San Francisco Planning Department (Planning / City Planning - Zoning Counter, CP-ZOC)
Planning Code and zoning review. Planning is the first review station for site permits and the last station for architectural addenda on new buildings.
Plan check guide · San Francisco
San Francisco plan check guide
The Department of Building Inspection reviews plans electronically in Bluebeam, routes them to Planning, Fire, Public Works, and other stations, and expects every comment to be answered inside the review session. This guide collects what DBI and its partner agencies publish.
In San Francisco, the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) reviews building plans over the counter when each department can finish in under an hour, and otherwise through in-house electronic review in Bluebeam. Applications filed on or after January 1, 2026 use the 2025 California codes with San Francisco amendments; answer every comment in the Bluebeam Session and resubmit the entire drawing set.
San Francisco at a glance
The facts to confirm before you submit
| Question | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who reviews building plans? | DBI, with routing to Planning, the Fire Department, Public Works, the Public Utilities Commission, Public Health, and accessibility reviewers depending on the scope of work. | DBI Information Sheet G-20 - Interim Criteria, Building Permit Application Routing (March 20, 2026) |
| Which code applies? | Applications filed on or after January 1, 2026 must use the 2025 California Codes with the 2025 San Francisco amendments, with no grace period. Earlier filings use the 2022 codes. | SF.gov - Current San Francisco building codes (2025) |
| How are plans submitted? | Electronically, as one unlocked PDF plotted at full scale with TrueType text, under 250 MB per file, with a blank stamp area on every sheet and scanned signatures and seals. | SF.gov - How to create PDFs of your plans or addenda |
| How long does review take? | DBI’s published target for new residential buildings of 1 to 10 units is comments or approval within 30 business days of paying the filing fee. Other targets appear on the City’s permit dashboards. | SF.gov - Get a building permit with In-House Review |
| How do I respond to comments? | Mark each comment Incorporated or Not Incorporated in the Bluebeam Session and reply with where it was addressed, then resubmit the entire set once every review station has finished. | CCSF Permit Center - Electronic Plan Review (EPR) Applicant Procedure (3/21/2022) |
| What if review keeps cycling? | Completeness or plan reviews that reach three rounds of comments and resubmittals are escalated to a DBI supervisor. | SF.gov - Get a building permit with In-House Review |
Sources reviewed September 12, 2026. Requirements change; confirm the current version with Department of Building Inspection.
Who reviews
Who comments on a San Francisco permit set
DBI routes each application to the review stations its scope requires. Information Sheet G-20 sets out which kinds of work go to which agency.
San Francisco Fire Department, Bureau of Fire Prevention Plan Check Section (SFFD)
Fire and life safety review: fire-rated construction, sprinkler and alarm systems, smoke control, exit signs and emergency lighting, high-rise construction, hazardous materials, and assembly occupant loads.
San Francisco Public Works, Bureau of Street-Use and Mapping (DPW-BSM)
Work that affects the public right-of-way, such as new or modified curb cuts, fire escapes over the right-of-way, and foundations affecting the right-of-way.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Water, sewer and stormwater requirements: stormwater management by impervious area, recycled water and onsite water reuse, hydraulic capacity for new fire services, grease control, sewer laterals, and residential water submetering.
Department of Public Health (DPH)
Plan review for food facilities, site mitigation (soil disturbance on listed sites), cell antennas, cannabis consumption, hazardous materials, massage and body art, pools, alternate water systems, and solid waste facilities.
Mayor's Office on Disability (MOD)
Accessibility review; not required at site permit stage but required during addendum review.
Public Works Disability Access Coordinator (PW-DAC)
Accessibility review of site permits and architectural addenda for City projects or projects receiving public funds; the PW-DAC sign-off form goes on the submittal set.
Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII)
In former redevelopment (OCII) areas, permits route to OCII instead of Planning; OCII is the last station and reviews all addenda.
DBI Plumbing Inspection Division (PID)
Reviews permits with alternate water systems (greywater, reclaimed water, stormwater detention) at site permit.
Review paths
Choose the right plan check path
Over-the-Counter (OTC) review
For applications each permitting department can review in under one hour; most no-plans permits qualify. Handled as drop-in service at the Permit Center.
