Daly City Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Daly City, California • 2026 permit guide • Updated October 24, 2026

Daly City Building Permits, Inspections & Services

If you are remodeling a home, replacing a roof or water heater, adding living space, installing an EV charger, building a deck, or starting a larger construction project in Daly City, the City of Daly City Building Division is normally the office that handles the building permit, plan review, and construction inspections.

Daly City Building Division Contact Information

Which Daly City Permit Process Should You Use?

Daly City does not process every construction project the same way. Smaller replacement and remodeling jobs may qualify for a quick permit, while additions and structural work generally need plans and plan review. Some projects also need Planning, Engineering, Fire, or another agency before the building permit can be completed.

The City’s official quick-permit page lists online options for projects including residential bathroom and kitchen remodels, re-roofing, siding and stucco, windows, garage doors, water heaters, furnaces, electrical service upgrades, EV charging work, and qualifying SolarAPP+ projects. See the official Daly City permits page before choosing the application type.

How to Apply for a Daly City Building Permit

What Information Is on the Building Permit Application?

Preparing this information before you start can prevent a frustrating incomplete application. Daly City’s current Building Permit Application asks for:

• Project address.
• Description of the proposed work.
• Project valuation.
• Whether the property is residential or commercial.
• Whether the building is sprinklered.
• Applicant or agent name and contact information.
• Property-owner information.
• Architect, designer, or engineer information when applicable.
• Contractor name and California contractor-license information.
• Workers’ compensation declaration.
• Owner-builder declaration when the property owner qualifies and chooses that route.
• Required signatures and certifications.

You can review the official Daly City Building Permit Application before submitting.

Documents You May Need

How Long Does Daly City Plan Review Take?

Daly City’s plan-review page states that an initial plan submittal is generally reviewed within 15 working days from the date it is routed. However, the Building Division currently warns that initial reviews may take longer than normal because of application volume and staffing.

Official instructions: Permits Involving Plans.

Daly City Building Permit Fees in 2026

Daly City’s building fees are not one flat price. The final amount can include the building permit fee, plan-review charges, electrical/mechanical/plumbing fees, technology charges, Planning or Engineering review, state surcharges, construction-and-demolition deposits, and project-specific fees.

As of October 2026, the City’s current published schedule is the FY 2026–27 / FY2027 Master Fee Schedule. Selected Building Division entries include:

Some construction-and-demolition projects also have refundable security deposits. The current schedule lists, for example, a 3% valuation deposit for qualifying new residential or commercial construction and certain larger alterations, and a $3,000 deposit entry for roof construction. Eligibility, refunds, and other charges depend on the project.

Use the City’s current FY2027 Master Fee Schedule for budgeting, but treat the City’s actual permit invoice as the controlling amount.

How to Schedule a Daly City Building Inspection

Construction that requires a permit must be inspected at the appropriate stages. Work that needs inspection should remain visible and accessible until the inspector approves it.

For permits eligible for online inspection scheduling

1. Open Daly City’s permit portal.
2. Sign in to the account associated with the permit.
3. Open the permit record.
4. Look for the Schedule Inspection option.
5. Select the available inspection type and submit the request.
6. On the inspection date, check the City’s portal after 8:00 AM for the current estimated arrival time.

Daly City currently lists online inspection scheduling for eligible quick permits such as residential kitchen and bathroom remodels, water-heater and furnace replacements, windows, siding/stucco, garage doors, EV chargers, electrical service upgrades, and certain commercial quick permits.

If online scheduling is not available

Call 650-991-8061 or email BuildingDivision@dalycity.org at least two days before the inspection is needed.

Include all five of these details:

1. Correct permit number.
2. Job-site address.
3. Name of the job-site contact.
4. Contact phone number.
5. Type of inspection requested.

Typical Building Inspection Stages

The exact sequence depends on the project, but Daly City identifies common inspections including:

• Foundation / footing inspection.
• Under-floor framing or plumbing where applicable.
• Framing inspection.
• Rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical inspection.
• Blind-wall inspection where applicable.
• Insulation inspection.
• Drywall / sheetrock inspection.
• Final inspection.

At a typical framing inspection, rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work may also be reviewed. For detailed preparation requirements, use the City’s Building Project Inspections guide.

Who Inspects Water, Sewer, Fire & Right-of-Way Work?

Not every inspection is performed by the Building Division. This distinction matters because calling the wrong office can cost you a day or more on an active job.

The Engineering Division handles items such as the water service from the street to the meter, sewer work in the public right-of-way, and certain street, curb, sidewalk, gutter, and driveway-approach inspections. The Building Division handles applicable private-side building plumbing and other permitted construction.

Final Inspection: Do Not Skip This Step

Getting the permit is only the beginning. Daly City requires a final inspection when permitted work is complete. For new construction and a remodel that changes occupancy, a Certificate of Occupancy may be issued when applicable. For many other projects, the signed job card is the record showing that the permitted work reached final approval.

If your contractor says a project is finished, ask to see the final inspection status or signed job card. A permit that was opened but never finalized can become an unpleasant surprise during a refinance, property sale, insurance question, or future remodel.

