Certificate of Occupancy — San Diego
San Diego issues a Certificate of Occupancy on final approval when a tenant improvement changes the occupancy classification.
What it is. The Certificate of Occupancy issued on final approval of a building permit; required when a TI results in a change of occupancy classification (e.g., retail to restaurant).
Who issues it. City of San Diego — Development Services Department (City layer).
When you need it. On change of occupancy/occupant load. Note: the City does not issue a C of O for TIs where occupancy/load does not change. A Temporary C of O (Form DS-6004) may be granted case-by-case.
How to apply. Completed through DSD permitting at project close-out after final inspection.
Fees. Per DSD permitting — 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, Certificate of Occupancy (Information Bulletin 585) — https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/forms-publications/information-bulletin/585 — 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.