In-House Review
For applications needing more than one hour of review; reviewed electronically. Goes through a completeness check, then plan review comments and resubmittals until approval.
Full Permit (in-house)
Initial submittal includes architectural, structural and mechanical/electrical plans plus Title 24 information; involves two payments (filing and issuance fees).
Site Permit
Optional path for new construction, major alterations, or work needing Planning review. Issued after Planning approval and a limited DBI review of preliminary plans; no construction is allowed under the site permit alone.
Site permit addenda
Detailed construction documents submitted after the site permit is issued, following an addenda schedule. Each addendum must be approved and issued before its work starts; detailed plan review happens at this stage.
PermitSF portal and instant online permits
Simple no-plan work such as in-kind window, door and siding replacement, reroofing without plans, signs and awnings, and fire alarm or sprinkler permits is filed online.
Revisions to an issued permit
Changes after a permit is issued require a new permit application rather than a revision to the issued permit.
DBI aims to comment on or approve applications for new residential buildings of 1-10 units with no floors above 40 feet within 30 business days after the filing fee is paid. (source) SFFD states expedited plan review typically completes within seven days, with a minimum four-hour charge; standard in-queue timelines are not stated. (source) All site permit addenda must be approved and issued within the maximum time in SFBC 106A.4.4 (Table B); otherwise the site permit and its addenda are canceled. (source)
What DBI asks for
What San Francisco’s published checklists and information sheets ask for
San Francisco does not publish a standard correction list. These items come from the Building Code’s list of what plans must show, DBI’s residential pre-plan check checklist, the electronic plan review procedure, and DBI information sheets. Paraphrased from the department’s published documents, grouped by topic. The documents do not rank items by how often they are issued.
| Topic | What the published document asks for | Code cited | Sheets that usually change | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code analysis | Cover sheet should list applicable codes and existing, changed and proposed occupancy, construction type, stories, basements, floor area and dwelling unit count. | — | Cover sheet / code analysis sheet | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Plans: Cover Sheet |
| Occupant load and egress width | Show occupant loads and an analysis of the means of egress system, including diagonal dimensions and exit separation where two or more exits are required. | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1, item 3d | Egress / life safety plans; code analysis sheet | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1 Contents of site permit application, item 3d |
| Travel distance and common path | Document exit access travel distance from the most remote point and common path of travel where applicable, measured at right angles unless walls guide travel. | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1, item 3d | Egress / life safety plans | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1 Contents of site permit application, item 3d |
| Travel distance and common path | An existing non-sprinklered R-3 up to three stories may keep one exit and no sprinklers if travel distance, including from decks, stays within 125 feet. | SFBC 903.2.8 Exception 5 | Egress plans; floor and roof deck plans | Information Sheet EG-03, Discussion |
| Number and separation of exits | At site permit, DBI checks that the proposed egress system provides enough exits and identifies major potential egress requirements. | — | Egress / life safety plans; floor plans | Site Permit Review Criteria memo - Means of Egress |
| Fire-rated assemblies | Provide details for all fire-resistive assemblies and elements, and show how their integrity is maintained where they are penetrated. | SFBC 106A.3.3, item 10 | Wall/floor assembly details; rated assembly plans; penetration details | SFBC Section 106A.3.3 Information on plans and specifications, item 10 |
| Fire separation distance | Plot plan must locate the building, adjoining buildings and public ways with real and assumed property lines to support exterior wall and opening protection review. | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1, item 3c | Site plan; exterior elevations; code analysis sheet | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1 Contents of site permit application, item 3c |
| Accessible toilet rooms | Show at least one accessible restroom per sex, or one single-user unisex restroom, serving the remodeled area, with its detail location noted. | CBC 11B-202.4 | Enlarged restroom plans and elevations; accessibility sheet | Information Sheet DA-02 package - D.A. Checklist p.2, item C |