2026 Daly City Construction Hours

Daly City adopted construction-hour rules in 2026 for outdoor work on private property requiring a building permit. The City’s current handout gives the following general schedule:

The handout also states that material and equipment deliveries are not permitted outside the allowed construction hours. Site staging may begin up to one hour earlier only when construction equipment is not being operated. Projects subject to the ordinance may also need construction-hours signage visible from the street.

Read the official Construction Hours Handout before arranging weekend or evening work.

Which Building Codes Apply in Daly City in 2026?

Daly City adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments, effective January 1, 2026. Applications deemed complete before January 1, 2026 may continue under the code applicable when the application was deemed complete.

The City’s current adopted-code list includes:

• 2025 California Administrative Code.
• 2025 California Building Code.
• 2025 California Residential Code.
• 2025 California Electrical Code.
• 2025 California Mechanical Code.
• 2025 California Plumbing Code.
• 2025 California Energy Code.
• 2025 California Fire Code.
• 2025 California Existing Building Code.
• 2025 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen).
• 2025 California Reference Standards Code.
• 2024 International Property Maintenance Code.
• California Code of Regulations Title 25 where applicable.

Daly City’s local amendments still matter, so a statewide code book alone is not the full answer. Start with the City’s Adopted Codes page and see our California Building Code 2026 guide for a plain-English explanation of the statewide Title 24 code cycle.

Owner-Builder Permits in Daly City

A property owner may be able to obtain a permit as an owner-builder, but this route transfers significant responsibility to the owner. Daly City warns homeowners to consider construction experience, project management, worker safety, liability, scheduling, and code compliance before choosing this option.

If you proceed as an owner-builder, complete the required permit application and Owner-Builder Disclosure Form. Review the City’s Owner-Builder Permit guidance before signing the declaration.

Contractor Licensing & Daly City Business License

Contractors performing work in Daly City may also need an active Daly City business license. California’s current Contractors State License Board rule generally requires a contractor license when the work requires a building permit, employee labor is used, or the combined labor-and-material contract is $1,000 or more.

That current statewide $1,000 threshold is important because some older local web text may still reference the former $500 rule. Permit-required work does not become exempt merely because the price is below $1,000. Verify a contractor through the California Contractors State License Board.

Solar Permits & SolarAPP+

Daly City uses SolarAPP+ for qualifying residential rooftop photovoltaic systems. The City’s published program currently applies to eligible PV systems under 10 kW where no battery energy-storage system is proposed.

1. Create or sign in to your SolarAPP+ account.
2. Submit the solar project to SolarAPP+ and complete its review.
3. Pay the separate SolarAPP+ processing charge.
4. Download the SolarAPP+ approval documents.
5. Sign into Daly City’s permit portal.
6. Select the SolarAPP+ permit application.
7. Upload the approval documents and complete the City permit process.

Commercial solar, systems above the City’s streamlined limit, or projects involving batteries should follow the City’s project-specific process rather than assuming SolarAPP+ applies. See Daly City SolarAPP+.

Roofing Permits

Daly City states that a roofing permit is required for roofing work exceeding one square, or 100 square feet. The City also publishes specific roofing inspection and fire-classification requirements.

Before removing the old roof, review the City’s Roofing Permit & Inspection Requirements. Do not assume that obtaining the roof permit means no inspection is required.

Permit Expiration & Keeping a Project Active

Daly City’s current building-code provisions use time limits for permit applications and issued permits. A general permit application can expire if a permit has not been issued within 180 calendar days unless an approved extension applies. Issued permits can also expire if the authorized work is not started within the applicable time or if the project is suspended or abandoned for the City’s specified period.

If your plans are sitting inactive, construction has stopped, or your permit is approaching its deadline, contact the Building Division before expiration. The current fee schedule includes charges for permit extension and reactivation, and an expired application may need to meet the code in effect when it is resubmitted.

Daly City 3R Report for Property Sales

Daly City requires a Residential Requirements Report, commonly called a 3R report, before the sale of a residential property containing three units or fewer.

The report provides available information about:

• Permit history.
• Enforcement history.
• Zoning history.
• The City’s determination of the property’s legal use.

The City’s 3R page states that permits issued after January 1989 are included in the permit-history portion. The report is valid for six months, and the City says completed reports are generally returned by email within three working days after the request is received.

The current FY2027 Master Fee Schedule lists the 3R fee at $127. Older City text may still show the prior $124 fee, so use the current portal invoice or current master fee schedule when paying.

Request information: Daly City Residential Requirements Report (3R).

Common Problems & the Fastest Practical Fix

Official Daly City Building Resources

• Building Division — department contacts and core services.
• Permits — quick permits and portal information.
• Permits Involving Plans — plan-review submission process.
• Building Forms — applications, checklists, disclosures and supporting forms.
• Inspections — scheduling and current inspection instructions.
• Building Project Inspections — inspection preparation and department responsibilities.
• Adopted Codes — 2026 code cycle and local amendments.
• Master Fee Schedules — current City fees.
• Building Handouts — project and inspection guides.

If the property is not actually inside Daly City, do not use Daly City’s permit process simply because the mailing address looks nearby. For a project farther north, our San Francisco Building Department guide explains the separate City and County of San Francisco process. For another jurisdiction, start from the US Building permit and department directory.

Daly City Building Department FAQs