San Francisco — Building Inspection Commission Code

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

San Francisco’s Building Inspection Commission (BIC) Codes are the City’s local amendments to the statewide California Building Standards Code, administered and enforced by the Department of Building Inspection (DBI). They include the San Francisco Building Code (SFBC), Existing Building Code (SFEBC), Green Building Code, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Housing Codes, each adopted by ordinance and published with the City’s local changes. The BIC Codes specify what applies in San Francisco when state Title 24 leaves room for local rules, and they set the order of precedence and effective dates for permits accepted by DBI.

Key rule: The most restrictive standard prevails when SFBC provisions conflict with other parts of Title 24 or other local codes; only the standards effective when DBI deems a permit application complete apply to that permit. See § 101A.4.1 and § 101A.7.2.

What the BIC Codes Establish (San Francisco-specific)

• Applicability and adoption mechanics:

  • The BIC Codes apply to non-state-regulated occupancies and incorporate Title 24 Parts 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, as locally amended. See § 101A.3.1.
  • Permit “freeze” rule: codes in effect when DBI accepts your application for plan review govern that permit. See § 101A.4.1.
  • Conflicts: the most restrictive requirement governs across Title 24 and local codes. See § 101A.7.2.
  • The City publishes a running “Table of Amendments” showing ordinances that update BIC Codes.

• Local equivalencies, modifications, and appeals (DBI-administered):

  • DBI may approve modifications and alternates where strict compliance is impractical, if equivalent life-safety and performance are shown. See § 104A.2.7 (Modifications) and § 104A.2.8 (Alternates); applied in AB-009/018/019.
  • Determinations can be brought to the Deputy Director and Director; Director decisions may be appealed to the Building Inspection Commission or other appeal bodies (e.g., Board of Examiners, Access Appeals Commission, depending on subject).

• City-only content within the SFBC (selected examples):

  • All-electric new construction: New buildings must be designed and constructed all-electric; gas/propane distribution to space conditioning, water heating, cooking, or clothes drying is prohibited, subject to limited exception processes administered by DBI. See § 106A.1.17.
  • Occupied roof decks of wood: Allowed with strict conditions on size, materials, perimeter closure, and underlying roof assembly. See § 1511.10.
  • Earthquake instrumentation: San Francisco adopts Appendix L (earthquake recording instrumentation). See § 1604.11.
  • Special inspections and unusual hazards:
    • Local procedures clarify roles, forms, and responsibilities for special inspection and structural observation. See Chapter 17 and § 108A (as implemented in AB‑046).
    • R‑3 and accessory U occupancies: modified exception to special inspections for foundation concrete, with carve-outs for certain retaining/f’c conditions. See § 1704.2 (as locally amended).
    • Director may require special inspection for unusual hazards (e.g., underpinning, shoring, hazardous materials). See § 1705.1.1(4).
    • Demolition linkage to § 3303; and area-specific triggers described below. See § 1705.21 and § 1705.22.
    • Crane operations on high-rises require an accepted Crane Site Safety Plan and compliance agreement. See § 1705.23.

• Existing Building Code programs (San Francisco mandates):

  • Façade Inspection & Maintenance Program: Buildings 5+ stories of construction Types I–IV must undergo recurring façade inspections by a CA-licensed professional; 15+ stories require supplemental inspections. Basis is ASTM E2270 as modified; due dates set in § 503F and scope in § 504F.1.
  • Unreinforced Masonry strengthening (Bolts‑Plus and other procedures): San Francisco specifies analysis/retrofit procedures and limitations (e.g., diaphragm shear transfer, crosswall spacing) for certain masonry buildings. See §§ 510C, 511C, 504B.2.3.
  • Post-earthquake repair triggers: When retrofit is triggered by earthquake damage, permitted design loads may be 75% of new-building loads; if pre‑quake criteria are met, restore to pre‑quake capacity. See § 405.2.3.
  • Private school seismic evaluations: City waives certain site-specific investigations and Tier 3 requirements under a City program implementing § 329 (ASCE 41 interpretations).

• Housing Code enforcement in DBI’s scope:

  • Additional “substandard” conditions beyond State Housing Law include insufficient outlets, lack of elevators where required, illegal hotel unit conversion, chronic mold/mildew, missing mail receptacles, and missing phone jacks. See Housing Code § 1002.

• Property-line openings and lightwells (frequent San Francisco situations):

  • Requests to allow new or existing openings closer to the property line than otherwise permitted are processed as local equivalencies using § 104A.2.7/§ 104A.2.8, within the limits of § 705.8 (openings). See AB‑009. Separate City agreements may be required where openings face City property.
  • Communicating openings between buildings on separate properties and emergency egress to courts/lightwells are also handled via local equivalency on a case-by-case basis. See AB‑010 and AB‑018.

Special San Francisco Slope Protection Areas (construction-phase control)

• Edgehill Mountain Slope Protection Area

  • What the SFBC does: For new buildings or substantial envelope increases, special inspection reporting is required; later construction phases cannot proceed until the prior phase’s reports are approved. See § 1705.22 with area created by § 106A.4.1.2.
  • Where it applies: The mapped Edgehill Mountain Slope Protection Area; parcel applicability is site-specific. Verify with the jurisdiction.

