Daly City Building Permits — Requirements & Process

The Daly City Building Division administers building permits and building inspections within the City. Before starting construction, confirm whether the proposed work also needs Planning, Engineering/Public Works, Fire, or another agency's approval.

When a permit is required

Daly City states that, under the California Building Code as adopted by the City, a permit is required to alter, construct, convert, demolish, enlarge, erect, improve, move, remove, or repair a building or structure. Project-specific exceptions and requirements can depend on the scope, so confirm permit status with the Building Division before beginning work.

Applications

The Daly City Online Permits portal supports eligible quick-permit applications, permit-invoice payments, permit-record searches, and online inspection scheduling for eligible permits. The City's quick-permit page lists examples of eligible residential and commercial work.

Projects requiring plan review follow the City's Permits Involving Plans process. Daly City currently directs applicants to submit the building-permit application and supporting plans or calculations as necessary to the Building Division. The required documents depend on the project.

Daly City states that plans generally do not need to be prepared by an architect or engineer, but they must adequately show the scope and nature of the work. That statement should not be read as an exemption from project-specific California requirements for licensed design professionals; confirm professional-design requirements for the particular project.

Current codes

Daly City has adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code, with local amendments, effective January 1, 2026. The City states that permit applications deemed complete before that date may continue to be reviewed under the codes in effect when the application was deemed complete.

The California Building Standards Commission likewise identifies January 1, 2026 as the effective date of the 2025 California Building Standards Code. Daly City's local amendments are part of the applicable requirements, so use the City's adopted-code and Municipal Code materials together with Title 24.

Plan-review timing

For permits involving plans, Daly City states that initially submitted plans are generally reviewed within 15 working days from the date of routing. This is a published review target, not a guarantee that a permit will be issued within 15 working days. Corrections, resubmittals, other agency reviews, and project-specific requirements can extend the overall process.

Fees

Daly City publishes current Master Fee Schedules, including FY 2026–2027. Permit and plan-review charges vary by the applicable fee item and project. Use the current City schedule and the project's actual invoice rather than assuming a single flat permit fee or percentage.

Contractor licensing

California's Contractors State License Board states that a contractor license is required when a project requires a building permit, uses additional workers, or has a combined labor-and-material cost of $1,000 or more. This current state rule should be used instead of older local web text that may still show a previous dollar threshold.

Owner-builder eligibility and responsibilities are separate issues. Property owners considering owner-builder permitting should follow the City's current disclosure and application requirements and the applicable California rules.

Inspections and closeout

Daly City states that work generally must be inspected before it is covered and that the permit holder is responsible for arranging access and obtaining required inspections. The exact inspection sequence depends on the permitted work; the City's list of typical inspections is not a universal sequence for every project.

Eligible quick permits may use online inspection scheduling. For permits outside that pilot, Daly City directs applicants to request an inspection through the Building Division at least two days before the needed inspection.

A final inspection is required upon completion of the work before use or occupancy of the improvements. Daly City states that a Certificate of Occupancy is issued for new construction and a remodel resulting in a change in occupancy; signed job cards serve as the CO for other projects.

Official sources

Use the Daly City Building Division, Online Permits portal, adopted-code materials, current Master Fee Schedule, inspection guidance, the California Building Standards Commission, and CSLB for current project-specific requirements.

Disclaimer: Confirm current codes and local amendments, permit scope, professional-design requirements, fees, required inspections, contractor licensing, and closeout requirements with the responsible authority before filing or beginning work.