How to find properties with code violations
Cities and some counties publish code enforcement cases online or through a records request. Match each case to the property by address or parcel number. LeadCounty counts 251,267 properties with an open code case across the 30 counties whose city or county files are public.
Where code cases come from
Code enforcement is run by cities, towns and sometimes counties. Many large cities publish their cases online. Smaller places may keep them on a permit portal or only give them on request. That is why code data is available in far fewer places than tax data.
What a case tells you
- Open: the city has found a problem and the owner has not fixed it.
- Type: overgrown yard, trash, broken windows, unsafe structure, vacant building.
- History: repeat cases mean a house the owner cannot or will not keep up.
Matching cases to owners
A case has an address and sometimes a parcel number. Match it to the county's owner file to get the owner and mailing address. Small differences in how addresses are written cause misses, so check a sample by hand.
Best stacks
- Code case + absentee owner: out-of-town owners facing fines.
- Code case + tax delinquent: a house the owner is falling behind on in more than one way.
- Vacant building case + owned 15+ years: empty houses held for a long time.
Be fair to the owner
Many owners with code cases are elderly or short of money. Offer help, not pressure, and never promise to fix their city case.
Official sources and further reading
- USA.gov: find local government offices
- National Association of Counties
- Legal Information Institute: deed
Outside sites are run by their owners. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions
Are code violations public?
Yes in most cities. They are public records, but not every city publishes them online.
Do all counties have code violation data?
No. Only 30 of the 99 counties we cover publish usable code data. We never show a county as having zero when it is simply not published.
Are code violation leads motivated sellers?
Often. A fine or a repair order is a cost and a stress. Stack with absentee ownership for the best results.
What is the difference between a code violation and a vacant building case?
A code violation is any rule breach found on the property. A vacant building case means the city has registered the house as empty.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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