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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 7,649 residential and building permits in San Diego, CA — including 297 classified accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) filings. The most active ZIP is 92037. The most recent filing Igni tracked was Jul 31, 2026. All records come from data.sandiego.gov bulk open data (CSV), an official government open-data feed, and are refreshed continuously.

7649

Permits tracked

297

ADU permits

31

Distinct ZIP codes

Jul 31, 2026

Newest permit

Recent permits

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

ZIPPermit typeADU typeValuationApplied
92154OtherJul 30, 2026
92103OtherJul 30, 2026
92130ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92115OtherJul 30, 2026
92104ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92114OtherJul 30, 2026
92119OtherJul 30, 2026
92126ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92126OtherJul 30, 2026
92101OtherJul 30, 2026
92114OtherJul 30, 2026
92115ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92126OtherJul 30, 2026
92154OtherJul 30, 2026
92130ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92107ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92116OtherJul 30, 2026
92115OtherJul 30, 2026
92127ResidentialJul 30, 2026
92121OtherJul 30, 2026

Top ZIP codes by recent activity

9203740592101399921153769210433892105316

ADU types in the recent set

garage conversion4detached2unknown1

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.