Building permits in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco (San Francisco County) follows California's statewide codes, but runs its own permit intake, forms, fees, and review timelines through its building department. Here's the general picture for the trades — and where to confirm the specifics.
SF DBI accepts electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and Boiler-to-Operate permits online after a one-time contractor registration, and In-House Review building permits are submitted electronically through Electronic Plan Review (EPR). The City and County of San Francisco has adopted the 2025 San Francisco Building Code — amendments to the 2025 California Building Code (Ordinance 231-25, operative January 1, 2026) — and the current DBI fee schedule applies to permits issued on or after July 12, 2026.
Verified local data — San Francisco
Every fact below is sourced from a public City of San Francisco document or portal page. Each carries the source URL and the date we last verified it.
- Permit portal
- Permit Services at DBI (online permits and tracking)
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source · Online filing for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and Boiler-to-Operate permits (one-time contractor registration required); In-House Review building permits are filed via Electronic Plan Review (EPR). The PermitSF portal (https://sanfranciscoca.portal.opengov.com/) covers sign, awning, no-plans reroofing, and door/window/siding replacement permits. Permit tracking at https://dbiweb02.sfgov.org/dbi_building/
- Submission methods
Online · In-person
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source · Online via DBI's portal for trade permits + EPR for In-House Review building permits; in-person service at DBI's permit counters
- Adopted code edition
SF Building Code (2025 edition, amending the 2025 California Building Code)
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source · Ordinance 231-25 repealed the 2022 Building Code and enacted the 2025 SF Building Code — the 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code as further amended by San Francisco — operative January 1, 2026 (ordinance text: https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/o0231-25.pdf). Designed to be used in conjunction with the 2025 California Building and Residential Codes.
- Fee schedule
- DBI Fee Schedule — applies to all building permits issued on or after July 12, 2026
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
Other local notes
DBI Permit Services phone: 628-652-3240. Online contractor registration is required before filing trade permits online.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
Building Permit Fee = Plan Review Fee + Permit Issuance Fee. The current schedule applies to all building permits issued on or after July 12, 2026.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
In-House Review building permits are submitted electronically, with plans formatted as PDFs for electronic review. Title 24 Energy and Green Building Special Inspection forms must accompany new construction submittals.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
Official building department
San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI)Verified San Francisco specifics are shown above. For project-specific fees, timelines, and counter staff, this department is the authority.
Permits by trade in San Francisco
Electrical permits
Service panel upgrades · Rewires and circuit additions · EV charger installs →
Plumbing permits
Water heater replacement · Repipes · Sewer line repair →
HVAC permits
AC / furnace changeouts · Heat pump installs · Mini-split systems →
ADU permits
New detached ADU · Garage or accessory-structure conversion · Junior ADU (JADU) within the existing home →
Solar permits
Rooftop solar PV systems · Battery energy storage (ESS) · Solar + storage retrofits →
Roofing permits
Full roof replacement (tear-off) · Re-roof / overlay where allowed · Structural sheathing or deck repair →
Common jobs in San Francisco
Each job below is combined with San Francisco's verified permit data — portal, fee schedule, and adopted code edition.
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