The County of San Diego Planning & Development Services Building Division is responsible for the issuance of Building and MEP Permits. Their jurisdiction applies to the following types of permits:

• Building Permits

• Mechanical Permits

• Electrical Permits

• Plumbing Permits

• Grading Permits

• Shoring Permits

• Fire Sprinkler Permits

• Fire Alarm Permits

• Elevator/Pressure Vessel Permits

Not sure what type of permits you need for your project or don’t see the type you’re looking for above? Reach out to our team to learn more!

The SDPDS, unlikes most California jurisdictions at this point, remains as an in-person jurisdiction, with the exception of some forms of residential projects which may be applied for online. As such, local knowledge of the process and how to maneuver it as efficiently as possible is crucial, especially as their review times can be lengthy and process cumbersome. Several factors play into the overall timeline for permit(s) through SDPDS:

• Zoning Plot Plan Approval - regardless of project scope, plot plan requirements are specific and must be included in your drawings at time of submission

• Plan Review - each round of plan check may take between ~6-10 weeks depending on reviewer availability and workload

• Outside Agency Approvals - agencies such as Health, Water, Sewer, or Fire are separate jurisdictions and depend on your project’s specific address; in some instances, these processes might not be concurrent to your Building plan check and are important to account for in overall project timeline

• Other Divisions - while Planning and Land Development may be in-house, their processes are separate and must be managed individually, possibly resulting in extended permit timelines depending on the project scope and what other filings might be required; additionally all projects are required to obtain HAZMAT/Air Quality approval for the control of hazardous or asbestos containing materials

The timelines provided above are generalized and can differ at the time of submission. They are also indicative of historical practice and do not include timing for intake and application screening.

Not sure what approval(s) to account for on your project or does your project require a strategic permitting workplan to get through the process as efficiently as possible? Reach out to our team to learn more!

All projects must be submitted through one of the aforementioned plan check processes to obtain a permit. However, they have created specialized Guaranteed Review Times for certain affordable housing projects. At this time, only certain projects qualify however:

• 100% affordable housing

• Workforce housing

• Housing Projects Located within VMT Efficient and/or Infill Areas (any type of housing located within VMT Efficient and/or Infill Areas – view map)

Additionally, for projects requiring a form of Discretionary approval, they do offer certain virtual services to assist the preparatory process of these projects:

• Discretionary Initial Consultation

• Discretionary Major Pre-Application

• Zoning Verification Requests

Curious to learn how these different programs and services can affect your project - or not seeing a program or service you would like to know more about? Reach out to our team to learn more!

Please reach out to our team to learn more about these permits and processes and the best approach for your project!