Department of Building Inspection Customer Communication - 2/20/2025

Dear Customers,

Up to half of all permit applications submitted to the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) cannot be accepted on the first try because the applicant didn’t get the required disclosures and authorizations completed and signed. That frustrates you and other applicants, and creates an unnecessary obstacle for your work.

To address this issue, DBI is changing where and when this information is provided, revising our Property Owner Authorization and Contractor’s Statement, and introducing a new Final Declaration form.

Starting today, disclosures and authorizations will be required at issuance instead of intake. This will enable DBI to accept more projects on the first try and move your projects into completeness check and plan review faster.

Applicants no longer need to complete the worker’s compensation section on DBI’s building permit applications. Instead, the worker’s compensation information, along with new lending information requirements, and asbestos and lead disclosures, will be submitted as part of the Property Owner's Disclosures and Licensed Contractor's Statement at permit issuance.

To further facilitate this change, we are introducing a new Final Declaration to make sure all the necessary disclosures have been submitted and the property owner has authorized the project. This form will also be submitted at issuance.

We believe these modest changes will produce a big change in the number of projects accepted at intake and be a better process for you, your clients and the City as a whole.

As you try this new process, please let us know how it’s going and provide feedback by emailing dbi.communications@sfgov.org.

Thank you for your ongoing support and interest. Let’s stay safe out there.