Dear DOB Customers,

The holiday season can be two-sided - a time of joy or a period of anxiety. With that in mind, we recognize even more how important the speed and quality of permitting, inspections, and code enforcement services we provide enhance the quality of life for residents and economic prospects for small business owners and create a sense of community here in the District.

Our newly created agency is 60 days old and will inevitably navigate growing pains. Still, as we go forward, you will see a relentless focus on how we prioritize people, innovation, and technology to drive the work in building safety, rental housing, access to government services, and improvement in the construction industry.

We hear the need to continue improving broader public awareness of issues within or outside of our purview and will respond to the challenge by expanding our community outreach. Over the last month, our staff has been quite busy educating and informing customers about our agency and the services we provide. This burst of proactive public engagement is not short-lived; instead, we view the challenge and importance of standing up this agency as a unique opportunity to engage in continued active listening and dialogue with those we serve. We know that our presence in the community is appreciated and our discourse with different stakeholder groups is vital to fortifying the public's trust. In return, we thank you for continuing to hold us accountable as we pursue our mission and continuously seek to improve how we serve.

Stay Safe.

In November, members of DOB's account management and human resources teams were proud to represent the agency at the fourth annual "Ward 5: Jobs Not Guns Recruitment Fair" hosted by the DC Business Gun Violence Prevention Coalition. The coalition was established in February 2021 to assist Mayor Muriel Bowser’s initiative Building Blocks DC through the DC Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

At the event, DOB was proud to engage with District residents to further their careers as attendees were able to speak one-on-one with District employers, and sign up for apprenticeship and workforce development programs.  

DOB continues to seek talented professionals who possess a relevant skill set and strong desire to serve the residents and businesses of the District. If you have an interest, we encourage you to learn more by viewing the open positions posted at dob.dc.gov/jobs.

View Jobs and Apply Now

DOB Director Ernest Chrappah, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners Aryan Rodriguez Bocquet amd Renee Bowser were accompanied by Strategic Enforcement Administrator Keith Parsons and Illegal Construction Program Manager Katrina Johnson for a walk in Ward 4 where properties of concern were identified for review and potential enforcement action if not already underway.

Now Includes DOB Inspectors With Faster Scheduling

Last month, we shared some an important update about Tertius, DOB's innovative digital marketplace where property owners now have an easier choice obtain construction inspections using DOB inspectors or third-party inspection agencies (TPIAs).

New REDUCED Platform Services Fee

While there is no cost to use Tertius to schedule inspections using a DOB inspector, we know that some customers choose to use a third-party inspection agency with whom they have worked before. We are pleased to announce that it is now less expensive to use Tertius. The reduced platform services fee is now 5% down from the 10% in place when Tertius was launched just over a year ago. 

Additionally, to confirm fees, if customers choose to use a TPIA to complete their inspections, customers should be prepared to pay the base fees charged by the TPIA for services rendered, in addition to the reduced platform services fee. For credit card payments, an additional 2.9% of the total amount, and $0.30 per transaction will be incurred. For customers paying online using a checking account, Automated Clearing House (ACH) fees are 0.8% or a maximum of $5.00, whichever is lowest.

Use Tertius