| Path of travel in alterations | Commercial tenant improvements must reproduce the signed D.A. checklist on plans; above the valuation threshold provide a fully accessible path of travel, otherwise apply the 20% rule. | CBC 11B-202.4, Exception 8 | Accessibility / code sheet; floor plans | Information Sheet DA-02 package - D.A. Checklist p.1 and Form C |
| Special inspection | The architect or engineer of record prepares a special inspection and structural observation program, approved by the building official before permit issuance. | SFBC 106A.3.5; 106A.3.3 item 14; 1704; 1709 | Structural general notes / special inspection schedule | SFBC Sections 106A.3.3 (item 14) and 106A.3.5 |
| Deferred submittals | Include a list of deferred submittals, and the addenda schedule when one applies, on the cover sheet. | — | Cover sheet | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Plans: Cover Sheet |
| Sheet coordination | List the total sheet count on the drawing index and make sure it matches the number of pages in the submitted PDF. | — | Cover sheet / sheet index | EPR Applicant Procedure, Section B - Sheet Count and Drawing Index |
| Sheet coordination | Label every level as either a story or a basement on plans, elevations and sections instead of loose terms like ground floor or lower level. | — | Floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, structural sections | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Architectural floor plans, elevations, sections, and structural sections items |
| Allowable height and area | Tabulate actual versus allowable height, stories and area with calculations, including sprinkler and area modification increases, and gross area for each story and basement. | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1, item 3b | Code analysis sheet; area plans | SFBC 106A.3.4.2.1 Contents of site permit application, item 3b |
| Accessible route and entrances | For each path-of-travel element (entrance, route, restrooms, drinking fountains, phones, signage), check its compliance status and give the detail number and sheet on the checklist. | CBC 11B-202.4 | Accessibility sheet; enlarged entrance and route plans | Information Sheet DA-02 package - D.A. Checklist p.2 |
| Structural calculations and signatures | Where licensed design is required, every sheet carries the preparer's signature and seal with registration number; the first sheet has an original signature and an index of all sheets. | SFBC 106A.3.2 (as cited) | Cover sheet; all sheets | Information Sheet G-01, Discussion (B) Affixing the signature |
| Structural calculations and signatures | Structural plans and calculations must trace vertical and lateral load paths from roof to foundation, with connection details and live loads designated for each use area. | SFBC 106A.3.3, items 12-13 | Structural framing and foundation plans; details; calculations | SFBC Section 106A.3.3 Information on plans and specifications, items 12 and 13 |
| Geotechnical report | Submit a geotechnical report for new structures, large horizontal additions, grading or special foundations, and include the geotechnical engineer's sealed letter approving final structural plans. | SFBC 1803, 1803.5.5, 1810, J104.3 (as cited) | Structural general notes; foundation plans (letter placed in drawings) | Information Sheet S-05, Sections A and B |
| Energy compliance | Plan details and specifications must match the Title 24 energy compliance report, special features must be detailed, and report text must be legible on sheets. | — | Title 24 energy sheets; architectural and mechanical details and schedules | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Title 24 Energy Reports |
| Green building | Put the City's Green Building form (per AB-093) on plans instead of a generic checklist, mark measures not applicable, and reference the sheet or detail for each. | AB-093 | Green building sheet | Residential Pre-Plan Check checklist - Green Building sheets |
| Plumbing fixture count | Provide fixture counts for new buildings, first-time tenant improvements, additions and occupancy changes; using CPC Table 4-1 loads must be noted in code data with an AB-005 form. | CPC 422.0, Table 422.1, Table 4-1; CBC Table 1004.5 | Code analysis / index sheet; plumbing fixture calculation | Information Sheet P-04, Discussion |
| Fire sprinklers and alarms | For R-3 additions or alterations, mark the plans and application with whether sprinklers are not required, required, or under a separate permit. | — | Cover sheet; permit application | Information Sheet G-20, Section (G) Routing to Fire for R3 occupancy, item 3 |
| Site plan information | Dimensioned plot plan shows sidewalk and street widths, lot lines, building locations, relevant adjacent building widths, heights and setbacks, parking, hydrants and utility poles. | SFBC 106A.3.3, item 2 | Site / plot plan | SFBC Section 106A.3.3 Information on plans and specifications, item 2 |
