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READYDOCSCOMPLIANCESTATESCALIFORNIASAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
FILE 06075 · COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCOSEAT · SAN FRANCISCOPOPULATION · 808KVERIFIED · 05 / 2026
Public Compliance Directory · County Hub

San Francisco.

San Francisco County in California. This is where the state file translates into the local offices that actually issue the permit, schedule the inspection, and sign the filing. Start with the state baseline, then drill into the right city.

Cities on file
1
Trades indexed
12
County seat
San Francisco
Last verified
05 / 2026
FAST FACTS

San Francisco County at a glance

Quick-reference card
County seatSan Francisco
Population (est.)808K
FIPS06075
Building departmentCity-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.
Permit portalSan Francisco Department of Building Inspection Permit Center
Fire marshalSan Francisco Fire Department
Browse cities→Back to state←
County of
San Francisco
· ACTIVE FILE ·
ARTICLE I · COUNTY BASELINE
CODES & LOCAL AUTHORITY
FIPS 06075
Article I · County Baseline

The county inherits from the state. And adds local rules.

California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2, Volume 1 and 2, based on the 2022 California Codes, adopted with local amendments.

San Francisco is a consolidated city and county, meaning the city government handles all permitting and planning functions. There are no separate incorporated cities within San Francisco County. Overlay districts for historic preservation, coastal zones, and specific area plans may add additional review requirements.

San Francisco has a robust historic preservation ordinance that requires review for alterations to designated historic buildings or properties within historic districts.

How this fits with the state

The state authority here is California Contractors State License Board. The county file does not replace that — it adds the permit office, local overlays, and the actual filing path.

Source · City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.Last verified · 05 / 2026
ARTICLE II · PERMIT OFFICES
WHERE THE PERMIT IS FILED
OPERATING PATH
Article II · Local Offices

Who issues, who inspects, who signs off.

Contractors must possess a valid California state contractor's license and may need to register with the City and County of San Francisco, depending on the scope of work.

Building

City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.

Permits, plans, inspections

Verify hours, requirements, and fees on the local portal before filing.

Office · local
See sources →
Permit portal

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection Permit Center

Apply, track, pay

Verify hours, requirements, and fees on the local portal before filing.

Office · local
See sources →
Planning / zoning

San Francisco Planning Department

Land use, plan review

Verify hours, requirements, and fees on the local portal before filing.

Office · local
See sources →
Fire marshal

San Francisco Fire Department

Prevention, alarms, sprinklers

Verify hours, requirements, and fees on the local portal before filing.

Office · local
See sources →
ARTICLE III · INSURANCE & BONDS
COUNTY OVERLAY ON STATE BASELINE
VERIFY BEFORE BIDDING
Article III · County Overlay

What San Francisco County usually adds.

The state sets the floor. The county and city can require additional certificates, local bonds, or pre-permit registration.

CoverageRequired?MinimumIssued by
Workers' CompensationState rule with county add-ons
Verify
Required with employees; C-8/C-20/C-22/C-39/D-49 no exemption
State authority
General LiabilityOften required by permit type
Conditional
Permit-based
City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.
Surety BondTied to state license or county permit
Conditional
$25k contractor bond on active license
State or county
County overlayContractors must provide proof of workers' compensation insurance and general liability insurance, with specific minimum coverage amounts often required by the city.
Verify
Varies
City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.
Source · City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.Verify before filing
ARTICLE IV · INDEXED CITIES
CITIES IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
1 CITY
Article IV · Browse by City

Indexed cities in San Francisco County.

Pick a city to open its trade list. The trade page covers licensing, permits, insurance, and typical costs for that work in that city.

San FranciscoSan Francisco County
01
ARTICLE V · TRADES
TRADES IN SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
12 TRADES
Article V · Trades

Trades branching in San Francisco County.

Each trade opens against the first indexed city in the county. Use the city browser above to open the same trade in another city.

Concrete
CODE · CN
GL
Open file →
Electrical
CODE · EL
State Lic.GLBond
Open file →
Flooring
CODE · FL
GL
Open file →
Framing
CODE · FR
GL
Open file →
General Contracting
CODE · GC
State Lic.GLBond
Open file →
HVAC
CODE · HV
State Lic.GLBond
Open file →
Landscaping
CODE · LS
GL
Open file →
Painting
CODE · PT
GL
Open file →
Pest Control
CODE · PC
State Lic.GL
Open file →
Plumbing
CODE · PL
State Lic.GLBond
Open file →
Pool Service
CODE · PS
GLBond
Open file →
Roofing
CODE · RF
LicenseBondGL
Open file →
ARTICLE VI · SOURCES
LOCAL SOURCE REGISTER
VERIFY LOCALLY
Article VI · Sources & Citations

Every filing needs a source trail.

This template keeps the county page honest: local context here, filing decisions made with the issuing office.

State

California Contractors State License Board

Statewide licensing, reciprocity, and renewal rules.

/contractors/california
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
County

City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.

Department that issues permits and schedules inspections for unincorporated areas.

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection Permit Center
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Planning

San Francisco Planning Department

Land use, zoning review, and plan approvals.

Local planning office
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Fire

San Francisco Fire Department

Prevention, protection systems, and code approvals.

Fire marshal's office
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Frequently Asked

Questions contractors ask before filing.

Q01Do I need a state license to work in San Francisco County?+
Usually yes — the baseline is the state license through California Contractors State License Board. San Francisco County and its cities may add local registration before you pull a permit.Source · California Contractors State License Board
Q02Does the county or the city issue the permit?+
It depends on where the work is. Unincorporated areas usually route through the county (City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.). Work inside an incorporated city normally files with that city's department.Source · City-by-city; San Francisco is a consolidated city-county and operates its own building department.
Q03What changes between county and state?+
The county adds the actual permit office, local zoning overlays, plan-review timelines, inspections, and local fees. The state license defines who can contract; the county defines how the job gets filed.Source · County and municipal departments

Open the county file. Then pick the city.

San Francisco County now inherits from the state template and adds its own local detail. The next layer is the city and trade pages.

Browse cities→Back to state←