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No permit. No worries.
Good news! Not every home improvement in San Francisco requires a permit. Some smaller projects may not need one at all. Before assuming your new idea will come with a pile of paperwork, take a moment to check. Below, we’ve listed a few types of projects that you can get started on without needing a permit.
Here we're listing for your convenience just a few types of work that may not require a permit:
1. One-story detached accessory buildings are used as storage sheds, tool sheds, workshops, playhouses, and the like as long as the projected roof area does not exceed 100 square feet in the roof area.
2. Plastic, metal, or wood fences no higher than six (6) feet in height that are located at the rear and side lot lines of the property.
3. Any fence not over three (3) feet in height along the front of the lot.
4. Movable cases, counters, and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches in height.
5. Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the top of the wall to the bottom of the footing unless supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or III-A liquids.
6. Water tanks are supported directly upon grade so long as the capacity of the tank does not exceed 5000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed two to one.
7. Surface mounting of readily removable materials on interior walls.
8. Platforms, walks, and driveways, when not a part of an exit, and not more than 30 inches above grade or over any basement or story below.
9. No more than 200 square feet of paved or covered ground. (Note: Any paved or covered ground area exceeding 200 square feet requires a plumbing permit).
10. Painting, papering, and similar finish work.
11. Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery.
12. Minor repairs to existing interior plaster, except when part of a fire-resistive assembly such as any wall along the property line.
13. Prefabricated swimming pool accessory to a Group R. Division 3 Occupancy in which the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade as long as the capacity of the pool does not exceed 5000 gallons.
14. Re-roofing without the installation, repair, or removal of roof sheathing, if the surface area of the roof being worked on does not exceed 25 percent (25%)of the entire surface area of the roof.
15. Installations or replacement of floor coverings do not require the removal of existing flooring except for bathrooms and water closets.
16. Repair and replacement of glazing in conformity with this code, and provided wire glass shall be replaced in kind.
17. Replacement of doors, except garage doors, in all occupancies, provided they are not required to be fire-resistive assemblies by this code.
Check the latest zoning regulations for your property.
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