San Diego Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The City of San Diego Development Services Department (DSD) handles building permits, land-development review, inspections, records, zoning, and code enforcement for property inside the City of San Diego. Other municipalities and unincorporated areas of San Diego County have separate permitting authorities, so confirm the address before using the City’s Accela or permit-search tools.

San Diego building permits and plan review

San Diego requires permits for many new construction, additions, remodeling, and electrical, mechanical, and plumbing projects. DSD says new permits and approvals are submitted online, with permit-specific forms, information bulletins, and submittal requirements available through its permits page. Land Development Review covers planning, zoning, environmental, historic, and related disciplines under the City’s Land Development Code and General Plan.

Inspections, code compliance, and certificates of occupancy

Schedule inspections through the City’s online development-services system after the permit is issued and the relevant construction stage is ready. DSD maintains building permits, plans, maps, and project records for public research. The City’s Certificate of Occupancy bulletin states that a certificate is issued after final approval of all inspections for the building permit and associated permits, and that certain new buildings and occupancy changes require one before use.

Official contact information

The primary Development Services customer location is 7650 Mission Valley Road, MS# DSD-1A, San Diego, California 92108. The published customer-service line is (619) 446-5000. Use the official locations page for appointment requirements and the DSD records page for permit, plan, and certificate research.