What is the process for obtaining a DOB permit for a historic landmark like the White House?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Permitting for work on a federal historic landmark like the White House is not governed by ordinary local DOB or Section 106 processes in the same way as private projects — reporting shows the White House can be exempt from local permits and Section 106 review, while federal-level review bodies and executive controls still claim jurisdiction [1] [2]. Local DOBs and municipal permitting offices (e.g., NYC DOB and DC DOB) have formal online application, review, coordination and payment processes for most construction work, but available sources do not describe a single uniform “DOB permit” route that applies to the White House specifically [3] [4] [5].
1. Federal site, federal rules: why the White House is different
The White House sits outside the ordinary two-tier of municipal permitting described for private projects: coverage in architecture reporting and investigative press indicates the White House is legally exempt from Section 106 historic-preservation review and from some local permit requirements, creating a different approval pathway than for typical DOB-regulated buildings [1]. The Guardian’s reporting on demolition at the White House describes officials saying the National Capital Planning Commission handles vertical construction permits and that demolition permitting or sequencing may be treated differently for federal property, underscoring that federal agencies — not a city DOB — often control the process for national landmarks [2].
2. What municipal DOBs actually do for ordinary projects
By contrast, municipal departments of buildings run comprehensive online systems for almost all private construction: New York City’s DOB collects job applications, is moving to an electronic DOB NOW filing system, and the life cycle of permits is tracked as records in public datasets [3] [6]. DC’s DOB explains that permitting involves receiving applications, coordinating reviews with other agencies, paying fees and using electronic review platforms such as ProjectDox or the Citizen Access Portal; inspectors enforce compliance and permits are issued after plan review and any interagency approvals [5] [4].
3. Practical steps for permits in cities — what project teams typically do
For a nonfederal historic building in a city, project teams prepare construction documents, submit applications through the municipal portal (DOB NOW, Citizen Access, or ProjectDox), pay fees, and undergo plan review that may trigger reviews by other agencies; inspections follow and a Certificate of Occupancy or other final signoffs conclude the process [3] [5]. Professional licensed designers and engineers are usually required to prepare filings; missing documentation commonly causes rejections and delays, per practitioner guides [7] [8].
4. The federal overlay and political realities
Even where federal exemption exists, other federal statutes, executive orders and planning statutes can constrain changes to national landmarks — reporting notes that presidents and federal actors remain “bound by a network of executive orders, planning statutes, environmental laws, and constitutional duties,” and critics argue exemptions create a two-tier regulatory system that can accelerate projects for the federal government relative to ordinary applicants [1]. The Guardian’s coverage of demolition and subsequent legal motions highlights disputes over whether defendants “decoupled” demolition from construction approvals to sidestep historic-preservation reviews [2].
5. Innovation and reform pressures that affect permitting timetables
A White House policy statement on modernizing permitting and environmental review emphasizes a push to “make maximum use of technology” for permitting and case management, promising acceleration and more accessible documents; that federal push could affect how federal projects are reviewed even if it doesn’t substitute for local DOB processes [9]. Separately, congressional and municipal rule-making (e.g., the PERMIT Act referenced in committee materials) indicates continuing attention to streamlining and oversight of permitting across jurisdictions [10] [11].
6. What’s not in the reporting — important limitations
Available sources do not supply a step-by-step checklist for obtaining a “DOB permit” for the White House specifically; they do not state a single municipal permit office that issues routine building permits for that property, and they do not provide the exact sequence of federal approvals or the statutory citations that would replace municipal DOB jurisdiction (not found in current reporting). They also do not publish the internal White House project-management procedures or the precise interagency timelines for historic-landmark interventions (not found in current reporting).
7. Bottom line for practitioners and the public
If you are working on a privately owned historic property, follow municipal DOB portals, hire licensed professionals, expect interagency review and use checklists provided by DOB [3] [5]. If the site is a federal landmark like the White House, the process is governed by federal planning bodies and executive decisions rather than ordinary municipal DOB routines; critics say that creates a faster, less transparent pathway and litigation has already challenged that approach [1] [2].