The San Diego rule
From the City's When is a Permit Required? sheet, Simple Permits page and Information Bulletin 103 (May 2026), all read 23 October 2026:
| Job | Permit? |
|---|---|
| Install a forced air unit (furnace) or AC unit | Yes, Simple Permit |
| Replace a furnace | Yes, Simple Permit |
| Condensing unit, air handler, mini-split, package heat pump | Yes; all qualify as Simple Permits on a house |
| Exhaust fan | Yes, Simple Permit |
| Replace an appliance | No permit (the City's sheet) |
| Equipment on a new pad outside the house, or over 2,500 lb | Building permit with plans |
| Equipment over 400 lb, or centre of gravity over 4 ft up | Structural calculations |
| Anything on a designated historic property or in a historic district | Plans required |
HERS. IB 103 says a Home Energy Rating System evaluation is required "to obtain final inspection approval" for "Major HVAC system changes or replacements" and "Installation of more than 40 feet of new ductwork". The fee table adds that replacing a furnace or condensing unit "requires a HERS rating when more than 40 feet of duct is in unconditioned space", which describes most attic duct runs. The rater is an independent third party; the City keeps a directory of certified raters. Ask whether the quote includes the HERS visit.
Location. IB 103: air conditioner units "shall not be installed in required side or rear yards of Residential Zones" unless they comply with SDMC §131.0461(a)(5). A condenser moved to a narrow side yard can fail on zoning, not on mechanics.
Who can pull it
A licensed HVAC contractor. California's class is C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (CSLB). 61.6% of the San Diego HVAC firms in our file matched an active CSLB license; 37.3% had no match by name, so search by the license number on the quote.
You, as owner-builder, with form DS-3042 uploaded. The City issues homeowner Simple Permits "normally within two business days"; contractors get theirs on submittal and payment.
How to apply and what it costs
Apply in the City's Accela portal under Simple Permits, pay, then schedule the inspection in the same portal. IB 103, Table 1B, for a house, duplex or townhouse:
| Item | First unit | Each additional |
|---|---|---|
| Condensing unit | $131.52 | — |
| Furnace (FAU) | $176.57 | $52.39 |
| Air handler, mini-split, humidifier | $176.57 | $52.39 |
| Heat pump, package unit | $176.57 | $52.39 |
| Appliance vent or chimney | $87.68 | $35.29 |
| Exhaust fan | $105.98 | $35.29 |
| Gas system (each 5 outlets) | $264.25 | $87.68 |
A furnace and AC condenser swapped together is $308.09 in permit items (our arithmetic), plus an electrical circuit line if the new unit needs a bigger breaker, plus the HERS rater's own fee. National prices: HVAC replacement cost.
What 1,839 San Diego HVAC permits show
| Measure | City of San Diego HVAC |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,839 |
| Firms | 177 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 96 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 61.4% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 103 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm's finished share (10+ permits) | 39.2% / 76.5% |
| Firms with 10+ permits finishing under 70% | 16 of 23 |
| Share held by the five busiest firms | 51.8% |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | July (138) / May (78) |
HVAC is the slowest and least-finished of San Diego's three trade permits: 103 days and 61.4%, against 71 days and 75.5% for electrical. Among firms with 10 or more permits, 16 of 23 finished under 70%. Before you sign, ask who orders the HERS test and books the final, and look up the firm's finished share. The market is concentrated: five firms hold 51.8% of permits. Filing peaks in July; May is the quiet month to book a planned replacement.
See every San Diego HVAC contractor by finished permits →
Check it in five minutes
- Search the C-20 license on CSLB Check a License (steps).
- After install, find the permit and its inspections on your address in Permit Finder or Accela (how).
- Compare firms on the San Diego HVAC list; counts by year on San Diego permit statistics.
Rules elsewhere: do I need a permit for HVAC replacement. The unincorporated county is in San Diego County HVAC permit.
What this does not tell you
We count the City's no-plan mechanical permits on homes; HVAC inside a remodel or addition permit is counted there. San Diego's HVAC permits carry no job value. A final inspection is the City's sign-off; it says nothing about efficiency ratings or rebates. HERS fees are set by raters, not the City, so we give none.
How we know this
Permit rules, the HERS and side-yard requirements and fees are quoted from the City of San Diego's "When is a Permit Required?" sheet, Information Bulletin 103 (May 2026) and Simple Permits page, read 23 October 2026; the license class from CSLB. Counts are City of San Diego HVAC permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, days to final is the median from issue to final, and license status is our name match to CSLB records.
Numbers come from City of San Diego Development Services approvals, data through October 15, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace my AC in San Diego?
Yes. The City says installing HVAC systems requires a permit, and its Simple Permit list includes installations of forced air units and air conditioner units and replacement of furnaces. A condensing unit is $131.52 and a furnace $176.57 under Information Bulletin 103.
- Does a San Diego HVAC replacement need a HERS test?
Often. IB 103 says a HERS evaluation is needed to get final inspection approval for major HVAC system changes or replacements and for more than 40 feet of new ductwork; replacing a furnace or condensing unit triggers it when more than 40 feet of duct is in unconditioned space.
- How much is an HVAC permit in San Diego?
Information Bulletin 103 charges $131.52 for a condensing unit, $176.57 for a furnace, air handler, mini-split or package heat pump, and $105.98 for an exhaust fan. Any new circuit for the equipment is a separate electrical line.
- Can a homeowner pull an HVAC permit in San Diego?
Yes, on a single-dwelling unit, duplex or townhouse outside historic districts, by uploading the Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042 with a Simple Permit application. The City normally issues it within two business days.
- How long does an HVAC permit take in San Diego?
The permit is issued on submittal and payment for a licensed contractor. Final takes longer: the usual City of San Diego HVAC permit in our file passed final 103 days after issue, and 61.4% of those a year or more old had passed.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit to replace my furnace or AC? The rule in 14 cities, and how many get filed
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Ames? Yes: what is exempt, homeowner permits, the $56.23 base fee and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Anaheim? The mechanical permit for a furnace or AC change-out, fees and inspections
For one city
- San Diego contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Hiring a solar installer in San Diego: the CSLB license, the permit, and what 10,000 solar permits show
- San Diego ADU Home Density Bonus Program after the 2025 changes: where it still applies, the caps, and hiring a builder
- When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Information Bulletin 103: Fee Schedule for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas Permits (May 2026) — City of San Diego (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Simple Permits — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- CSLB Licensing Classifications (2026-10-22)