San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection (DBI) maintains an online permit database showing issued permits, completed work, and open violations. Planning permits are separate from DBI permits, so both should be checked. Older records may be on microfiche and require a manual request. Because San Francisco has decades of remodels, additions, and conversions, permit history can be incomplete or confusing. I help clients interpret what the city’s records actually mean and whether the work being represented in disclosures matches what was actually permitted.
