City Building Permits
Daly City, CA Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Daly City, California. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
City of Daly City permits apply within Daly City corporate limits. For projects in unincorporated San Mateo County, permits are issued by San Mateo County Planning and Building (not City).
- Department
- Building Division, Department of Economic and Community Development, City of Daly City
- Address
- 333 90th Street, City Hall, 2nd Floor, Daly City, CA 94015
- Phone
- 650-991-8061
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Tyler EnerGov / Self-Service portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online or in-person
Application Process
- Determine if your work is permit-eligible (California Building Code actions: alter, construct, convert, demolish, enlarge, erect, improve, move, remove, repair).
- For quick permit work, submit via the portal if eligible. For many maintenance applications, also accepted via email or in person.
- For permits requiring plans, submit permit application + credit card authorization (and any support docs/plans) by email.
- For most plan-review permits, initial plan review target is 15 working days from routing.
- Permit may be issued in person at Building Division during business hours (Mon�Fri 8:00am�5:00pm; Wednesdays 9:00am�5:00pm) and scheduled with staff on that basis.
Source: Building Division, Department of Economic and Community Development, City of Daly City
General Requirements
permits for work that alters/constructs/remodels in most categories; examples include accessory building work, additions, decks, patio enclosures/decks, retaining walls, rooms, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, furnace/water heater replacement, kitchen/bathroom remodels, and roof/siding/window/siding work.
Required Documents
- permit application or roofing permit application PDF + credit card authorization + supporting docs/plans
- for plans, plans must demonstrate scope, details, and support review
- e-mail submission accepted.
- Permit validity
- permits can expire if inspections are not completed; expired permits may require extension/renewal/reinstatement and trigger additional fees.
- Building code
- 2025 California Building Standards Code in effect for permits on/after 1/1/2026; Daly City also applies local amendments under Title 15.
- Owner-builder
- Homeowners may use owner-builder permit pathway; still must meet all code requirements and signed Owner-Builder Disclosure Form is required.
- Contractor requirements
- projects with labor+materials > $500 require a licensed contractor per state law. Owner may self-apply only where allowed.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $136 (Residential) / $191 (County reference below not city) based on FY 2026 Daly City building permit valuation tiers; city fees also include valuation-based steps and surcharges.
- Plan check fee
- 79% of building permit fee for City Building Division plan review; additional plan review by hour when additional review required.
- Permit fee formula
- Building permit is largely valuation-based with base + incremental per $1,000. Examples from approved FY2026 schedule: $136 up to 1�$2,000; $15.48 per additional $1,000 (next tier), with 79% plan review fee and additional plan-check rates.
- Reinspection fee
- Reinspection and missed/incorrect work penalties can increase costs; from City schedule includes reinspection/extension and work-without-permit enforcement framework. County schedule includes dedicated inspection/reinspection charges; see link in sources.
- Payment note
- credit-card-only for many permit channels; checks accepted for some mailed/fax submissions; temporary certificates of occupancy carry required deposit/processing fees.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Important: Caveat: absence from the examples is not automatically an exemption�confirm exemptions through city/county planning if uncertain.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Tyler EnerGov / Self-Service portal (online)
- 650-991-8061 (phone)
- Time windows
- in-person contact and normal counter hours are Mon�Fri 8:00am�5:00pm (Wednesdays 9:00am�5:00pm) via Building Division.
Typical inspection sequence: foundation/framing, insulation/airspace, drywall, final, etc. (project dependent; final inspection required before completion).
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2025 California Building Standards Code in effect for permits on/after 1/1/2026; Daly City also applies local amendments under Title 15.
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- License lookup guide: California Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: California Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Building Division, Department of Economic and Community Development, City of Daly City before applying.
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