butler County General Health District).
Birth, Death, and Stillbirth Certificates may be pre-ordered over the phone for pickup or to be mailed at 513-785-7094. When calling the Vital Statistics Department during our normal business hours, you will be greeted by a live person unless all of our staff is already on the line or assisting a customer. If this is the case please leave a message with your contact information, so we can call you back as soon as we are available. The price of certified certificates is $25 per copy. We accept MasterCard or Visa only.
Please note: If you were born in the State of Ohio, you can obtain a Birth Certificate at any local Vital Statistics Health Department in Ohio.
Butler County Health Department
City of Middletown Health Department
Permits.
Permit Applications
Other Permits, Certificates, & Registrations
Contractor Registration
A Contractor Registration is required to do any Electric, HVAC, Plumbing, Gas, Hydronics/Wet Heat or Sewer work that requires a permit in the City of Hamilton; and only the individual Master Registration holder or their authorized representative may apply.
Special Event Permit
If you’re planning a parade or an event where ten or more people are gathering in the streets, parks, or other public facility or place owned or under the control of the City, you’ll likely need a special event permit.
Food Trucks & Street Vending
If you are wanting to bring a food truck to the streets of Hamilton, you’ll need a street vending license. The application, information about the street vending ordinance, and a map of where the food trucks are permitted are below.
Historic Building Certificate of Appropriateness
Exterior changes to buildings, outbuildings, landscapes or other exterior features located within one of the City’s historic districts or properties individually listed by ordinance shall not be permitted unless and until the Architectural Design Review Board issues a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA).
Conditional Use Application
A Conditional Use is a use that is not outright permitted or appropriate within a specific zoning district unless the applicant can demonstrate to the Planning Commission and the City Council that the proposed use will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare of the City or neighborhood in which the proposed Conditional Use will be located.
Zoning Variance Application
This application is for any zoning variances or appeals to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).
Honorary Renaming City Streets and Facilities
A honorary renaming of a City Street or Facility is a way to pay respect to someone who has served the City of Hamilton. This renaming is not a permanent renaming and will not change the billing addresses of property owners. The policy adopted by City Council and applications provide guidance on the application process.
Vacant Building Registration
In an effort to mitigate the inherent risks of vacant buildings and encourage restoration of these commercial and industrial properties to productive use, the City of Hamilton has established a vacant property registration process.
The program requires you to register your property annually, and includes a fee that escalates yearly.
Right-of-Way Permits
A permit is required from the Engineering Department whenever work is performed in the right-of-way. This includes activities such as:
Placing a dumpster in the parking lane or alley for construction demolition
Placing a planter or bench on the sidewalk outside of a business
Planting, trimming, or removing a tree
Repairing gas, water, or sewer service lines
Repairing sidewalk or curb
Any blockages of street or sidewalk for work on an adjacent property
Sign encroaching into right-of-way
Driving oversize/overweight vehicles on city streets (Note: ODOT issues permits for U.S. and State Routes)
For a Right-of-Way Permit, please call 513-785-7280 or visit the Engineering Department on the 4th Floor at 345 High Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45011.
Fees
Fees are charged for sidewalk and curb repairs. Fees are also charged for street cut permits, whenever the street pavement must be excavated, in accordance with Section 907 of the Codified Ordinances. The cost of the street cut is based upon the size of the excavation: $20 for the first square yard plus $15 for each additional square yard. These fees are to pay the cost for the permanent pavement repair done by the Street Division. Cuts made in a gravel alley cost $5 per square yard, plus $5.
Street Cut Permits
Street cut permits are usually issued only to licensed plumbers and sewer tappers. The City Engineer may approve a street cut permit to other individuals or companies. No permit will be issued to someone who does not have adequate insurance coverage for working in the street.
The permit holder must maintain traffic in accordance with the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The street must be restored with a temporary asphalt repair until the Street Maintenance Division makes the permanent repair, which could be as much as 1 year later. The permit holder is responsible to maintain the cut if it should settle or become rough: if the Street Maintenance Division must maintain the temporary repair, it will usually be performed on overtime and the cost will be billed to the permit holder.
If the street cut is made by an asphalt paving contractor or others with demonstrated expertise, the contractor may provide the permanent pavement restoration. In this case, no fee would be charged for the permit. The permanent repair should be equal to the existing pavement, but not less than a minimum thickness determined by the Engineering Department.
Permanent Repair
When the Street Maintenance Division personnel make the permanent repair, they measure the size of the actual repair and notify the Engineering Department. Any difference from the permit fee is billed or refunded as necessary.