Building Permits in San Diego

San Diego requires a building permit for most construction, alteration, and repair work affecting structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems. Permits are issued by the DSD (Development Services Department), which also administers plan review, field inspections, zoning, and engineering permits.

San Diego has adopted the 2022 San Diego Building Code, based on the 2022 California Building Code (CBC) / 2021 International Building Code (IBC), with local amendments. California Title 24 Part 6 (Energy Code) compliance is required for applicable projects.

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a building permit in San Diego for:

• New construction, additions, and accessory structures (including ADUs and JADUs)
• Structural alterations, load-bearing wall changes, and foundation work
• Electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical (HVAC) changes
• Re-roofing and window or door openings in exterior walls
• Swimming pools, spas, and retaining walls above a height threshold
• Grading and most earthwork
• Demolition of any habitable structure

Certain minor work is exempt from permit requirements. The complete exemption list is in SDMC (San Diego Municipal Code) §129.0203. Minor cosmetic work — painting, floor coverings, and cabinetry without plumbing or electrical changes — is typically exempt. When in doubt, contact DSD before starting work.

California ADU note: Under state law (SB 9, SB 13, AB 68, AB 881, AB 2221), the City must issue ADU permits ministerially within 60 days. No discretionary hearings or design review are permitted for qualifying ADUs.

The DSD Online Portal (Accela)

The City of San Diego's official permit system is the Accela portal, accessible at aca.accela.com/SANDIEGO. All new permit applications must be submitted online through this system.

Through Accela you can:

• Create a personal or business account
• Upload digital plans (PDFs must pass validation with the city's Scout™ tool before upload)
• Submit and track permit applications
• Respond to plan review correction notices
• Pay fees
• Request and track inspections

DSD also offers virtual appointments for staff-assisted guidance through the application process. Walk-in counter service is available Monday–Thursday 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (counters close 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; walk-in service ends at 3 p.m.).

Permit Costs

San Diego permit fees are calculated based on project valuation and scope. The authoritative source is Information Bulletin IB-501 (Fee Schedule for Construction Permits-Structures), updated December 2025, published on the DSD Forms & Publications page. Budget for:

• Building permit fee — scales with project valuation
• Plan check fee — a percentage of the building permit fee
• Express Plan Check fee — approximately 1.5× the standard plan check fee for expedited review (up to two rechecks included)
• Impact fees — for new construction or added square footage (water, sewer, transportation, parks, etc.)
• Trade permit fees — separate fees for electrical, plumbing, mechanical

Do not rely on third-party fee estimates. Always consult the current IB-501 linked in the sources above for exact amounts.

Typical Timeline

DSD posts weekly permit issuance queue estimates on its Permit Processing Timeline page (current as of April 10, 2026). Actual times vary with application volume and completeness.

More than 50% of permits are issued the same day. Review cycles depend on the number of disciplines involved and how completely correction comments are addressed.

The Process

1. Pre-submittal: Confirm zoning, applicable overlays (Coastal Zone, Historic District, community plan), and required codes for your parcel
2. Plans: Prepare drawings; a licensed California architect or engineer stamp is required for most projects above minor scope. California Title 24 energy forms are required for applicable work
3. PDF validation: Run plans through the Scout™ tool and verify sheet numbering with ePlanSNAPP before upload
4. Submit via Accela: Upload all required documents — building plans, DS-345 (Project Contacts Information), energy forms, Storm Water Requirements Checklist (DS-560), and any project-specific forms
5. Intake: DSD pre-screens your submittal for completeness and calculates fees
6. Plan review: DSD disciplines (building, structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, zoning, fire, civil) review plans and issue a cycle issues report per discipline
7. Corrections: Address all review comments and resubmit corrected plans through Accela; all disciplines must complete before you can upload responses
8. Permit issuance: After all disciplines sign off, the project enters the permit issuance queue (typically 1 business day for building permits)
9. Inspections: Schedule required inspections at each construction phase
10. Final: Pass final inspection and receive a Certificate of Occupancy (if applicable)

Inspections

DSD conducts field inspections for building, demolition, fire, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and solar PV projects. Typical inspection stages for a residential project include:

• Footings and foundation
• Underground plumbing and electrical
• Framing
• Rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical
• Insulation
• Drywall
• Final building and trade inspections

Schedule inspections online through the Accela portal (for applications submitted July 19, 2021 or later) or by calling DSD at (619) 446-5000.

Common Reasons for Denial or Corrections

• Plans do not comply with the 2022 San Diego Building Code or California Title 24 energy standards
• Missing structural calculations, engineering stamps, or soils reports
• Zoning conflicts — setbacks, height, lot coverage, FAR, or use not permitted in the zone
• Storm water requirements checklist (DS-560) incomplete or missing
• Coastal Development Permit or California Coastal Commission review not completed for coastal-zone properties
• Historic resources review not initiated for designated properties
• Missing or invalid PDF formatting (fails Scout™ validation)
• Required agency clearances (water authority, fire, utilities) not obtained

Official Sources

Always verify current requirements with the City of San Diego Development Services Department and the Accela portal before submitting plans or starting construction. See the sources listed in the frontmatter for direct links to DSD, the Accela portal, the Permit Processing Timeline, and Information Bulletin IB-501 (fee schedule).

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official City of San Diego sources and is provided for general orientation only. It does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Building code and permitting requirements change — always confirm current rules with the City of San Diego Development Services Department before submitting plans or starting construction.