Which route your window job takes
From DBI's Replace your windows page (read 23 October 2026):
| Your job | Route |
|---|---|
| In-kind replacement: same opening size and location | Apply online; DBI emails the fee after review |
| Expanding an opening or creating a new one | "you must provide plans in-person to get an Over-the-Counter (OTC) permit" |
| Windows that miss DBI's energy values | Apply in person "to discuss other options" |
| Landmark or historic Category A building | Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness or Minor Permit to Alter first, then the building permit |
SF Planning's window replacement page confirms that a Category A historic property is "not eligible for an over-the-counter approval". Historic questions go to Planning at pic@sfgov.org; online application questions to PermitSF@sfgov.org.
What the new windows must meet
DBI checks the ratings at inspection: "We will check your window's ratings during inspection." The page sets these requirements:
| Requirement | DBI's value |
|---|---|
| U-factor, R-3 (single-family, townhome, duplex) | 0.27 or lower |
| U-factor, residences with more than 2 units | 0.28 or lower |
| Safety glazing | Large low windows, glass in doors, barrier glass, windows near doors, stairs and wet areas |
| Proof of safety glass | "an etched mark in the corner" showing manufacturer and standard |
| Within 3 feet of a property line | 1-hour fire rating |
The fire-rating line is the one to measure: a side window less than 3 feet from the property line needs a rated unit, not a standard one. Ask the installer to put the U-factor and any fire rating for each opening on the quote.
Who can apply
DBI's page says that if you plan to hire a contractor, you should "hire one before applying," because the form asks for their information. Before any building permit is issued DBI asks for the contractor's state license and classification ("pocket card"), workers' comp, a San Francisco business registration and a Licensed Contractor's Statement; only property owners, state-licensed contractors or their agents may apply (DBI). Window installers usually hold CSLB's C-17 Glazing class, or a B on a wider job; check on CSLB Check a License. 93.2% of San Francisco window firms in our file held an active CSLB license; 41 matched one that was not active. More in the San Francisco contractor license lookup.
What 4,050 San Francisco window permits show
| Measure | San Francisco windows and skylights |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 4,050 |
| Firms | 1,358 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 572 |
| Completed (permits a year or more old) | 85.9% |
| Usual days from issue to completion | 159 |
| Usual filed value | $24,000 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $17,000 to $80,000 |
| Share of permits held by the busiest firm | 15.8% |
| Firms with exactly one permit | 769 (56.6%) |
| Busiest / quietest month | October (index 121) / February (90) |
Two things stand out. The middle half of firms file anywhere from $17,000 to $80,000, a wide range that mixes single-window swaps with whole-house jobs, so compare quotes per opening, not per job. And the market is lopsided: one firm holds 15.8% of permits while 56.6% of firms filed just one. The approval may take two days, but the usual permit is not marked complete for 159 days, so ask the installer to book the final when the last window is in. Prices by firm: San Francisco windows cost; national figures: window replacement cost; counts by year: San Francisco permit statistics.
See every San Francisco window installer by permits completed →
Check the permit on your address
Search the address on DBI's Permit / Complaint Tracking System; the window permit should name your installer and, after the inspection, show complete. Compare installers on the San Francisco windows list. Rules in other cities: do I need a permit for window replacement; older records on your house: San Francisco building permit search.
What this does not tell you
A completed permit means DBI passed the installation and ratings; it does not check price or warranty. Filed values are the installer's estimate. DBI does not publish a window fee on the page, so we leave it out. Windows that are part of a remodel may sit on the remodel permit rather than a window permit in our data.
How we know this
Routes, ratings, historic rules and timing are quoted from DBI's Replace your windows page and SF Planning's window replacement page, read 23 October 2026, and DBI's permit-issuance documents page read 22 October 2026. Permit counts are DBI permits on one- and two-family homes classified as windows and skylights, October 2023 to September 2026; completed share uses permits a year or more old, and days to completion is the median from issue. License status is CSLB's file joined on the license number on each permit.
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
- Do I need a permit to replace windows in San Francisco?
Yes. DBI says to 'Get a building permit to replace existing exterior windows and skylights.' A replacement in the same size and location is applied for online; enlarging or adding an opening needs plans and an over-the-counter permit in person.
- What U-factor do new windows need in San Francisco?
DBI says windows in R-3 buildings (single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes) should have a U-factor of 0.27 or lower, and 0.28 or lower in residences with more than two units. If yours don't meet those values, you apply in person to discuss other options.
- How long does a window permit take in San Francisco?
DBI says its goal is to approve the majority of window permits within 2 business days. Closing the permit takes longer: the usual San Francisco window permit in our data was marked complete 159 days after issue.
- How much is a window permit in San Francisco?
DBI's window page does not list a fee; it says 'We will send you the fee amount after we review your application.' For scale, the usual San Francisco window permit in our data was filed at $24,000.
- Do I need Planning approval to replace windows on a historic house in San Francisco?
For a landmark or historic Category A building, yes: DBI says these need an Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness or a Minor Permit to Alter before the building permit application, and SF Planning says Category A properties are not eligible for over-the-counter approval.
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 windows? The rule in 13 cities, and how many get filed
- Do I need a permit to replace windows in Cape Coral? Size-for-size vs new openings, fee and timing
- Do I need a permit to replace windows in Cleveland? Yes: the City calls it an alteration. The fee, who pulls it, and timing
- Do I need a permit? 13 common home projects, checked against city rules and permit files
- Do I need a permit to replace windows in Saint Paul? Yes, even storm windows
- Replacing windows in a St. Louis historic district: the approved window list, wood vs. aluminum vs. composite, and the permit
For one city
- Replace your windows — San Francisco DBI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Window Replacement Project — San Francisco Planning (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Gather documents for your building permit issuance — San Francisco DBI (2026-10-22)
- Permit / Complaint Tracking System — San Francisco DBI (2026-10-23)
- Check a License — CSLB (2026-10-22)