PermitSF

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Reforming City permitting processes

PermitSF is working to reform the City’s permitting process to make it customer-centric, fast, predictable, transparent and unified. Your input is essential. We want to hear about permit challenges you faced.Submit permit feedback

Priority areas

Customer experience

Customer-centric: Designed to meet the needs of San Francisco residents and businesses
Fast, predictable, and transparent: A resident or entrepreneur should be able to easily obtain permits on their own, with visibility into requirements and completion
One City: Permitting should seamlessly flow across departments

Government accountability

Expand permit processing “shot clocks” and performance targets for each department and permit type
Align staff performance metrics with "shot clocks"

Technology

Create a consolidated permit application
Allow any permit to be filed online
Develop a public-facing permit tracking tool that allows customers to monitor their permit status in real time

Centralize permit application intake across departments
Expand service hours in the Permit Center to better meet customer demand
Partner with the Board of Supervisors to propose a legislative package cutting unnecessary red tape
Expand permit processing “shot clocks” and performance targets for each department and permit type

Create a consolidated permit application and allow for any permit to be filed online
Develop a public-facing permit tracking tool that allows customers to monitor their permit status in real time
Develop and recommend amendments to City Charter to consider merging key permitting functions into a single department

Technology systems are continually improved and modernized
Performance metrics are easy to access and transparent
San Franciscans have trust in a permitting system that works and is responsive to the evolving needs of the City

Share your experience

We want to learn from your real-life examples and experiences. Share your story online or by email to PermitSF@sfgov.org.

Building on our momentum

Over the past several years, San Francisco has advanced several initiatives to lower fees and speed up permitting. PermitSF will build on these milestones. These include:

2020 | San Franciscans pass Prop H and the Small Business Recovery Act (2021)

Starting with the passage of Prop H, San Francisco allows more commercial projects to be processed within a shorter timeframe, in what’s known as “over-the-counter," when permits applications are processed immediately upon submission.

2021 | A new Permit Center opens

In 2021, San Francisco opened a new building at 49 South Van Ness Avenue.
It offers 23 distinct service areas through the Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, among others.
By centralizing services in one place, customers can move between permitting departments efficiently, resulting in a better experience and improved government function.
At the Permit Center, the City serves an average of 191 customers per day and provides on average 531 services daily.

2021 | First Year Free launches

San Francisco adopted the First Year Free program in 2021, which waives first-year permit, license and business registration fees for new and expanding businesses.
This program has been expanded several times and is in place through June 30, 2025.
Since the First Year Free program began, over 8,000 businesses have enrolled and over $4.5 million in permit and registration fees have been waived.

2022 | The City offers concierge business services

San Francisco provides concierge services directly at the Permit Center to help applicants navigate permitting at any business stage.

2023 | The City adopts plan for meeting our housing needs for the next 8 years

The Housing Element 2022 Update was adopted in January 2023. Its policies and programs express San Francisco’s collective vision for the future of housing.

2024 | Online permit application and "electronic plan review" process launches

In 2024, San Francisco launched an online permit application and electronic plan review process for building permits, the first step of a multi-phased approach to creating a centralized and transparent permit portal for applicants to access.

2024 | San Franciscans vote for Business Tax Reform

In November 2024, voters adopted Proposition M, which revised the San Francisco business tax structure.
With the adoption of Prop M, the City is setting aside (beginning 2026) $10 million each year to waive 49 license fees for businesses.
This is one of the most significant reform measures benefitting small businesses in the history of San Francisco to date.
An estimated 88% of all restaurants will be exempt from business taxes.
An estimated 50% of retailers who are currently paying gross receipts taxes will be exempt

Leadership

Mayor Daniel Lurie has tapped San Francisco Planning Department Director Rich Hillis to lead the multi-agency group bringing together key city departments to deliver integrated permit reform. Working directly with Chief of Housing and Economic Development Ned Segal, the leadership team also includes:

Patrick O’Riordan
Director of the Department of Building Inspection

Katy Tang
Executive Director of the Office of Small Business

Rebecca Villareal-Mayer
Director of the San Francisco Permit Center

Liz Watty
Director of Current Planning at the Planning Department

Contact the leadership team by emailing PermitSF@sfgov.org

Do you need a permit today?

Permits and licenses for business

Find and submit permits, licenses, and forms that apply to your business.

Health permits and regulations

Permits issued by the Environmental Health Branch (EHB) authorized by the San Francisco Health Code.

Planning Department approvals

The permitting process varies depending on the scope of your project and the zoning of your property by the Planning Department.

Building permits

Building code, permits, and inspections.

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Committed to long-term reform benefitting property owners, businesses, and residents. No band-aid solutions.

About

PermitSF aims to drive meaningful reform through structural changes, making it easier, more cost-effective, transparent, and efficient for businesses and property owners to secure the permits they need for successful projects. For more details about PermitSF, read the full PermitSF Executive Directive.