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Demolition/Removal Permit in San Diego, California

Demolition is permitted through DSD under Information Bulletin 710. Historic review can apply here as it does to construction, and the City addresses sewer capping directly.

Verified 2026-09-11 · Source

When you need this permit

  • The sewer obligation stands on its own: the City notes work must be done in an approved manner 'regardless of whether a demolition permit is required.'
  • 'A separate permit is not required to cap the sewer.'
  • Historic review may apply where the project is on a site with a designated historical resource; see Information Bulletins 580 and 581.

Required documents

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Fee schedule

General Plan Maintenance FeeCharged once per project at application, per Information Bulletin 501.
$737.00
Demolition/removal permit feesThe Demolition Permit page publishes no dollar figures; fees are set by the published schedules.
Per Information Bulletin 501 and the City's fee pages

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Demolition/Removal Permit permit actually take in San Diego?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Demolition inspection

    Requested through DSD; see Information Bulletin 710.

See the full San Diego inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • THE SEWER DUTY SURVIVES THE PERMIT QUESTION. San Diego requires the work done in an approved manner 'regardless of whether a demolition permit is required' - so the absence of a demolition permit does not mean there is nothing to do.
  • HISTORIC REVIEW REACHES DEMOLITION TOO, via Information Bulletins 580 (potential) and 581 (designated).

Frequently asked questions

No. The City states plainly that 'A separate permit is not required to cap the sewer.' The work must still be done in an approved manner.

In San Diego, the published General Plan Maintenance Fee is: $737.00. Additional published fees: Demolition/removal permit fees — Per Information Bulletin 501 and the City's fee pages. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

San Diego does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of San Diego - Development Services Department (DSD) at 619-446-5000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Information Bulletin 710 - Building Demolition/Removal. Depending on your project, San Diego may also ask for: Request for Building & Demolition/Removal Permit Extension, DS-117. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

San Diego requires 1 inspection(s) for a demolition/removal permit, in order: Demolition inspection. Schedule each through City of San Diego - Development Services Department (DSD) (619-446-5000).

Apply through City of San Diego - Development Services Department (DSD) at 7650 Mission Valley Road, MS# DSD-1A, San Diego, CA 92108 - the Mission Valley office, which the City calls 'This office is the primary location for in-person customer assistance, with most services requiring an appointment .' A second office at 550 West C St., 12th Floor (MS# DSD-2A), San Diego, CA 92101 serves pre-scheduled appointments for existing projects and permits only; 'Walk-in services are not available.'. Phone: 619-446-5000. Office hours: Mission Valley building hours Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Front Counter Customer Service Mon-Thu 8 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 3 p.m., Fri 10 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 3 p.m. Records Mon-Thu 7 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 4 p.m. Cashiers Mon-Thu 7 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. The Customer Service Line is listed separately as 619-446-5000, MONDAY - FRIDAY: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. NOTE: 'All in-person services at the Mission Valley location are closed on business days between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.'. Official information: https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services.

San Diego, California has adopted: 2025 California Building Standards Code (CBSC), Title 24 California Code of Regulations - the City's own document records that it 'has been adopted by the State of California and will be effective on a statewide basis on January 1, 2026.'; San Diego's local amendments to the 2025 CBSC are published by DSD. CAUTION: the adoption document is headed 'Proposed Local Amendments 2025 California Building Standards Code' and says the City 'proposes to adopt by reference certain parts of the CBSC'. It is dated Thursday August 28, 2025 and revised 2-13-2026. Confirm the enacted status with DSD before relying on any individual local amendment.. Local amendments apply — see the San Diego overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.

Fee schedules

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the San Diego building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

San Diego's permit history isn't searchable here yet

This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for San Diego yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.

Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when San Diego lands. Privacy.

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Demolition/Removal Permit in other cities

Alamosa, ColoradoAlbuquerque, New MexicoAnaconda-Deer Lodge, MontanaApache Junction, ArizonaArtesia, New MexicoArvada, ColoradoAspen, ColoradoAult, Colorado

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