What does getPermit actually do?

getPermit reads your job details and tells you what a California city expects before you file: which permits the work triggers, the documents and plans you'll need, the fees to budget for, and the common reasons applications in that jurisdiction get bounced back. It produces a clear checklist you can act on. It does not submit to the city for you — you (or your permit person) stay in control of what gets filed.

Is there a human involved, or is it just AI?

Both. The AI does the research and drafts the assessment and checklist; an experienced permit coordinator reviews and approves it before it's treated as authoritative. The human check is the point — it's how we keep it trustworthy in a process where a wrong filing has real consequences.

Which cities do you cover?

We're starting deep in California rather than shallow everywhere. For a city we haven't fully mapped yet, we'll give you accurate general California guidance and point you to that city's official building department — and you can join the waitlist to be notified when we cover it in depth. We will not invent city-specific fees or timelines we haven't verified.

Solo electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors, and small general contractors who don't have a dedicated permit department and lose billable hours to permit admin.

How much does it cost?

It's pre-launch. Join the waitlist and you'll get founder pricing, your jurisdiction prioritized, and a direct line to the team. No spam, no credit card.

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Furnace replacement permits in San Diego, CA

General California guidance last updated August 2, 2026 · San Diego data fully re-verified September 13, 2026

What HVAC contractors need to know about pulling a furnace replacement permit in San Diego (San Diego County).

Short answer

In California, replacing a furnace — even like-for-like — requires a mechanical permit because the work involves gas piping, venting, combustion air, and electrical connections. It is governed by the California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4), and the changeout triggers Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6) alteration measures — commonly duct sealing verified by a third-party HERS rater. A C-20 (HVAC) licensed contractor generally pulls it.

San Diego accepts submittal through the DSD Online Services (Accela Citizen Portal) and has adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code (with San Diego local amendments). Fee details and sources are below.

San Diego permit data

Sourced from public City of San Diego documents — every field carries the source URL and verification date.

Permit portal

DSD Online Services (Accela Citizen Portal)

verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · Stable city shortlink; resolves to https://aca-prod.accela.com/SANDIEGO/Default.aspx, which the Permits page links as "DSD Online Services Login"

Adopted code edition

2025 California Building Standards Code (with San Diego local amendments)

verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · DSD public notice dated April 15, 2026: the 2025 code applies to all projects with applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026, and the local amendments take effect April 22, 2026. Codified in San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 14, Article 5, Division 1 (Sec. 145.0103 adopts the 2025 California Building Code; amended by O-22080 N.S., effective 4-22-2026) — https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter14/Ch14Art05Division01.pdf

Fee schedule

Information Bulletin 501 — Fee Schedule for Construction Permits-Structures (August 2026)

verified Sep 13, 2026 · source · Bulletin dated August 2026. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing/gas permit fees are in Information Bulletin 103 (May 2026) — https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/forms-publications/information-bulletins/103

City of San Diego Development Services Department →All verified San Diego data →

The general picture in California

A furnace changeout is permitted mechanical work in every California jurisdiction, like-for-like or not: the job touches gas piping, flue venting, combustion air, and line-voltage wiring, all of which the California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4) puts under permit and inspection. The distinctly Californian wrinkle is the Energy Code — replacing the furnace makes the job an alteration under Title 24, Part 6, which in most climate zones requires sealing the existing ductwork and having a third-party HERS rater verify duct leakage, with the compliance forms registered before final. Condensing (90%+) furnaces also re-route venting from the chimney to sidewall PVC and add a condensate-disposal requirement, which is where shared-chimney and orphaned-water-heater problems surface. Fees, whether the city wants a rough inspection, and how finals are scheduled are set per city — confirm with the local building department.

For deeper background that isn't San Diego-specific, see the statewide furnace replacement guide.

Typically needs a permit

Furnace replacement itself triggers a permit in nearly every California jurisdiction, San Diego included. San Diego-specific variations are confirmed with the issuing department above.

