Most people pick an architect by flipping through a portfolio. That tells you whether you like their taste. It tells you very little about whether your project will get through review. If you are hiring an architectural design firm in DC this year, the harder questions concern zoning, historic review, and permit drawings, because that is where Washington projects tend to lose months.
Here are the seven questions worth asking in the first meeting, along with what a good answer sounds like.
1. Is the Architectural Design Firm in DC Licensed Here, and Whose Seal Goes on the Drawings?
The DC Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture regulates who can practice in the District, and it offers license verification. Checking takes a few minutes, so do it before you sign.
Then ask a follow-up most clients skip: who will actually stamp the set? At smaller studios, one licensed principal often seals work that junior designers drew. There is nothing wrong with that arrangement. You simply want to know which person answers for the drawings when a reviewer has questions.
2. How Well Do You Know DC Zoning?
Zoning decides what you can build on a lot: the use, the height, how much of the lot the building may cover, and how far it must sit from the rear property line. DC’s rules are administered through the Office of Zoning, and they are detailed enough that two similar rowhouses on the same block can face different limits.
A project that fits the rules as written is called “matter of right.” One that doesn’t will need relief from the Board of Zoning Adjustment, usually a variance (permission to depart from a specific requirement) or a special exception (a use the rules allow only after review). Relief adds a hearing to your schedule.
So ask any architectural design firm in DC how it decides early whether your design needs relief. Firms that have been through BZA hearings tend to spot the issue at the sketch stage, long before it turns into a redesign.
3. Have You Taken Projects Through Historic Review?
Washington has more than 50 historic districts, and a large share of its rowhouse neighborhoods sit inside one. If your property is a landmark or falls within a district, the Historic Preservation Office will review your permit plans for compatibility with the building’s historic character. You can check a property’s status on the city’s PropertyQuest map.
According to the DC Office of Planning, more than 95 percent of preservation permit applications are handled through HPO Expedited Review. DC Office of Planning, Historic Preservation Office (Permits and Design Review)
That is good news for most small jobs. The projects that fall outside it, such as a visible rooftop addition or a new front façade, can end up before the Historic Preservation Review Board. Ask whether your architectural design firm in DC requests a preliminary consultation with HPO staff before drawings are final. A firm that has presented at Concept Review will know how that process feels from the inside.
4. How Do You Get a Drawing Set Ready for Building Permits in DC?
Building permits in DC are reviewed against building, energy, fire, and zoning requirements, often by several reviewers. Drawings that don’t line up across disciplines are one of the most common reasons a set comes back with comments.
Good questions to put to the firm:
- Does someone check the set against code before it is submitted, and who?
- How are structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) drawings coordinated with yours?
- Which code editions are you designing to for this project?
- Who fills out the application and gathers the supporting documents?
If the answers are vague, expect your permit timeline to be vague too.
5. What Happens When Reviewers Send Comments Back?
They almost always do. Each round of comments and resubmission is called a correction cycle, and the number of cycles has more effect on your schedule than nearly anything else in the permit process.
Picture a rear addition on a Capitol Hill rowhouse. A reviewer asks for revised wall sections and a corrected lot occupancy calculation. If the architect turns that around in a week, the contractor keeps the start date. If the revisions sit behind other work for a month, the start date moves with them.
Ask how fast the firm usually responds, who on the team owns the response, and whether permit revisions are inside the fee or billed as extra services.
6. Will You Work Alongside a Permit Expediter in DC?
An architect designs the project. A permit expediter handles the approval process around it: preparing and filing applications, tracking review status, following up with agencies, and coordinating corrections so they go back complete.
On larger residential and most commercial projects, many firms bring in a permit expediter in DC or expect the owner to hire one. Either way works. What causes trouble is leaving it unsaid. If the architect assumes the expediter is chasing a reviewer and the expediter assumes the opposite, a comment can sit untouched for weeks. Settle who does what in writing.
7. What Does Your Fee Cover, and What Doesn’t It?
Two proposals with similar totals can cover very different work. Read each one against this list:
| Scope item | Why it matters |
| Zoning analysis and due diligence | Finds limits and relief needs before design starts |
| Historic preservation submissions | Needed for landmarks and historic district properties |
| Permit drawings and application support | Shows who assembles the full submission |
| Correction responses | Shows who revises drawings after review comments |
| Construction administration | Covers site visits, contractor questions, and inspection support |
| Close-out and certificate of occupancy | Confirms the space meets requirements for legal occupancy |
A cheaper proposal that leaves out correction work or construction administration often ends up costing more once those items are billed separately.
What a Good Architectural Design Firm in DC Will Tell You
You are not looking for perfect answers. You are looking for specific ones. A firm that knows the District will talk about lot occupancy, HPO consultations, and correction cycles without being prompted, and it will treat building permits in DC as part of the design job. Bring these questions to your first meeting and note who answers them directly and who changes the subject.
Permit requirements, timelines, and local regulations may change. Project requirements can vary by jurisdiction, property type, and scope of work. Contact Permit Division for project-specific guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Do I need an architect to get a building permit in DC?
It depends on the work. New construction, additions, and most commercial projects generally need drawings prepared and sealed by a licensed design professional, while minor repairs may not. Confirm the requirements for your scope with the DC Department of Buildings or a permit professional before you start.
-
What is the difference between an architect and a permit expediter?
The architect designs the project and produces the construction drawings. The permit expediter manages the approval process, including applications, agency follow-ups, and correction coordination. Many DC projects use both, with the split of responsibilities agreed at the start.
-
How do I find out if my DC property is in a historic district?
The DC Office of Planning’s PropertyQuest map shows whether a property is a landmark or sits within a historic district. If it does, plan for preservation review and raise it with your architect before design begins.
About the Author: This article was prepared by the Permit Division team, which has more than 11 years of permit expediting and construction consulting experience across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The team has processed more than 4,000 permits for residential and commercial projects.
Planning a project with an architect? Request a Project Review from the Permit Division to map out your zoning, permit, and approval requirements before you submit.