SERVICE
Register your vacant building
Vacant buildings must be registered within 30 days of vacancy and re-registered every year.
What to know
Cost
$1,230.95 per year.
Mail cashier’s checks or money orders. We can accept credit cards or cash in-person.
Up to 50% of the fee can be refunded if your building becomes occupied that year.
Advantages of registration
According to Ordinance 0194-09, all vacant buildings in San Francisco must be registered annually.
If the building is registered, we will not consider vacant building complaints to be code violations.
Even if the building is registered for vacancy, we can still cite you for blight if you do not adequately maintain the property.
What to do
1. Complete and print the PDF application
We will ask you:
- Property owner information
- How you have secured the property against unauthorized entry
- Your future plans for the property
- Name of your fire and liability insurance provider
- Lender information if the property has a notice of default or foreclosure
2. Give us your application, documents, and payment
Include:
- Vacant building PDF application
- A copy of your fire and liability insurance policies
- Payment — if using cashier’s check or money order, make it payable to “SF Department of Building Inspection” or “CCSF_DBI”
You can mail the packet or deliver it in-person to our office.
Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
Supporting information
Special cases
Pending lease or sale
You do not need to register if there is a lease or sale pending on the property. You will need to send proof documenting the lease or pending sale, like an MLS number or a copy of the lease.
After you register
We will contact you to schedule an inspection to ensure the vacant building requirements are being met.
Related
Get help
Phone
Code Enforcement Section
dbi.codeenforcement@sfgov.orgPartner agencies
What to know
Cost
$1,230.95 per year.
Mail cashier’s checks or money orders. We can accept credit cards or cash in-person.
Up to 50% of the fee can be refunded if your building becomes occupied that year.
Advantages of registration
According to Ordinance 0194-09, all vacant buildings in San Francisco must be registered annually.
If the building is registered, we will not consider vacant building complaints to be code violations.
Even if the building is registered for vacancy, we can still cite you for blight if you do not adequately maintain the property.
What to do
1. Complete and print the PDF application
We will ask you:
- Property owner information
- How you have secured the property against unauthorized entry
- Your future plans for the property
- Name of your fire and liability insurance provider
- Lender information if the property has a notice of default or foreclosure
2. Give us your application, documents, and payment
Include:
- Vacant building PDF application
- A copy of your fire and liability insurance policies
- Payment — if using cashier’s check or money order, make it payable to “SF Department of Building Inspection” or “CCSF_DBI”
You can mail the packet or deliver it in-person to our office.
Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
Supporting information
Special cases
Pending lease or sale
You do not need to register if there is a lease or sale pending on the property. You will need to send proof documenting the lease or pending sale, like an MLS number or a copy of the lease.
After you register
We will contact you to schedule an inspection to ensure the vacant building requirements are being met.
Related
Get help
Phone
Code Enforcement Section
dbi.codeenforcement@sfgov.org