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. All In-House Review building permits are filed through 100% Electronic Plan Review (EPR) — no over-the-counter paper plans. The City and County of San Francisco has adopted SF Building Code amendments to the 2022 California Building Code (Ordinance 225-22), and the current DBI fee schedule applies to permits issued on or after September 1, 2025.
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
- DBI Online Permits and Permit Tracking
verified May 22, 2026 · source · Online filing for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and Boiler-to-Operate permits; In-House Review building permits are filed via Electronic Plan Review (EPR). Permit tracking at https://dbiweb02.sfgov.org/dbi_building/
- Submission methods
Online · In-person
verified May 22, 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 (2022 edition, amending the 2022 California Building Code)
verified May 22, 2026 · source · Adopted by the SF Board of Supervisors as Ordinance 225-22 (Nov 10, 2022), effective Dec 11, 2022, with amendments to the 2022 California Building Code; designed to be used in conjunction with the 2022-2025 California Building and Residential Codes
- Fee schedule
- DBI Fee Schedule — applies to all building permits issued on or after September 1, 2025
verified May 22, 2026 · source
Other local notes
DBI Permit Services phone: (415) 558-6088. Online contractor registration is required before filing trade permits; the registration includes signing DBI's Contractor's Agreement & Terms of Service.
verified May 22, 2026 · source
Building Permit Fee = Plan Review Fee + Permit Issuance Fee. The current schedule applies to all permits issued on or after September 1, 2025.
verified May 22, 2026 · source
In-House Review building permits require 100% Electronic Plan Review (EPR) — DBI does not accept paper plans for these projects. Title 24 Energy and Green Building Special Inspection forms must accompany new construction submittals.
verified May 22, 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 →
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