| Site plan information | New construction and additions need a fire access and fire flow plan at 1 inch = 20 feet or larger showing hose reach to the most remote floor area. | SFFD submittal guideline 2.16 (as linked) | Fire access / fire flow site plan | Prepare your plans for your site permit application - Fire Access and Fire Flow Plan |
| Other | Keep a blank 8.5x11-inch area on the cover and a blank 2x2-inch stamp area in the same title-block spot on every sheet. | — | Cover sheet; title block on all sheets | How to create PDFs of your plans or addenda - stamp and title block requirements |
Respond and resubmit
Responding to DBI plan review comments
Respond to every reviewer comment inside the Bluebeam Session: set each to Incorporated or Not Incorporated using the Back Check status menu, and reply stating where it was addressed or why not. Source
Wait until all review stations finish before uploading. Resubmit the entire drawing set even if only a few sheets changed, then email the DBI plan reviewer; do not rely on Bluebeam alerts. Source
Name revised files with the next revision number (REV1, REV2) in the City's naming format and keep the Back Check page at the end of the set. Source
Applicants without Bluebeam, and small business applicants, resubmit through an online form with the 9-digit Bluebeam project ID, permit application number, and revised PDFs including the Back Check page. Source
Completeness reviews or plan reviews that reach three rounds of comments and resubmissions are escalated to a DBI supervisor. Source
When submittal documents are incomplete or changed so that more plan review is needed, or include deferred submittal items, an additional plan review fee applies (SFBC 107A.3, Table 1A-B). Source
Official documents
DBI lists and checklists to work from
- Residential Pre-Plan Check Processing checklist (DBI)
DBI intake comment form for residential submittals: application completeness, agency routing, supporting documents, and required content of cover, site, architectural, structural, green building and Title 24 sheets.
- Site Permit Review Criteria (DBI memorandum)
Defines the limited items DBI checks on a site permit and defers detailed review to addenda.
- Prepare your plans for your site permit application (SF.gov)
Required sheets and content for site permit plan sets, including fire access/fire flow plan and large-project plans.
- How to create PDFs of your plans or addenda (SF.gov)
Electronic plan format rules: scale, fonts, title blocks, stamp areas, signatures, bookmarks, file naming and size.
- Electronic Plan Review (EPR) Applicant Procedure (CCSF Permit Center)
Bluebeam Studio submittal preparation, comment response statuses, subsequent submittals and file naming.
- Information Sheet DA-02: Disabled Access Upgrade Compliance Checklist Package (existing buildings)
Path-of-travel checklist, 20% rule form, barrier removal form, and equivalent facilitation, technical infeasibility and hardship request forms.
- Information Sheet G-20: Interim Criteria - Building Permit Application Routing to City Agencies
When DBI routes permits, site permits and addenda to Planning, SFFD, Public Works, SFPUC, DPH, OCII and PW-DAC, with a scope-of-work routing matrix.
- Permit & Addenda Routing Tables (DBI)
Tables showing which departments review each full/site permit form type and each addendum type.
- Information Sheet G-01: Signature on Plans
Which work may be prepared by unlicensed persons, contractors, or licensed architects/engineers, and how signatures and seals are affixed.
- Information Sheet S-05: Geotechnical Report Requirements and Third-Party Review at Landslide Zones
When a geotechnical report and third-party review are required, and report submittal requirements.
- Information Sheet P-04: Plumbing fixture counts based upon occupancy load
Occupant load method options for plumbing fixture counts and when counts are required.
- Information Sheet P-06: Plumbing fixture counts for common use areas in new R-2 occupancies
Alternative restroom count schedule for common-use areas in new R-2 buildings.
- Information Sheet EG-03: Exiting Requirements for Additions and Alterations to Existing Non-Sprinklered R-3 Occupancies Not Exceeding 3 Stories
Single-exit and sprinkler conditions for small existing R-3 additions and alterations.
- Information Sheet FS-03: Automatic Sprinkler System Requirements for Additions and Alterations in Existing Non-Sprinklered R-3 Occupancies with 4 Stories
When additions trigger sprinklers throughout versus only in altered areas.
- Information Sheet M-04: Title 24 Energy Code and SF Green Building Code Inspection Checklists (Non-residential, High-Rise Residential, Hotel/Motel)
Energy and green building inspection checklists to be completed and affixed to drawings at submittal.
