Building permits in San Diego County, California
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in San Diego County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in San Diego County
Planning & Development Services (PDS), Building Services Division
- 5510 Overland Ave., Suite 110, San Diego, CA 92123
- Phone: 858-565-5920
- Email: pdsbuildingpermitcounter@sdcounty.ca.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in San Diego County
San Diego County runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in San Diego County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in San Diego County, 5 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | A deck needs a building permit when it is more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, or sits over a basement or story below, or forms part of an accessible route. | ...from the Schedule of Building Permit Fees Based on Valuation, which is $374.00 for... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Electrical work needs a permit; exemptions are limited to minor repairs, low-voltage signal wiring not over 25 volts between conductors, and connecting a portable appliance to an existing permanently installed receptacle. | ...(effective 07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Electrical Only": Permit Fee $392.00... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences and freestanding masonry walls over 6 feet in height need a building permit; open fences up to 8 feet are also exempt if the uppermost two feet is only barbed or razor wire on angled supports. | ...fence, re-roof, stairs, radio tower, antenna, etc." at a Plan Review Fee of $405.00... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Mechanical work needs a permit; the county exempts only minor service work such as replacing a faulty control, valve, drier or filter, or repairing equipment without removing it from its installed position. | ...(effective 07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Mechanical Only": Permit Fee $392.00... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Patio covers and carports accessory to an individual dwelling unit need a building permit once projected roof area exceeds 300 square feet. | ...fence, re-roof, stairs, radio tower, antenna, etc." at a Plan Review Fee of $405.00... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Plumbing and gas work needs a permit; the notable exemption is a replacement water heater with no change to the unit type or servicing utilities when installed by a California licensed plumbing contractor. | ...613 (effective 07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Plumbing Only": Permit Fee $392.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | The only exempt pool is a prefabricated pool accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling that is less than 18 inches deep, holds no more than 5,000 gallons, and sits entirely above ground; everything else needs a permit. | ...07/10/2026, FY 25/26) line item "Swimming Pool/ Spa": Plan Review Fee $266.00 plus... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...fence, re-roof, stairs, radio tower, antenna, etc." at a Plan Review Fee of $405.00... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | One-story detached non-habitable accessory structures such as tool or storage sheds need a building permit once floor area exceeds 120 square feet. | ...or Recreational Room Simple Enough for OTC review" at a Plan Review Fee of $578.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | The county's Getting Started with Solar Photovoltaic page states that "Currently, the... |
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San Diego County permit fees compared with nearby California localities
| California locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego County | ...Permit Fees Based on Valuation, which is $374.00 for... | ...line item "Mechanical Only": Permit Fee $392.00, no... | ...line item "Electrical Only": Permit Fee $392.00, no... |
| Alameda County | ...A building permit fee table (for example, '$381.46... | ...Permit 18% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... | ...Permit 20% of Building Permit Fees, $140.00... |
| Contra Costa County | No deck-specific flat fee is published | ...Schedule S-002 D.6, "Mechanical Permit (Other) $75.00... | ...Schedule S-002 C.6, "Electrical Permit (Other) $75.00... |
| Fresno County | No flat deck permit fee is published | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit... | ...Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that California jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
San Diego County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in San Diego County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for San Diego County, 5 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 5 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each San Diego County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in San Diego County?
- San Diego County publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Planning & Development Services (PDS), Building Services Division; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in San Diego County?
- Planning & Development Services (PDS), Building Services Division issues permits in San Diego County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 858-565-5920. The San Diego County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the San Diego County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 5 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Planning & Development Services (PDS), Building Services Division or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for San Diego County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.