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​Permit Records and Mapping Information

INFORMATION BULLETIN
110
June 2025

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IN THIS BULLETIN:

The Development Services Department (DSD) Records section maintains building permits, plans, maps, and related data for land development projects in the City of San Diego. This information is useful for those purchasing residential, commercial or industrial property to verify whether a project required discretionary approval and was legally constructed and completed.​

Access Information Required! To proceed with your request, please have one of the following:

  1. Property address.

  2. Plan file number.

  3. Approval number.

  4. Permit number.

  5. Legal description or APN (Assessor Parcel Number) available from the County Assessor.

I. Types of Records Available

  • Permits and Drawings
  • Maps
  • Files and Reports
  • Plans

II. Fees

General Fees 

  1. Copies……………………………………............................$0.25 per page
  2. Records Research Fee…………………………………….$34.03 

Fees are updated periodically.  

Accepted Payments

  • Cash, Check, ATM card, Visa, or MasterCard.
  • Checks must be for the exact amount, drawn on U.S. banks, and made payable to “City Treasurer.”

Payment Method

Customers can pay in person at the Development Services Center, located at  1222 First Ave., 3rd Floor, San Diego, CA 92101.

III. Obtaining Permit Records, Plans, and Mapping Information 

In Person

Appointments are required to view records at DSD, 1222 First Ave., 2nd Floor, San Diego, CA 92101. You can book via the online appointment calendar.

Self-service stations (no assistance or training needed) are available, without an appointment, during regular hours to access our Project Tracking System (PTS) and conduct permit research.

Please note: Building plans and paper project files are not accessible via self-service and require an appointment with staff.  

View DSD hours of operation. 

Online

Many resources are available online:

  1. OpenDSD
  2. Accela
  3. DSD-Permit-Finder
  4. Open Data Portal: Includes digital data from paper-based applications dating back to 2003.
  5. Subdivision Index Cards: These cards contain historical permit details, discretionary action summaries and agreements filed with DSD through the 1990s.
  6. Additional tools are available on the DSD website.  

IV. Viewing Plans 

Building plans can only be viewed on-site and in-person with a scheduled appointment.

 

These plans include:

  • An official copy of building plans for which the department has issued a construction permit, except for certain exempt buildings.
  • Plans that date back to about 1955.
  • Plans of common interest developments, as defined by Section 4125 of the Civil Code, retained since Jan. 1, 1989.

Note: Copying, tracing, sketching or photographing building plans during viewing is prohibited. 

V. Duplicating Plans 

An in-person appointment is required to request building plan copies. Schedule online. 

 

We must comply with California Health and Safety Code §§19850–19853, which requires written permission from:

  • The current property owner.

  • The design professional who signed the plans.

Duplication instructions are available on the Records webpage.

VI. Previous Versions of this Information Bulletin

This section contains previous versions of this Information Bulletin, as of the last day they were effective.