A permit question for water repair goes to the City of San Diego or to the city where the job is located. For an unincorporated community such as Spring Valley or Lakeside, no city office applies, and the question goes to the office that covers the address. The rules beyond that point are for the local office to state.
Key takeaways
- Permit questions for repair work go to the City of San Diego or to the city where the job is located.
- The place of the job decides the office, so confirm the address before you ask.
- Twelve of the places served outside the City of San Diego are separate incorporated cities.
- Spring Valley and Lakeside are unincorporated communities, so no city office applies to them.
- Which repairs need a permit, what fees apply and how long an office takes are not stated in this guide.
- Ask the local office in writing, and keep the answer with the scope and the readings.
Why does the place decide the permit office?
A permit is issued by the government that has authority over the place where the work is done. Inside the City of San Diego that is the city, and inside another incorporated city it is that city. In an unincorporated community, no city has that authority, and the question goes to the office that covers the address.
The same water loss can lead to different permit offices depending on the address. A flooded kitchen in the City of San Diego and one in an incorporated city on the list are handled by different offices, even though the drying work is the same.
The place is therefore the first fact to confirm. A mailing address that names one town does not always match the city limits, so check the address with the office before you rely on the answer you were given.
Which places does the question cover?
The question covers the City of San Diego, the twelve incorporated cities on the service list and the two unincorporated communities, Spring Valley and Lakeside. Each has its own answer, set by the place where the job sits.
The incorporated cities are Coronado, National City, Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Lemon Grove, Poway, Imperial Beach, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas. Each is a separate city with its own government, and the permit question for a job inside one of them goes to that city.
Spring Valley and Lakeside are unincorporated communities. The research for this site carries medium confidence on their status and boundaries, so confirm the status of your own address before you rely on it.
Does drying need a permit?
Drying and cleaning are often handled differently from structural repair, but the rule is set by the local office. Ask the office whether a permit is needed for the drying equipment and the removal work, and keep the answer in writing.
The sources for this guide do not set out whether drying alone needs a permit in any of the places it covers. Some offices may treat the drying as part of the repair, and others may not. The answer is local, and it should be asked for each address.
Structural, electrical and plumbing work that follows the drying is more likely to need a permit. Ask the office about each of those items, and do not assume the answer from a neighbor's experience.
Which repairs usually draw a permit question?
Repairs that change structure, that move or replace electrical or plumbing work or that alter a room's layout are the most likely to draw a permit question. The local office decides which of these need a permit.
A replaced joist, a cut into a bearing wall or a new drain line inside a wall are the kinds of repair that tend to need a permit. A new coat of paint or a replaced piece of trim generally does not, though the office should confirm it.
Write the list of repairs on the scope, with the trade that will do each one. That list is what the office will ask about, and it is easier to answer with a clear list than from memory.
What should you bring when you ask the office?
Bring the street address, the scope of work, the list of repairs, the names of the trades and the license numbers of the contractors. Ask the office what it wants to see and whether it wants the drying readings.
The office may ask for the property owner's name and for the contractor's license. Have both ready, and check the contractor's license with the Contractors State License Board before the application is made.
Ask the office for its answer in writing, including the requirement for each repair. Keep that answer with the scope and the readings, so the record shows what was asked and what was agreed.
What does this guide not state?
This guide does not state the permit fees, the inspection schedule, the trades that must pull each permit or the time an office takes to respond. Those are set by each local office and must be confirmed with that office.
The sources this site relies on do not set out the permit rules for each city or community. Stating those rules here would be a guess, and a wrong permit answer costs more than a delay.
Use this guide to find the right office and to frame the questions. Use the office to settle the rule that applies to your repair, and keep the office's answer on file.
How should a business handle permits across several sites?
A business with sites in more than one place should keep a list of each site's address, the office that covers it and the answer given for each repair. The list prevents a permit question from being sent to the wrong office.
Each site is treated on its own. A repair at one address can need a different office and a different answer from a repair at another, even when both are for the same business and the same kind of work.
Review the list when a lease changes or a site is sold, since the place and the office may change with it. Confirm the address again with the office before any new application is made.
How do I confirm the place of a job before I apply?
Confirm the street address against the county parcel and the city limits, using the local office's own information, and confirm it with the crew. A mailing address that names one town can sit in another jurisdiction.
Use the address rather than the town name. Ask the office that covers the address to confirm the jurisdiction in writing, and note the date of the confirmation. If the office says the address is in a different place from the mailing name, the permit question goes to that place.
Where the address sits near a boundary, ask the office to confirm the boundary for the parcel. A permit application made to the wrong office can be returned, and the delay usually costs more than the check. Keep the confirmation with the scope.
What if the work changes after the permit is issued?
A change to the scope can change the permit requirement, so tell the office and ask whether the change needs a new permit or an amendment. Do not carry out the change first and ask afterwards.
Water work often finds more damage once walls or floors are opened. When the scope grows to include structural or electrical work, the question of a permit comes up again, even if the first permit was issued. Ask the office how it wants the change recorded.
Keep the revised scope, the readings that support it and the office's written reply together. An inspector who sees a clear record of the change is in a better position to approve the work.
Who should be named on the permit?
The office will ask for the property owner and the contractor, and it may ask for the names of other trades. Name the people the office asks for, and keep a copy of the form that was submitted.
Check that the names and addresses on the permit match the property records and the contractor's license. A mismatch can delay the permit and can cause problems with an insurer that asks for proof of permitted work.
Keep a copy of the signed form and of any receipt the office gives. Those documents show the work was permitted, and they are often asked for at the sale of a property or at a later claim.
Ask the office whether it keeps a record of the permit and whether a final inspection will be needed before the repair can be closed. A permit that is issued but not closed can be a problem at a later sale or a later claim, so the closing step should be written on the file as well as the opening step.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a permit for a repair in the City of San Diego?
The City of San Diego issues permits for work inside its limits. Ask the city's building office about the specific repairs on your scope, and keep the answer in writing.
Who issues a permit in Coronado or Chula Vista?
Each is a separate incorporated city, and the permit question goes to the city where the job is located. The City of San Diego does not issue permits for work inside those cities.
Who issues a permit in Spring Valley or Lakeside?
Both are unincorporated communities, so no city office applies. The question goes to the office that covers the address, and the crew can help you identify it.
Does drying alone need a permit?
The sources do not settle that. Ask the local office whether drying and cleaning need a permit for your address, and keep the answer.
How long does a permit take?
This guide does not state a time. Ask the office for its current timing for your type of repair, and do not rely on a time given by a contractor without checking it.
Can the crew apply for the permit for me?
The crew can help you assemble the scope and the readings. Whether it applies for the permit depends on the work and the office, so ask the crew and the office to confirm who applies.
What if I cannot find out which office applies?
Ask the crew to confirm the address with you, and then call the office that covers the address. If the answer is still unclear, put the question in writing to the office, with the address, and keep its reply.
This guide is general information for San Diego County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.