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San Francisco is, to my knowledge, the only jurisdiction that continues to issue certain permits over the counter. The current administration has proposed eliminating over-the-counter permitting entirely and transitioning to a fully online permitting system.
At present, trade permits may be obtained either over the counter or online, and for these permits the process is generally straightforward and issuance is instant. In beta testing I participated in, I found the proposed online system for doors, windows, siding, and fire alarm permits to be relatively easy to use, but issuance will not be instant and will most likely take at least a couple of days. However, many property owners and homeowners struggle with online application platforms, particularly when they lack familiarity with permitting requirements and digital workflows.
For simpler permits, especially trade permits that do not require drawings, an online-only process may be appropriate. Permits that require plan review, however, pose a far greater challenge, as they must be reviewed and coordinated across multiple departments.
Currently, many permits can be processed within one to a few days, with comments issued promptly when needed. For trade permits and other permits without drawings, issuance within a couple of days is realistic. By contrast, permits that include drawings are unlikely to be approved in less than two to four weeks, if not longer.
Over-the-counter permitting offers important practical advantages. It allows the City to collect permit fees immediately and enables property owners and contractors to begin work without unnecessary delay.
Tenant improvement (TI) projects in high-rise buildings highlight these concerns. These applications often include more than thirteen sheets of drawings, yet the plan review is typically minimal because the drawings are largely as-built. Requiring all such permits to be processed exclusively online risks creating avoidable delays, slowing construction schedules, and preventing contractors from working, particularly on TI projects where timing is critical.
Another significant drawback of eliminating over-the-counter permitting is the loss of direct, in-person interaction. Over the counter, applicants can speak with reviewers, ask questions, and resolve issues in real time. In an online-only system, communication is limited to electronic exchanges that can take days, weeks, or even longer. Some departments already take months to issue approvals that could previously have been resolved quickly over the counter.
In short, while online permitting may be suitable for straightforward applications, eliminating over-the-counter permitting entirely risks slowing project delivery, increasing uncertainty, and disrupting construction activity across the city.
Moreover, property owners and homeowners, particularly those with limited experience navigating online systems, may be forced to hire permit expeditors or land-use attorneys to manage the process at an expense that could be quite high. These added costs are often unnecessary when over-the-counter permitting is available. Notably, the growing number of permit expediting firms nationwide reflects the reality that even design professionals, including architects and engineers, frequently struggle to navigate complex online permitting systems and thus, hire permit expeditors.
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