San Francisco Building Permit Lookup
Search 2,327,371 SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI) records covering 1903 to 2026. See what was filed, who filed it, and what was never closed out.
Searching in San Francisco, California · Street address only, no city or state
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Navigating the San Francisco permit registry
Building permits in San Francisco are public records. Every renovation, addition and structural change that went through the proper process left a filing with SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI), and the gaps in that record are often more revealing than the filings themselves.
We pull directly from SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI), whose published records begin in 1903 and now run to 2,327,371 permits. That includes building work alongside the trade permits — electrical, mechanical and plumbing — that carry most of a house's renovation history. You can verify any permit at the source.
Work started without a permit, or started under one that was never closed out, can surface at the worst possible moment: during an appraisal, at closing, or when you make an insurance claim. A permit that shows as open or expired years after the work finished is the signal worth chasing.
Across San Francisco's whole record, 1,338,996 permits closed out properly, 448,693 are still open, and 327,374 expired without ever being finaled.
Use Cases
Most filed in San Francisco
- Over-the-counter Alterations973,920
- Additions, Alterations or Repairs271,440
- Sign Erection21,142
- New Construction, Wood Frame13,126
- Demolition7,312
- Wall or Painted Sign4,133
Source
- Authority
- SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI)
- Feed
- Socrata
- Index refreshed
- September 2026
- Typical review
- ~21 days
San Francisco Permit Registry FAQ
How far back do the records go?
San Francisco's published permit records begin in 1903 and run through 2026. Work done before then will not appear here, even if it was properly permitted at the time.
How many permits are in the database?
2,327,371 for San Francisco, pulled from SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI) over Socrata. Our index was last refreshed in September 2026.
Are these records official?
Yes. Every permit shown comes from SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI) through its public data feed. We reformat the records, we do not create them.
Can I see which permits are still open?
Yes. Of the 2,327,371 permits on file, 1,338,996 closed out properly, 448,693 remain open and 327,374 expired without ever being finaled. Expired is usually the more serious of the two.
What if I find work without a permit?
Unpermitted work is common and usually negotiable before closing. Get a contractor's estimate for bringing it into compliance, and raise it with the seller while you still have leverage.
Does every minor repair need a permit?
Most cosmetic work does not. Anything structural, electrical or plumbing almost always requires a filing, which is why those are the gaps worth checking.
How current is the data?
We query SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI)'s feed directly at search time. How fresh that feed is depends on the department, and some publish on a lag of days. The most recent permit in our San Francisco index was issued 2026.
Ready to check another address?
Searching in San Francisco, California · Street address only, no city or state
Not sure what you’ll get? See a sample report