Mayor Lurie Launches Next Step To Deliver Faster, More Transparent Permitting As New Digital Portal Shows Results

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today launched the next step in PermitSF, his effort to drive the city’s economic recovery by making the permitting process fast, predictable, and transparent. The latest reforms include a new digital contractor authorization to speed up the permitting process for contractors and business owners regularly doing business through the city’s permitting process. As the mayor takes another step to make it easier to work with the city, PermitSF’s recently launched digital portal is cutting wait times and showing a strong demand for a system that is available anytime and anywhere.

As part of Mayor Lurie’s work to make permitting faster and more transparent, the mayor launched a fully digital permitting portal that will allow homeowners and business owners to obtain the permits they need online. Just last month, Mayor Lurie took steps to make it easier for San Franciscans to host special events and throw block parties in their neighborhoods. Since its launch, PermitSF has produced 20 ordinances, including common-sense reforms to remove burdens for homeowners to repair their decks and park in their driveways, or for businesses to set up cafe tables on sidewalks and paint their own business names on their storefronts. To continue this work, the mayor has announced plans to create a more coordinated and accountable permitting process by merging the Department of Building Inspection, the Planning Department, and the Permit Center.  

“With PermitSF, we set out to cut red tape to make it easier to build housing and run a business—and two months in, it’s clear our new portal is working,” said Mayor Lurie. “We’re seeing strong adoption, faster processing, and more flexibility for applicants, exactly what San Francisco needs to move projects forward. By modernizing how permits are submitted and reviewed, we’re making life easier for San Franciscans and helping accelerate the housing and investment our city needs.”

The new fully digital contractor authorization process replaces a manual, in-person system with a faster, more convenient online experience. Contractors can now get authorized remotely, manage their staff’s access, and oversee projects more efficiently—saving time and reducing costs for both businesses and their customers.

By streamlining registration, more contractors can apply online for permits without visiting the Permit Center—saving hundreds of dollars and dozens of hours in avoided wait time.

Through the PermitSF portal, contractors can:

• Get authorized online without submitting physical license cards or appearing in person
• Add or remove employees quickly
• Assign project managers and administrative or finance staff with ease

“Expanding the PermitSF portal so contractors can authorize their employees to apply for online permits is the next step in our transition to a fully digital permitting system,” said David Kane, Interim Director of the Department of Building Inspection. “Simplifying the permit application process is a key part of our efforts to streamline permitting and make it faster to build in San Francisco.”

Two months after the launch of the digital portal for replacing doors, windows, or siding, and for fire alarms, sprinklers, and other fire suppression, it is already delivering a faster, more straightforward way for San Franciscans to get permits—while cutting down on trips to City Hall and giving applicants more flexibility to apply from anywhere.  

In its first two months, the portal:

• Received 1,140 submissions
• Issued 669 permits
• Processed 98 special event intake forms

The data shows strong demand for a system that is available anytime from anywhere. Fifteen percent of applications through the PermitSF portal were submitted outside of traditional business hours, allowing homeowners, small business owners, and contractors to move projects forward on their own schedules. Building permits also continue to meet the city’s two-day processing time goal, ensuring a fast and predictable process.

By moving more permitting online, the city is also improving the in-person experience for projects that still require a visit to the Permit Center. Fewer applicants are coming in for common project types, with a 10% to 15% reduction in visits, while Fire Department wait times have dropped by 56%—from more than 30 minutes to an average of 14 minutes.

The portal also launched with a special events intake process—where applicants submit their basic event details on PermitSF and then receive customized instructions about which permits they will need.

To improve transparency and measure the effectiveness of digital permitting, PermitSF is tracking submission status and processing times in a public dashboard.

“The new system is a big improvement and works great, with its simplified processes, fast messaging, and clear visibility into project status,” said Harrison McHugh, Vice President of San Francisco-based mechanical contracting firm Ayoob & Peery. “This all helps us confidently update our clients on timelines and next steps. As the system continues to grow, it will be even better—everything we need will finally be in one place.”

“Japantown is more alive than ever, from the recent Cherry Blossom Festival to the annual Nihonmachi Street Fair coming this August,” said Grace Horikiri, Director of the Japantown Community Benefit District. “We are using the new PermitSF portal for the first time with the Nihonmachi fair and it’s been great. Having a dedicated person to coordinate with and one place to connect all our permits, it’s untangling what has been a complicated process.”

The city is continuing to expand digital tools to make permitting even easier. On April 13, 2026, PermitSF launched a new online application for requesting water flow information, which is required when installing fire sprinkler systems in new or existing buildings. Applicants can now find instructions, submit requests, and track results directly through the portal.