Coronavirus Pandemic Update:

Due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, the City of Worthington is modifying changes to the delivery of service to the public to promote the health and safety of our community and our staff while maintaining necessary services for our residents and businesses. The Division of Building Regulation is adopting the following partial re-opening of the administration of the 2017 Ohio Building Code and 2019 Residential Code of Ohio. These modified interim procedures are expected to be in place beginning May 11, 2020 until further notice:

Applications: In-person applications will be accepted but email or mailed applications are preferred. If you have small projects that are legible when printed on 11”x17”, please call 614-431-2424 to discuss the specifics to see if the application and the construction documents can be e-mailed or faxed to 614-842-6336. Please feel free to email us at building@worthington.org for additional information and questions. This includes revisions to existing permits.

Permits, Revisions, and Collection of Fees: In-person payment of fees will be accepted. Checks can be mailed to pay for permits. If the project is small and fees have been paid, the permit can be mailed. Call 614-431-2424 to discuss the specifics to see if the permit, the plan approval, and the approved construction documents can be mailed. 

Inspections: As a general rule, inspectors will not be entering occupied buildings. The following may be helpful when planning your project over the next couple of months:

• Inspection calls are still being received from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and you will still speak to the building inspector. The discussion may lead to a postponed inspection, a limited inspection, or a virtual inspection using a combination of photographs or livestreaming technologies. There should be no expectation that an inspection may happen, depending on the nature of the project and the occupancy of the building.

• An inspector reaching the jobsite has the authority to terminate an inspection at any time if the inspector believes their health may be in jeopardy.

• Inspections of replaced building service equipment (furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, electrical distribution panels, etc.) will not be conducted in occupied buildings.

• New buildings under construction, including some additions, may be inspected, if there are no more than 10 people on the jobsite. Generally outdoor work like footings, foundations, framing of unoccupied and separated additions, reroofing, replaced siding, replaced doors and windows not requiring access to an occupied building may be conducted. The inspector has the right to refuse the inspection and the inspection will need to be rescheduled.

• Virtual Inspections: Some inspections may be conducted virtually, if the inspector is comfortable with the scope of the project, the caller is a knowledgeable contractor and will be conducting the virtual inspection, and the inspector is comfortable that the key elements of the inspection can be verified. The inspector and the caller can work out the details. There are generally 2 types of virtual inspections:

o Photographs: Simple items like shower valves for a bathroom alteration, post holes for fences and decks, ice barrier for a reroof, insulation of a porch addition, etc. may be candidates. The inspector can guide you if that will be acceptable.

o Livestreaming: The caller must be willing to accept a Facetime or Skype call from an iPad and follow the directions of the inspector on what the inspector needs to see. Some projects may not be good candidates, like above ceiling inspections where there is insufficient light. The inspector may not accept the livestream if the inspector is not comfortably able to see all of the elements of the inspection.

Certificates of Occupancy/Completion: Each inspection card has the e-mail of the building official at the bottom of the required inspections. Simply e-mail that card to the building official and the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion will be e-mailed back.