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San Diego building & ADU permits

Recent permit activity, updated continuously.

San Diego, California's second-largest city, publishes a bulk open-data export under an explicit public-domain (PDDL) license — among the cleanest sourcing terms of any jurisdiction Igni tracks. Many records lack an address ZIP, so Igni recovers it from each permit's coordinates, then applies SB-9/SB-10 flags and typed ADU classification.

Igni is tracking 12,054 residential and building permits in San Diego, CA — including 515 classified accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) filings. The most active ZIP is 92101. The most recent filing Igni tracked was Sep 18, 2026. All records come from data.sandiego.gov bulk open data (CSV), an official government open-data feed, and are refreshed continuously.

12054

Permits tracked

515

ADU permits

31

Distinct ZIP codes

Sep 18, 2026

Newest permit

Recent permits

A sample of the freshest permits in this jurisdiction — ZIP and city only (no street addresses).

ZIPPermit typeADU typeValuationApplied
92101OtherAug 14, 2026
92103OtherAug 14, 2026
92037OtherJun 29, 2026
92014CommercialMar 30, 2026
92126Residential$9,278Sep 22, 2025
92122Residential$32,968Aug 3, 2026
92108CommercialMay 12, 2026
92108Commercial$81,328May 12, 2026
92108CommercialMay 12, 2026
92104OtherJul 24, 2026
92101CommercialMay 21, 2026
92122CommercialAug 12, 2026
92108CommercialApr 16, 2026
92111ResidentialAug 6, 2026
92037Commercial$618,176May 15, 2026
92103CommercialOct 15, 2025
92116OtherAug 17, 2026
92107Residential$224,649Nov 21, 2024
92107Residential$368,781Nov 22, 2024
92109ResidentialJul 9, 2025

Top ZIP codes by recent activity

9210168192037648921545479211553892104534

ADU types in the recent set

attached6detached5garage conversion5

Housing lawCalifornia

California mandates ministerial (by-right) approval of accessory dwelling units statewide, with a 60-day decision deadline and one ADU plus one junior ADU allowed on most single-family lots; owner-occupancy is generally not required.

SB 9 allows by-right duplexes and urban lot splits on single-family lots, and newer transit-oriented upzoning (SB 79) phases in from 2026.

ADU ministerial approval (Gov. Code Ch. 13)SB 9 (urban lot splits)SB 10 / SB 79 (transit upzoning)

San Diego ADU rules

San Diego permits accessory dwelling units under California's ministerial, by-right framework — detached and attached units, conversions, and junior ADUs — with no owner-occupancy requirement for standard ADUs (a junior ADU still requires it) and a 60-day decision deadline. A standard ADU is generally capped at 1,200 square feet, while a conversion of existing space is exempt from that cap.

The city is best known for its Accessory Dwelling Unit Bonus Program, a local incentive layered on top of the state rules: for each income-restricted, deed-restricted affordable ADU a homeowner builds, the program lets them add an additional market-rate 'bonus' ADU, with the most generous allowances near transit. The program drove a surge of permits, and in 2025 the city refined it — adding per-lot caps that scale with lot size and narrowing where it applies — so the exact number of units a given parcel can support now depends on its size and location.

Different rules can apply inside San Diego's Coastal Overlay Zone, where some recent changes await Coastal Commission certification. The city also offers an expedited path for pre-approved ADU plans under California's AB 1332.

This is an informational summary — verify current rules with the city's planning/permitting department; not legal advice.

See also: California ADU law and what is an ADU?

Data source

Sourced from data.sandiego.gov bulk open data (CSV). PDDL — Open Data Commons Public Domain.

Nearby citiesCalifornia

Learn more about ADUs & building permits

Background reading on accessory dwelling units, building permits, and how Igni turns San Diego permit records into leads.

San Diego permit data — FAQ

Where does Igni get San Diego permit data?

San Diego permit data is sourced directly from data.sandiego.gov bulk open data (CSV) — an official government open-data feed (PDDL — Open Data Commons Public Domain). Igni normalizes it and classifies ADU activity.

How fresh is San Diego permit data?

Igni refreshes San Diego permits continuously from the source feed, typically within about a day of filing. Headline counts reflect all permits Igni has tracked for this jurisdiction; the table shows the most recent activity.

Does San Diego allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs)?

California mandates ministerial (by-right) approval of accessory dwelling units statewide, with a 60-day decision deadline and one ADU plus one junior ADU allowed on most single-family lots; owner-occupancy is generally not required.

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Fresh, filterable residential and ADU permit leads from San Diego — delivered before your competitors even know.

Informational only, not legal advice. Headline counts reflect all permits Igni has tracked for this jurisdiction; the table shows recent activity. Housing law changes — verify current statutes before relying on this.