STEP-BY-STEP
Prepare for your construction project
Before you apply for a building permit, follow these steps.
Your property and project plans affect what processes you must follow to get a building permit.
Check if your project needs a permit
Some construction projects do not need a permit.
Check and resolve complaints
Check your property’s complaints or notice of violations in our tracking system.
You must resolve notices of violation before you apply for another permit
Check your property’s environmental categories
Your property’s slope, landslide risk, and Maher area will affect your required documents for your project.
Check your property’s historic resource status
If your project will be visible from the street, check your property’s historic status.
Check earthquake safety rules
Check our earthquake safety program for multifamily residential buildings.
Check water use rules
If your project uses water in certain ways, you have to follow additional steps.
Check if your project requires Health Plan Review
Fill out this form to determine if your project requires Health Plan Review.
Check neighborhood development processes
Your project must meet City requirements that keep neighborhoods livable.
Check commercial construction requirements
If your construction project is on a commercial space, check these requirements.
Check if your permit needs plans
Most building permit applications require architectural plans drafted by a professional.
Create your plans
If your permit requires plans, follow these rules to create your plans.
Format PDFs of your plans
If you are submitting online, format PDFs of your plans for our electronic plan review software.
Get a building permit
You must have a building permit to do construction. Follow these steps.
Most projects can be reviewed over-the-counter. See our instructions to submit a building permit application for over-the-counter review.
For complex projects, follow these steps to get a building permit with In-House Review.