Building Permit (Tenant Improvement) — San Diego
San Diego restaurant build-outs and tenant improvements require a City building permit before work begins.
What it is. The building permit for construction, alteration, or tenant improvement of the space.
Who issues it. City of San Diego — Development Services Department (DSD) (City layer).
When you need it. Before construction/alteration; a Building Permit with Plans is required for tenant improvements.
How to apply. Submit through the DSD online permitting portal (Accela); schedule and pass inspections.
Fees. Per DSD fee schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- City of San Diego, Building Permit — https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/permits/building-permit — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.