Schedule a pre-application meeting

Talk with City staff from the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and the Fire Department before you submit.

The Planning Department offers a different pre-application meeting. See the process and requirements for a Planning pre-application meeting.

You only need to include the Fire Department if you are building 3 units or more.

The meeting gives you a chance to ask questions before you submit your permit application.

Pre-application meetings are helpful if your project is particularly complex or you are unsure of your building permit code interpretation.

Include:

• 
A set of schematic drawings, describing existing conditions and the proposed project
• Your list of specific code-related questions

You will get notes and our agreements in writing. Attach these to your building permit application.

Our decisions in the pre-application meeting are binding. When you apply for your building permit, we will use that agreement to measure your project’s compliance.

For a 2-hour meeting

Department of Building Inspection (DBI) 

• Building review $400 (mandatory)
• Mechanical review $400 
• If the meeting goes over 2 hours, DBI charges $200 an hour

Fire (only needed for 3 units or more)

• $576
• If the meeting goes over 4 hours, Fire charges $144 an hour