Usually doesn't (general norm)

Filter changes, cleaning, and seasonal service
Like-for-like thermostat replacement on existing low-voltage wiring (smart-thermostat swaps are usually treated the same — verify locally)
Replacing an igniter, control board, blower motor, or other components within the existing unit

Documents & plans generally required

Mechanical permit application (plus electrical scope where a circuit is added or changed)
Contractor license and city business registration
Manufacturer cut sheet for the new furnace (input BTU, AFUE, listing)
Venting detail — flue type, size, and termination; condensing furnaces add PVC vent routing and condensate disposal
Gas-line sizing when the input BTU increases or piping is modified
Energy-compliance form (CF1R-ALT) and HERS registration where duct sealing/testing is triggered
Combustion-air detail for closet or interior installations

Common reasons furnace replacement applications get bounced

Code-rooted patterns across California — not a San Diego-specific rejection rate.

Missing energy paperwork — a furnace changeout is an alteration under Title 24, Part 6, and in most climate zones that means duct sealing with third-party HERS leakage verification; applications without the CF1R/HERS registration bounce
Venting a high-efficiency condensing furnace into an existing B-vent or unlined masonry chimney
An orphaned water heater left on an oversized shared chimney after the furnace moves to sidewall venting
Combustion air not addressed for closet or alcove installations
Gas line undersized for the new unit's input BTU
No condensate-disposal detail for condensing furnaces

The inspection sequence

A typical order — the number of stops and exact sequence vary by jurisdiction and scope.

1Gas pressure test when gas piping is new or modified
2Rough inspection if venting, ducting, or wiring is concealed before cover
3Final inspection with the furnace installed, vented, and operating — HERS duct-test results registered where required

Licensing — who can pull it

Furnace replacement in California is generally performed by a C-20 (Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) licensed contractor. A C-36 (Plumbing) contractor may handle gas-line work and a C-10 (Electrical) the circuit; a B (General Building) contractor may pull within a larger remodel under CSLB rules. The contractor doing the work typically pulls the permit.

Other verified San Diego notes

DSD Customer Service Line: 619-446-5000 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.).
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
DSD's primary location for in-person customer assistance is 7650 Mission Valley Road, San Diego, CA 92108; most services there require an appointment.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Building inspections can be scheduled or canceled online, through the automated phone line 858-581-7111 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), or by contacting Inspection Services; for the next available business day, phone-line requests must be made no later than 10 p.m. the night before (Information Bulletin 120, October 2025).
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Simple Permits are no-plan mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits for minor installations in single-dwelling units, duplexes, or townhouses outside historic districts; licensed contractors receive the permit as soon as they submit the application and pay the invoice.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
All businesses operating in the City of San Diego must register for a Business Tax Certificate, which the City issues instead of a business license.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source
Per DSD's July 2, 2026 notice, ongoing projects transition from the former PTS system to Accela's online permitting platform, keeping their original project numbers with a PRJ prefix (PTS-012345 becomes PRJ-012345); OpenDSD is for viewing historical permit data.
verified Sep 13, 2026 · source

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a like-for-like furnace changeout?

Generally yes. Every California jurisdiction treats a furnace replacement as permitted mechanical work — it touches gas, venting, combustion air, and electrical, and it triggers Energy Code alteration measures. Fees and process are set by each city; confirm with the local building department.

What does the Energy Code add to a furnace swap?

Replacing a furnace (or coil/air handler) is an 'alteration' under Title 24, Part 6. In most California climate zones that means sealing the existing ducts and having a third-party HERS rater verify the leakage, then registering the compliance forms. Some scopes and climate zones are exempt — the CF1R-ALT form is where that gets determined, and skipping it is the single most common correction on changeouts.

Can I vent the new furnace into the old chimney?

Only if the flue is properly sized and lined for the new appliance. A related trap: when a furnace that shared a chimney with a water heater moves to sidewall venting, the water heater is left 'orphaned' on a flue that is now oversized and often non-compliant — inspectors catch this regularly.

Does switching to a heat pump change the permit?

Yes — a furnace-to-heat-pump conversion adds electrical scope (a dedicated circuit, often a load calculation, sometimes a panel question) and removes the gas scope. It is still a mechanical permit plus electrical, and the Energy Code paperwork applies. Many California cities are streamlining heat-pump changeout permits; confirm the current process locally.

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