To ensure the health, safety and well-being of customers and its staff, the Development Services Department (DSD) is responding to the latest directives from Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer and state, federal, and local authorities to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic while providing essential City services. Visit this page for the latest information about DSD's programs and services, which are subject to immediate change.
Facility Closures
- Each of the DSD physical offices is temporarily closed to the general public, but open to employees.
- All walk-in and over-the-counter services are suspended.
- DSD is working to quickly help customers and employees gain the digital access they need to streamline a paperless submittal process.
Payment Options
**Updated April 3**
- Payment drop-off can be made in the first-floor lobby of the Development Services Center, located at 1222 First Ave.
A touchless drop safe has been installed to simply drop your payment into the slot of the safe. The safe will be checked daily and payments process the following business day. Water and sewer fees can be dropped off at this location. Please include in the memo of the check the invoice # or Project # or attach the invoice to the check. This is an unstaffed location for document drop off only. Read the posted instructions carefully. Please email [email protected] for questions.
- Payment of school fees:
For the San Diego Unified School District, please visit sandiegounified.org/developer-fees for payment information.
Appointments, Questions and Review Comments/Requirements
**Updated April 6**
- Appointment requests are being managed by each division, as most will be served remotely. View the Contact Us page to find the contact information for a section or division for scheduling appointments via email, the web and phone.
- DSD staff is still processing projects including intake, plan review and permit issuance, and is now offering inspections by appointment.
- Project review comments and next time document requirements can now be viewed on OpenDSD. Here is how:
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Go to OpenDSD
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Enter Project #
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Click on Project ID
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Click the Review Cycles Tabs
*There will be a pop up when you click on "Reviewer Issues." Enter the phone number of the Project Contact as identified and set up in the Project Tracking System (PTS).
Quick Permit Drop-offs and Quarantine of Submitted Documents and Plans
**April 3**
- Customers may submit projects, resubmittals and documents in the first-floor lobby of the Development Services Center, located at 1222 First Ave. The Project Submittal Manual and
Information Bulletin #153, respectively outline submittal and permit issuance requirements.
- This is an unstaffed location for document drop off only. Read the posted instructions carefully and place your goldenrod-colored Form DS-3500 and corresponding documents on the cart. Physical distancing is in place, so a maximum of eight customers at a time will be allowed into the first-floor lobby to drop project plans and applications. No payments are allowed here. Items left without the completed goldenrod Form DS-3500 will be discarded. This service will close at 3 p.m. each day
- When dropping off documents, maintain a social distancing radius of six feet at all times. Also, make sure that you are wearing a clean mask or another type of face-covering to limit the spread of COVID-19. These include scarves, bandanas or neck gaiters.
- All submitted hard copy documents or plans will be placed in quarantine for 24 hours before being reviewed or processed. After the 24-hour quarantine, staff will review the documents in the order received and as time permits. The quarantine will reduce the spread of COVID-19, which is detectable for up to 24 hours on cardboard/paper.
- Stamp Transfer requests are processed in this same manner; submit all required plans with a completed goldenrod-colored Form DS-3500. Staff will process the request after it’s been quarantined.
- The 15-day plan retention policy is suspended until further notice due to the current emergency and customer access limitations.
Plan Pick Up/Will Call
**Updated April 3**
- Do not come to pick up documents unless you have completed this step and have received confirmation that your item is ready for pick up.
- Customers should email their Plan Pick Up/Will Call requests to [email protected]. Customers will receive a reply email when project plans or documents are ready for pick up.
- Any notification of item availability other than from the [email protected] is not a guarantee that your files are available. All requests for five or more documents are required to be handled in this method.
- When ready, customers may pick up their project files outside of the third-floor entryway at City Operations Building. This service will close at 3 p.m. each day.
- When picking up documents, maintain a social distancing radius of six feet at all times. Also, make sure that you are wearing a clean mask or another type of face-covering to limit the spread of COVID-19. These include scarves, bandanas or neck gaiters.
- All received documents and plan sets will be processed by DSD staff without further face-to-face customer interactions. Submit requests to pick up documents at [email protected]; notification will be provided when the documents are ready.
Inspection Services
**Updated April 3**
Field Inspections are ongoing. These new field Inspection protocols must be followed for your safety and the safety of inspectors. You may be asked to provide photos instead of an in-person residential interior inspection. Inspectors will also ask you questions about your health, including if you are in COVID-19 isolation or are experiencing any symptoms. Your inspection may be performed at a later date if deemed necessary.
During inspections, follow the COVID-19 safety protocols below. DSD staff will not conduct inspections if the COVID-19 safety protocols are not observed on the job site. Inspections will be rescheduled for a later time when all site conditions meet the protocol.
- Maintain Social Distancing
- Plans, documents and inspection record cards must be made available for the inspector at a location where a minimum 6-feet distance can be accommodated.
- Without exception, there may be no more than 10 people - including the inspector - in any room or space being inspected, and the 6-feet rule must be maintained.
- Wear Facial Coverings
- All construction site employees must use clean masks or other types of face coverings to limit the spread of COVID-19, including scarves, bandanas or neck gaiters.
- COVID-19 Isolation or Sickness
- Inspections will be canceled if you or anyone at the job site has tested positive or is believed to be sick.
- Contact Inspection Services to reschedule the canceled inspection, and we will try to accommodate you at another time or later in the day by appointment or perform the inspections through alternative methods
- Keep Your Job Site Clean
- Maintain a clean job site. Remove all debris or other obstacles from the inspection area.
- Consolidate and Prioritize Inspection Calls
- Help reduce the number of times that we have to go to the job site.
- When possible, schedule one inspection for multiple areas. Please call for an inspection by appointment if the inspection requires more than 30 minutes.
- Provide Handwashing Facilities/Hand Sanitizer
- To avoid the spread of COVID-19, ensure you have a handwashing station or hand sanitizer for inspectors to clean their hands before and after inspections.
Call 858-492-5070 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday with requests for and questions about:
- Emergency gas leak or electrical restoration inspections;
- Mobile home permits;
- Registration and renewal of Special Inspectors; and
- Construction Material Testing Laboratories and Agencies.
Building Permit Extensions
Building permit applications and building permits will be automatically granted a six-month, 180-day extension, if eligible to receive an extension per the San Diego Municipal Code.
Express Services
**Updated March, 25**
Express services for new applications are suspended.
COVID-19 Information
Stay informed about COVID-19 by visiting the City’s COVID-19 Information page, the Center for Disease Control website and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services website.
Email Updates
Visit sandiego.gov/dsd-email to keep up-to-date with DSD via email.