- SFPUC Checklist (Water, Power, Sewer)
Yes/no screening of water efficiency, recycled water, onsite reuse, hydraulic capacity, construction runoff, stormwater, grease, sewer connection and power requirements.
- Permit Application Intake Checklist (SF Planning)
Planning matrix of required plot plans, floor plans, elevations, sections and photographs by project type.
- San Francisco Building Code Section 106A.3.3, Information on plans and specifications (in DBI's 2025 SFBC amendments)
Code list of information plans must show: plot plan, grades, elevations, floor plans, fire-resistive details, structural load paths, special inspection program, geotechnical report, energy, access and more.
Before you submit
Check the set before DBI does
Upload the drawings. We compare the sheets with each other and with the California code and San Francisco amendment, and link each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify. We read the codes and amendments that governments publish online, and use licensed model-code text only where a license allows it. For the code itself, see the California Building Code review guide and the California Fire Code review guide.
Pre-permit review
Look for incomplete information and conflicting requirements before the first plan check cycle.
Prepare for submissionDrawing-to-code review
Compare the stated design with the adopted code and local amendments.
Review against codesUse local code references
How we use local codes and amendments, and when to upload a licensed copy.
Read the guideQuestions, answered
San Francisco plan check FAQs
How do I know my project will meet San Francisco building codes?
Start with the code basis: applications filed on or after January 1, 2026 must use the 2025 California Codes with the 2025 San Francisco amendments, so the code analysis and sheet notes should cite that edition. Then check the drawings against those codes, the amendments, and DBI's checklists for your permit path. DBI plan check and your design professionals decide compliance; Groundbook can compare the set with the codes and amendments you supply and flag potential conflicts before you submit.
Which code edition applies to a San Francisco building permit filed now?
Applications filed on or after January 1, 2026 must use the 2025 California Codes with the 2025 San Francisco amendments. There is no grace period; applications filed before that date use the 2022 codes.
How do I respond to DBI plan check comments?
Join the Bluebeam Session, mark each comment Incorporated or Not Incorporated with the Back Check status menu, and reply explaining where it was fixed or why not. Then email the DBI plan reviewer.
Can I resubmit only the sheets that changed?
No. The City's electronic plan review procedure says subsequent submittals are entire drawing sets, even if comments touched only a few sheets. Wait until all review stations finish, and name files with the next revision number.
What does DBI actually check on a site permit?
A limited review: occupancy, construction type, allowable height, stories and area; exterior wall and opening protection; whether egress provides enough exits; a general access and path-of-travel overview; valuation; and SFUSD fee areas. Detailed review waits for addenda.
Does Groundbook approve permits or replace DBI plan check?
No. Groundbook surfaces potential conflicts and omissions in the drawings you upload, with links to the sources, for your team to verify before submitting. DBI reviews the application and makes every approval decision.
Official source directory
Keep the reference trail
- SF.gov - Learn about our building permit review processes
OTC vs. in-house review, site permit, three-round escalation, revisions need new permit
- SF.gov - Get a building permit with In-House Review
Full vs. site permit, required documents, 30-business-day target for 1-10 unit new residential
- SF.gov - Current San Francisco building codes (2025)
2025 codes effective January 1, 2026, no grace period
- DBI - 2025 San Francisco Building Code amendments (PDF)
Sections 101A.1 (amends 2025 CBC and CRC, which incorporate 2024 IBC/IRC), 101A.4.1, 106A.3.2, 106A.3.3, 106A.3.4, 106A.3.5, 107A.3; strike/underline format
- SF.gov - How to create PDFs of your plans or addenda
PDF, title block, stamp area, signature, naming and file size rules
- SF.gov - Prepare your plans for your site permit application (October 2023)
Site permit sheet requirements, fire access and fire flow plan
- SF.gov - Submit construction addenda for your Site Permit
Addenda schedule approval, addendum form, submittal steps
