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.

We're onboarding a first set of California contractors. Join the waitlist with your city and trade so we can prioritize the jurisdictions our early users actually work in.

Gas line installation permits in San Francisco, CA

General California guidance last updated August 10, 2026 · San Francisco data verified August 9, 2026

What plumbing contractors need to know about pulling a gas line installation permit in San Francisco (San Francisco County).

Short answer

In California, installing, extending, or modifying gas piping requires a plumbing permit, and the new or altered piping must pass an inspector-witnessed pressure test before it goes into service. The work is governed by the fuel-gas provisions of the California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5), and is generally performed by a C-36 (Plumbing) licensed contractor.

San Francisco accepts submittal through the Permit Services at DBI (online permits and tracking) and has adopted the SF Building Code (2025 edition, amending the 2025 California Building Code). Fee details and sources are below.

San Francisco permit data

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

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/

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

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) →All verified San Francisco data →

The general picture in California

New, extended, or re-routed gas piping is permitted plumbing work in every California jurisdiction, because the three things that make gas safe are exactly the things the permit verifies: sizing (the longest-run BTU calculation across every appliance the line serves), materials and their details (black iron, CSST with bonding, approved and protected buried runs), and the pressure test — new or altered piping holds test pressure on a witnessed gauge before it is concealed or put in service. The most common failure isn't workmanship; it's load math, usually when a tankless water heater or new outdoor appliance is added to a line sized years earlier. The utility side is separate: the meter and regulator belong to the gas utility, and upsizing them is a utility request that runs alongside the city permit. Test scheduling, fees, and submittal format are set per city — confirm with the local building department.

For deeper background that isn't San Francisco-specific, see the statewide gas line installation guide.

Typically needs a permit

Gas line installation itself triggers a permit in nearly every California jurisdiction, San Francisco included. San Francisco-specific variations are confirmed with the issuing department above.

Usually doesn't (general norm)

Leak investigation and soap-testing on existing piping
Replacing the listed flexible appliance connector at an existing shutoff valve (verify locally)
A like-for-like appliance swap that doesn't alter the fixed gas piping — the appliance itself may still need its own permit
Relighting pilots and routine appliance servicing

Documents & plans generally required

Plumbing permit application describing the run — new line, extension, or re-route
Contractor license and city business registration
Piping layout (plan or isometric) with pipe lengths, sizes, and the appliances served
Sizing calculation — total connected BTU on the longest-run method per the CPC tables
Material spec: black iron, CSST with its bonding detail, or approved material for buried exterior runs
Trench detail for buried lines — depth, protection at risers, tracer wire where plastic pipe is used
Meter/regulator note where total load changes — meter upsizing is the utility's side, coordinated separately

Common reasons gas line installation applications get bounced

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

Line undersized for the total connected BTU load on the longest run — the classic tankless-conversion and outdoor-kitchen add-on failure
CSST shown without the manufacturer-required bonding detail
Missing sediment traps/drip legs at appliances that require them
Routing through prohibited spaces — ducts, plenums, or locations subject to damage without protection
No accessible shutoff valve at each appliance
Buried runs without required depth, protection, or tracer wire for plastic pipe

The inspection sequence

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

1Underground inspection before backfill for buried exterior runs
2Rough piping and pressure test — the line holds test pressure on a gauge the inspector witnesses, before it is concealed or gassed up
3Final inspection with appliances connected and drip legs and shutoffs in place

Licensing — who can pull it

Gas piping in California is generally C-36 (Plumbing) licensed work. A C-20 (HVAC) contractor may run gas to equipment they install within their classification, and a B (General Building) contractor may pull within a larger project under CSLB rules. The utility owns the meter and everything upstream of it — meter upsizing is a utility request, not a city permit.

Other verified San Francisco 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

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to swap an appliance on an existing gas line?

If the fixed piping isn't touched, the gas line itself usually isn't the trigger — but the appliance replacement (water heater, furnace) generally carries its own permit, and the inspector will still look at the connector, shutoff, and drip leg. Extending or re-piping to reach the new appliance is permitted gas work.

What does the pressure test involve?

New or altered piping is isolated, pressurized with air, and must hold the required test pressure for the required duration on a gauge the inspector witnesses — before the line is concealed or connected to the meter. Test pressure and duration come from the California Plumbing Code; scheduling and whether photos are accepted are per city.

Why do tankless conversions bounce on gas sizing?

A tankless water heater's input BTU is several times a tank unit's, and the existing line was sized for the old total load. Plan check expects a longest-run sizing calc covering every served appliance — if the calc is missing or the line comes up short, the application or the rough inspection fails.

Who handles the gas meter?

The utility. If the added load exceeds the meter or regulator capacity, the upgrade is requested through the gas utility and runs in parallel with the city permit — a common schedule surprise on large additions.

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