City of Columbus

FAQ

Certified Address

• What is a Certified Address and when do I need to obtain one? 

  A Certified Address is an official street address assigned within the City of Columbus by the Map Room.  Certified Addresses are assigned for the purpose of identifying the location of single family residential buildings, commercial and/or multi-family buildings, free standing signs, water meters, and other unoccupied structures, etc.  

  A Certified Address is required in order to obtain a building permit for new building construction, construction that adjusts the building footprint, or to obtain refuse collection, and/or City water services.

• How do I request a certified address?
  Please fill out the Certified Address Request Form and email to [email protected]. You may also have to provide a site plan, and/or building plan depending on the complexity of the proposed development.  These requirements are further explained within the Division’s Digital Submission Requirements for Addressing Site Plan Submissions.
• What do I need to provide in order to obtain a certified address? 

  All certified address requests must include:

  • Contact information from the requestor
  • Address purpose (ex: new build, other structure, renovation or demolition, etc.)
  • Existing site address (if applicable)
  • Existing site’s Auditor’s parcel number
  • Purpose for the request
  • Site plan (except for single family homes on a subdivision lot)

  Site plans shall be submitted in accordance with the Division’s Digital Submission Requirements for Addressing Site Plan Submissions.

  If the proposed building or development extends over multiple parcels, these parcels will need to be combined at the County Auditor’s Office prior to addressing.  A stamped copy of the County Auditor’s lot combination form must be submitted along with your address request.

• What is a site plan?

  A site plan is a map that shows the location of the item to be addressed in relationship to the parcel it is located.   Site plans shall be submitted in accordance with the Division’s Digital Submission Requirements for Addressing Site Plan Submissions.

   

• How long does it take to get a certified address?

  Certified address requests are completed on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Requests must be accompanied by all required information and comply with the Digital Submission Requirements for Addressing Site Plan Submissions.  Single address projects may take up to 3 to 5 business days to complete, depending upon the number of other addressing requests in the queue.  Multi-address projects may take up to 15 business days for these same reasons.

  The addresses will be e-mailed to the requestor once completed and after any applicable fees have been paid.

• Is there a charge to get a certified address? 
  Fees are charged for certified addresses as outlined under ‘Part E - Address Creation Fees’ of the Department of Building and Zoning Services 2019 Combined Development Related Fee Schedule. The fee schedule is available in our document library, (https://www.columbus.gov/bzsdocs).
• How do I request an address change?
  A request for a voluntary address change must be submitted in writing to [email protected] by the current owner of the property, or the owner’s agent.  The new address assignment must fit into the current address range and follow the City addressing guidelines as defined by Chapter 907 of Columbus City Code.
• A city department has told me that my address does not exist. What do I do? 
  This may mean that we have a different address in our system for your building.  This may be the result of a previous address recording error, or the installation of building numbers other than the certified address assigned.  Please fill out the Certified Address Request Form and e-mail to [email protected] for someone on staff to investigate and resolve this issue.
• How do I find my parcel number(s)?
  Refer to a current county property tax duplicate record, or visit the relevant county auditor’s website, to find the correct parcel number for your property. 
• Where should I send the completed Certified Address Request Form and attached documents? 
  Please e-mail the completed Certified Address Request Form, along with any required documents and site plans to the BZS Map Room at [email protected]. Or the completed form may be faxed to (614) 645-0082.

Street Naming

• How do I request street name approval for a new street?
  Please fill out the Street Name Request Form and email to [email protected].  All proposed street names, public and private, will need to be submitted and approved prior to any related addressing request.  Following your request, you will receive an email listing your proposed street names that have been approved for use.  Street name(s) will be reserved for your specific project for one year (365 days) following Map Room approval.  After that time approved street names will be made available for use by others.
• How do I request a name change for an existing street?

  The Department of Public Service - Division of Infrastructure Management is responsible for reviewing proposed street name changes. Please submit a letter detailing your request tothe City’s Right-of-Way Manager, Jerry Ryser, at  [email protected]  A map, or site plan, may be submitted along with your letter to further delineate the street you are requesting to be renamed.

  Important considerations:

  • Requests must be for a continuous length of the street that begins and ends at logical termini, e.g. dead end or intersection.
  • Applicants must agree to pay the cost of installing new street name signs at all impacted intersections.
  • Following the receipt of your request, a petition will be prepared by  the Right-of-Way Manager containing all the names and addresses of property owners with land abutting the street in question.  It will then be provided to the applicant for circulation.  It will be the applicant’s responsibility to contact all adjacent property owners in order to obtain evidence of their concurrence, or indifference, to the proposed street name change.  Objections by adjacent property owners, and/or a failure to obtain evidence to the contrary from each adjacent owner, will prevent said street renaming request from proceeding for City Council consideration.
    
    

  After the request has been processed and approved by internal/external agencies, and a completed petition received, legislation will be written for City Council consideration. 

• What are guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a street name?
  • Avoid names that are offensive in any language.
  • Avoid names that include cardinal directions.
  • Avoid names that match/sound like an already existing street
    • Including plural forms
  • Avoid non-intuitive spellings of street names
  • Avoid street names that also contain street types
• How long will an approved street name remain reserved?
  The street name(s) will be reserved for a specific project for one year (365 days) from date of approval.  After that time approved street names will be made available for use by others.   

Zoning Number

• What is a zoning number and when do I need to obtain one?
  Zoning Numbers are temporary addresses typically assigned to undeveloped properties for the purpose of obtaining zoning, or rezoning, approval from the City of Columbus.  A Zoning Number is required as a part of the zoning, rezoning, and/or Graphics Commission related application process.  In the case of an existing building, a Certified Address may also be used for these purposes.
• How is a zoning number different from a certified address?
  Unlike a certified address, a zoning number is not to be used for building or other structure related permit applications.  Zoning numbers are generally used to identify parcels of land, as opposed to specific structures.
• How do I request a zoning number?

  A zoning number can be obtained by e-mailing a completed Zoning Number Request Form to [email protected]. Please provide the correct parcel number(s) on your request. One zoning number will be issued for the entire project.

  The zoning number will be e-mailed to you upon completion.

• How do I find my parcel number(s)?
  Please visit the relevant county auditor’s website to find the correct parcel number for your property.