- SF.gov - Plan review process in Bluebeam
Bluebeam Session invitations and replying in Markups List
- SF.gov - Resubmit plans for a building permit application
Resubmission form for applicants without Bluebeam and small businesses
- SF.gov - Add our Back Check page to your plans
Back Check page must be the last page of the set
- CCSF Permit Center - Electronic Plan Review (EPR) Applicant Procedure (3/21/2022)
Comment response statuses, full-set resubmittal, naming conventions; redirected from api.sf.gov/documents/1491
- SF.gov - Information sheets for DBI
Index of DBI Information Sheets and related memos
- DBI Information Sheet G-20 - Interim Criteria, Building Permit Application Routing (March 20, 2026)
Agency routing rules for permits, site permits and addenda
- DBI - Permit & Addenda Routing Tables
Department routing by form and addendum type
- DBI - Residential Pre-Plan Check Processing checklist
Intake comment checklist for residential submittals
- DBI Memorandum - Site Permit Review Criteria (March 21, 2023)
Scanned PDF; text read via OCR
- DBI Information Sheet DA-02 - Disabled Access Upgrade Compliance Checklist Package (March 26, 2025)
Existing buildings; path of travel, 20% rule, request forms
- DBI Information Sheet DA-13 - Change of use and occupancy, and path of travel upgrades (January 29, 2016)
Scanned PDF read via OCR; opened for context, no items extracted
- DBI Information Sheet G-01 - Signature on Plans (October 16, 2018)
Licensure categories and signature/seal rules
- DBI Information Sheet S-05 - Geotechnical Report Requirements and Third-Party Review (11/4/2025)
Geotechnical report triggers and submittal requirements
- DBI Information Sheet P-04 - Plumbing fixture counts based upon occupancy load (July 11, 2025)
Occupant load method for fixture counts
- DBI Information Sheet P-06 - Plumbing fixture counts for common use areas in new R-2 (February 5, 2026)
Common-use restroom schedule
- DBI Information Sheet EG-03 - Exiting Requirements for Additions and Alterations to Existing Non-Sprinklered R-3 (February 17, 2026)
Single exit with 125-foot travel distance condition
- DBI Information Sheet FS-03 - Automatic Sprinkler Requirements for Additions and Alterations in Existing R-3 (December 6, 2023)
Scanned PDF read via OCR
- DBI Information Sheet EG-01 - Exiting and Fire Sprinklers Requirements for Roof Decks (October 10, 2017)
References 2013 SFBC; opened for context, no items extracted
- DBI Information Sheet M-04 - Title 24 Energy and SF Green Building Inspection Checklists, Non-residential (August 6, 2026)
Checklists affixed to drawings; applies to applications from January 1, 2026
- DBI Information Sheet GB-02 - Material Reduction and Recovery Plan (March 6, 2023)
Green Halo tracking number noted on plan sets
- SF.gov - Fill out green building forms
GS1-GS6 forms updated February 18, 2026; AB-093
- SFPUC Checklist - Water, Power, Sewer (October 2024)
SFPUC requirements screened on DBI applications
- SF Planning - Permit Application Intake Checklist (Rev. 05.31.2019)
Planning submittal matrix by project type
- San Francisco Fire Department - Plan Check
SFFD plan check scope, OTC vs. in-queue, expedited review
- SF.gov - Check if your project requires Health plan review
DPH plan review categories
- SF.gov - Where to apply for your permit
PermitSF, contractor online permits, OTC, in-house eligibility
- SF.gov - Department of Building Inspection
Department name, role, contact (sfdbi.org redirects here)
- SF.gov - Electronic plan review (EPR) resources
DBI states 100% electronic plan review for in-house review projects
- SF.gov - Permit performance metrics
Dashboards for completeness, first and resubmission review times
- SF.gov - How to use Bluebeam
Responses must be made inside the Bluebeam Session
- SF.gov - Create your building project plans (Full Permit)
Full permit plan set contents; opened for context
- SF.gov - Additional information on permit performance metrics
Targets defined as calendar days met at least 75% of the time; numbers only on dashboards
California plan review guide · All plan check corrections · California AB 253 private plan review · Los Angeles plan check · San Diego plan check · San Jose plan check · Seattle plan check · New York City plan check · Denver plan check · Portland plan check · Phoenix plan check · Boston plan check · Austin plan check · Chicago plan check
Find the corrections before the plans examiner does
Upload the drawing set. We read the local amendments that governments publish online, and link each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.