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Development Services

Permit Application Processing Timeline

Stopwatch icon overlayed on blueprints

The City of San Diego Development Services Department is committed to processing applications for permits as expeditiously as possible. The timeline below provides a weekly snapshot of the approximate number of days for applications to be set up for staff review or for permit issuance. The actual length of time to process applications will vary depending on the number of applications received and the completeness of the documents submitted.

  • Intake: This is the queue time that it takes to process applications from the first upload to the pre-screen phase. 
  • Review: This is the time from the start to the finish of the project review. 
  • Permit Issuance: This is the queue time after the project has been reviewed, a request to obtain a permit is received and the time it takes for staff to verify that all requirements have been met.  
Permit or Application Type Business Days*
Building Permit Intake 31
Building Permit Rapid Review Intake 24
Building Construction Change Intake 7
Demo, Stand Alone Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Permits  Intake 30
Discretionary Projects Intake 8
Grading, Public Improvement, Mapping Intake 17
Sign Permit Intake 27
Plan Review (All Application Types) Review Varies based on review type.

Building Permit - (Hybrid Process PTS/Accela)

Permit Issuance

22

Building Permit

Permit Issuance

21

Building Permit Rapid Review

Permit Issuance

24

Demo, Stand Alone Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Permits 

Permit Issuance

26

Sign Permit

Permit Issuance

4

*The average timelines do not include weekends, holidays and the furlough core period (consisting of the workday after Thanksgiving Day and workdays between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day).
Data Current as of Jan. 21, 2022, at 5:30 p.m.