San Francisco Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) serves the consolidated City and County of San Francisco. DBI administers building-permit processing, inspections, code enforcement, and building records under San Francisco’s local code framework. This guide applies to San Francisco properties; neighboring Bay Area cities and counties use separate authorities.

San Francisco building permits and plan review

Start with DBI’s permit-processing resources to identify the application type, plan-review path, and required approvals. San Francisco’s official services directory links residents to the Online Permit and Complaint Tracking system, where users can search permit and complaint information. Projects may also need planning, fire, public works, or other agency review depending on scope and location.

Inspections, code compliance, and occupancy records

DBI inspections confirm that permitted work complies with approved plans and applicable building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and housing requirements. Use the City’s current inspection instructions and permit record for the correct request path; do not cover work before required inspections. The permit and complaint search can help research inspection history and open code matters, while occupancy documentation should be confirmed with DBI for the specific property and use.

Official contact information

DBI’s published office is 49 South Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California 94103. The department’s customer-service phone is (628) 652-3200. Use the official address-search tool for permit and complaint lookups and DBI’s current service pages for application and inspection instructions.