Service
Apply for a plumbing and mechanical permit
Apply online for a permit to cut into or replace pipes that transport water, gas, hot air, or cool air without plans.
Department of Building InspectionWhat to know
Cost
Permit fees depend on the scope of work. Refer to the plumbing/mechanical permit fees schedule for details.
Requirements
You need a permit before cutting into or replacing pipes, particularly pipes that will be covered by a wall or buried in the ground. See exemptions in San Francisco Plumbing Code Section 104.2.
Contractors must hold a C4, C16, C20, C36, C54, B, or A license to apply for a plumbing or mechanical permit in general. Your permit scope may be further limited depending on your license type.
If you are a contractor authorized for Express Permits on PermitSF, you can skip City staff review and pay for your permit right away.
What to know
Cost
Permit fees depend on the scope of work. Refer to the plumbing/mechanical permit fees schedule for details.
Requirements
You need a permit before cutting into or replacing pipes, particularly pipes that will be covered by a wall or buried in the ground. See exemptions in San Francisco Plumbing Code Section 104.2.
Contractors must hold a C4, C16, C20, C36, C54, B, or A license to apply for a plumbing or mechanical permit in general. Your permit scope may be further limited depending on your license type.
If you are a contractor authorized for Express Permits on PermitSF, you can skip City staff review and pay for your permit right away.
What to do
1. Gather information about your plumbing or mechanical work
In the form, we will ask you for:
- Information about the building, including whether the project is residential/commercial, the existing use, number of stories, and which floors the work is being done on
- Type of plumbing or mechanical work you plan to do
- Number of units or floors you're working on
- Estimated valuation of the work, including all materials and labor
- Contractor information
- The last section of the Contractor Authorization form completed and the contractor's driver's license, if you are an authorized agent for a contractor and are not connected to an AUTH record
- Business information, if the work will be done for a business
Depending on the scope, we may also ask you for:
- The number of components you plan to install
- The number of tenant spaces you will work on, for commercial work
- Whether your job includes a stormwater control plan, alternate water system, or underground plumbing
- The number of kitchen drainage and/or gas outlets, for restaurant work
- The serial number of any boilers being removed
2. Apply for a plumbing and mechanical permit online
Use PermitSF to apply online. The application will ask you about your planned plumbing or mechanical work.
If you are authorized for Express Permits, you can skip City staff review.
After your permit is issued, have your plumbing or mechanical work inspected before covering pipes
When doing both plumbing and mechanical work, apply for separate permits for plumbing work and mechanical work.
Special cases
Contractor license scopes
The following license types are allowed to apply for a plumbing or mechanical permit:
- A license for general engineering work
- B license, after approval based on the scope of work (plumbing work related to a kitchen or bath permit on PermitSF can be approved immediately for B contractors)
- C4 or C36 license for a plumbing permit
- C16 license for a sprinkler permit
- C20 license for a mechanical permit
- C54 license for a plumbing permit for a shower pan only
Homeowners
Only property owners of stand-alone single-family dwellings (R-3 occupancy) may apply for a plumbing or mechanical permit to do the work themselves. Check your home’s official status in the Assessor’s map.
After completing the online form, visit the Permit Center help desk on the second floor at 49 South Van Ness within a week to talk to an inspector. They may tell you to hire a licensed contractor and have them apply for a new permit instead.
Bring your ID to prove you are the owner listed for the property. If the property was recently purchased, you may need to show proof of ownership. If the property is owned by a trust, you need to show proof that you are an authorized signatory for that entity.
Registering a new boiler
After your plumbing permit is approved, register a newly installed boiler separately.
Work on Port property
If you're doing plumbing or mechanical work on Port property:
- Apply for a construction permit through the Port Permit Desk.
- Apply for your plumbing permit using the pier address.
Backflow prevention
Backflow prevention assemblies are part of San Francisco’s annual cross-connection control program. Learn more about cross-connection control.