Which projects trigger notice
| Scope | Inside the PEG SUD | Outside the PEG SUD |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical addition | Yes | Yes; no if it adds at least one net new unit in the building |
| Horizontal addition | Yes | No |
| Floor area +25% or more on a one-unit building ending over 3,000 sq ft | Not listed | Yes; purely below-grade work does not count toward the threshold |
| Demolition | Yes | Yes; no if it adds a net new unit, or for a residential demolition exempt from Sec. 317 conditional use |
| New construction | Yes | Yes; no if it adds a net new unit |
| Removing a legal or unauthorized unit | Yes | Yes; no if a net new unit is added |
| New ADU | No | Not a triggering scope |
| State streamlining (SB 423, SB 9, AB 2011) | No | No |
| Family and Senior Housing SUD projects meeting Sec. 249.94 | No |
Inside the PEG SUD the rule covers RH, RM and RTO residential districts, the NC, NCT and RCD districts, the Chinatown and Eastern Neighborhoods mixed-use districts. Features listed in Planning Code Sec. 136 (the permitted obstructions) are exempt from the addition rows. To see whether a lot is in the PEG SUD, open the Planning Department's Property Information Map, go to the Zoning tab and tick "Priority Equity Geographies SUD". From the Neighborhood Notification handout, v. 09.01.2025; the Planning Code governs where they differ.
The five stages
- Pre-application meeting with neighbors, required for notice-triggering projects with certain expansions or unit losses, and documented before the Project Application is filed.
- Planning review against the Planning Code and Residential Design Guidelines, with a Plan Check Letter of revisions.
- Notice preparation: a reduced plan set of at most 8 pages at 11 x 17, with elevations showing neighboring buildings' windows facing the project, plus a postage fee.
- 30-day notice: mailed to owners and occupants within 150 feet and Registered Neighborhood Groups, and an 11 x 17 poster on site for the full period. Plan revisions during the period may require a new notice.
- Approval: after a signed Declaration of Posting and with no Discretionary Review filed, Planning issues a Planning Approval Letter, which the building permit application needs.
What it means when you hire
- The designer drives this, not the builder. Section 311 sits before the building permit. Hire the architect first and ask them, in writing, whether the scope triggers notice and whether the lot is in the PEG SUD.
- Design to avoid a second notice. Changes during the 30 days can restart it. Settle the rear wall and roof heights before the pre-application meeting.
- Know the exemptions. Outside the PEG SUD, a horizontal addition that stays under the 25% and 3,000 sq ft floor-area test, or a vertical addition that adds a dwelling unit, skips notice; an ADU skips it everywhere.
- Schedule the contractor after the Planning Approval Letter. A builder who promises a start date before it exists is guessing.
What 674 San Francisco addition permits show
| Measure (October 2023 to September 2026) | Addition | ADU |
|---|---|---|
| Permits | 674 | 333 |
| Firms | 509 | 271 |
| Usual filed value | $230,000 | $169,365 |
| Usual days from issue to completion | 621 | 567 |
| Completed (permits a year or more old) | 52.2% | 52.5% |
| Firms matched to an active CSLB license | 95.3% | 96.7% |
Additions are long jobs here even after Planning: about 621 days from permit issue to completion, and only 52.2% of permits a year or more old are complete. The work is spread across 509 firms and 78.6% of them filed a single addition permit, so check each one's record. Values by firm: SF addition cost and SF ADU cost.
Compare San Francisco addition contractors →
Related
Over-the-counter permits and plans: San Francisco remodel permit. Choosing the builder: hiring a remodeling contractor in San Francisco. ADU or addition: ADU vs addition. Licenses: San Francisco contractor license lookup.
What this does not tell you
Our permit file starts at the building permit, so it does not show which additions went through Section 311 notice or Discretionary Review, or how long Planning took. This is a summary of Planning's handout; when unsure, email the Planning counter at pic@sfgov.org.
How we know this
Notification rules and stages are from San Francisco Planning's Neighborhood Notification handout, version 09.01.2025, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City and County of San Francisco building permits classified as additions and ADUs, October 2023 to September 2026; completion uses permits a year or more old and license matches use the CSLB file.
Numbers come from San Francisco DBI building permits on one- and two-family homes, with the contractor from the city's permit contacts file, data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What is a 311 notice in San Francisco?
A 30-day neighborhood notification under Planning Code Section 311. Once Planning finds a project code-compliant, it mails notice to owners and occupants within 150 feet and to Registered Neighborhood Groups, and a poster goes up on the site. During those 30 days anyone can ask the Planning Commission for Discretionary Review.
- Does a rear addition need 311 notice in San Francisco?
It depends on the district. Inside the Priority Equity Geographies Special Use District, a horizontal addition triggers notice. Outside it, a horizontal addition does not, but increasing a single-unit building's floor area by at least 25% to over 3,000 sq ft does.
- Does an ADU trigger 311 notice in San Francisco?
No. Planning's handout lists constructing or adding a new ADU as not subject to Section 311 notice in the PEG district, and ADUs are not among the scopes that trigger notice elsewhere. Projects using state streamlining such as SB 9, SB 423 or AB 2011 are also exempt.
- How long does an addition permit take in San Francisco?
In our file the usual San Francisco addition permit took 621 days from issue to completion (674 permits, October 2023 to September 2026). Section 311 review, the 30-day notice and any Discretionary Review come before that clock starts.
- How do I file a Discretionary Review in San Francisco?
Planning accepts Discretionary Review applications only until 5 p.m. on the day the 30-day notification period expires. The handout points to the Department's Discretionary Review guidelines for the application.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Building an ADU on septic in unincorporated San Diego County: the DEHQ layout approval comes first
- ADU vs home addition: what the permit file shows
- Bonded vs insured contractors: what each covers and where to check
- San Francisco contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
For one city
- Neighborhood Notification — General Planning Information Handout, San Francisco Planning (v. 09.01.2025) (September 2025, accessed 2026-10-23)