• Northwest Mt. Sutro Slope Protection Area

  • What the SFBC does: Same special inspection/reporting linkage as above for qualifying work. See § 1705.22; area created by § 106A.4.1.3.
  • Where it applies: The mapped Northwest Mt. Sutro Slope Protection Area. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Decision-Relevant Local Standards (selected)

Practical Navigation Tips

• For scope beyond construction (zoning, height/bulk, uses), see the San Francisco Planning Code and the San Francisco zoning & planning overview.
• Life safety and operations often cross-reference the San Francisco Fire Code; note the SFBC does not diminish State Fire Marshal requirements. See § 101A.7.3.
• Agreements touching City property or hotel operations may also involve the San Francisco Administrative Code.
• DBI forms, submittal checklists, façade reporting templates, and exception applications are in San Francisco Permits & Forms.
• Design topics that are not building-safety code (e.g., streetscape, materials palettes) live under San Francisco Design Standards.
• Housing and tenant protections run in parallel to code enforcement (e.g., hotels, conversions) and may intersect with the San Francisco Rent Ordinance.
• ADU projects follow building code plus separate ADU rules; see San Francisco ADUs and California ADU law.

Checklist

• Confirm your project’s governing codes at intake; apply standards in effect when DBI deems your permit application accepted for plan review (date‑stamped). Cite: § 101A.4.1.
• Determine if your building falls under the façade inspection program; schedule and scope per SFEBC. Cite: §§ 503F, 504F.1.
• If proposing gas infrastructure in new construction, prepare an all‑electric design or assemble exception materials consistent with DBI procedures. Cite: § 106A.1.17.
• Map whether your site is in a Slope Protection Area; plan for phase-by-phase special inspection reports that gate subsequent work. Cite: § 1705.22. Verify with the jurisdiction.
• Identify special inspection triggers, including unusual hazards designated by the Director. Cite: § 1704.2, § 1705.1.1(4).
• For roof decks, validate material/size/perimeter conditions. Cite: § 1511.10.
• For URM or historic-like conditions, select an allowed evaluation/retrofit path and document criteria. Cite: SFEBC §§ 510C, 511C; § 405.2.3.
• If seeking property-line openings or lightwell egress, pursue a local equivalency package with required agreements. Cite: § 104A.2.7, § 104A.2.8, § 705.8.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

San Francisco adds its own rules on top of state building codes, and DBI enforces them. That means new buildings are generally all‑electric, some buildings must get periodic façade safety checks, certain hillside areas require extra inspections before construction can advance, and DBI can require special inspections for unusual site hazards. If your design needs something the code doesn’t clearly allow—like property‑line windows or egress to a lightwell—DBI may grant a case‑by‑case local equivalency when you prove equal safety.

Source References

• BIC Codes scope and publication; list of codes included.
• Applicability, effective dates, conflicts and precedence: § 101A.3.1, § 101A.4.1, § 101A.7.2, § 101A.7.3.
• Table of Amendments (ordinances affecting BIC Codes).
• All‑electric new construction: SFBC § 106A.1.17 (implemented via AB‑112).
• Roof decks: SFBC § 1511.10.
• Earthquake instrumentation: SFBC § 1604.11.
• Special inspections/structural observation: SFBC Ch. 17, § 108A (AB‑046).
• Special inspection amendments and hazards: SFBC §§ 1704.2, 1705.1.1(4), 1705.21, 1705.22, 1705.23.
• Façade Inspection & Maintenance Program: SFEBC §§ 503F, 504F.1 (AB‑110).
• URM strengthening: SFEBC §§ 510C, 511C, 504B.2.3.
• Post‑earthquake repair criteria: SFEBC § 405.2.3.
• Property‑line openings and lightwell egress (local equivalencies): SFBC §§ 104A.2.7, 104A.2.8, 705.8 (AB‑009, AB‑010, AB‑018).
• Housing “substandard” conditions: Housing Code § 1002.

Retrieved passages

• CBC § 104A.2.7 (Chapter 10) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 504F.1 (Chapter 5F) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 106A.1.17 (Chapter 7.) High relevance show source text
• CFC § 100.0 High relevance show source text
• CFC § 102A.8 (Title and) High relevance show source text
• CMC § 403.0 (Section 403.0) Medium relevance show source text
• CBC § 3303 (Section 3303) Medium relevance show source text
• CFC § 1.1.8 (Section 1.1.8) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• BIC Codes scope and publication; list of codes included.
• Applicability, effective dates, conflicts and precedence: **§ 101A.3.1**, **§ 101A.4.1**, **§ 101A.7.2**, **§ 101A.7.3**. (§ 101A.3.1)
• Table of Amendments (ordinances affecting BIC Codes).
• All‑electric new construction: **SFBC § 106A.1.17** (implemented via AB‑112). (§ 106A.1.17)
• Roof decks: **SFBC § 1511.10**. (§ 1511.10)
• Earthquake instrumentation: **SFBC § 1604.11**. (§ 1604.11)
• Special inspections/structural observation: **SFBC Ch. 17**, **§ 108A** (AB‑046). (§ 108A)
• Special inspection amendments and hazards: **SFBC §§ 1704.2, 1705.1.1(4), 1705.21, 1705.22, 1705.23**. (§ 1704.2)
• Façade Inspection & Maintenance Program: **SFEBC §§ 503F, 504F.1** (AB‑110). (§ 503F)
• URM strengthening: **SFEBC §§ 510C, 511C, 504B.2.3**. (§ 510C)
• Post‑earthquake repair criteria: **SFEBC § 405.2.3**. (§ 405.2.3)
• Property‑line openings and lightwell egress (local equivalencies): **SFBC §§ 104A.2.7, 104A.2.8, 705.8** (AB‑009, AB‑010, AB‑018). (§ 104A.2.7)
• Housing “substandard” conditions: **Housing Code § 1002**. (§ 1002)
• SF Building Inspection Commissions Code.md