We live in the permit counter.
Our permit team has personal working relationships with every major reviewer in the City of San Diego DSD, County Planning, and every incorporated jurisdiction in SD County. Corrections get resolved in days, not months. We can process permits for plans you (or another firm) prepared.
What's included
Submission, monitoring, and follow-through until the permit is issued and paid for.
- 01 Pre-submission review against jurisdiction checklists
- 02 Electronic plan portal submission
- 03 Plan check status monitoring
- 04 Direct plan checker communication
- 05 Correction response coordination (with your designer or ours)
- 06 Fee calculation + payment scheduling
- 07 Permit pickup + handoff
How permit processing works
Pre-check
We review the plans against the target jurisdiction checklist and flag anything likely to bounce.
Submit
Electronic submission with all required attachments.
Correction rounds
We respond to plan checker comments directly. If your designer needs to redraw, we coordinate.
Issuance
Final fee payment, permit issuance, handoff.
Common questions
01 How long does city plan check take in San Diego?
City of San Diego DSD: 3–6 months for residential ADU or addition. County unincorporated: 4–7 months. Small cities (La Mesa, El Cajon, Escondido): 2–5 months. Coastal jurisdictions: add 2–4 months for CDP.
02 What's a permit expediter?
Someone who handles the city plan check process on your behalf — submission, correction rounds, follow-up. In SD County, expediters with relationships at DSD routinely clear permits 30–50% faster than owners submitting solo.
03 Can you process plans I already have?
Yes. We regularly process permits for plans prepared by other architects. We do a pre-submission review and let you know honestly if the set is likely to clear as-is or need revisions.
04 What does permit processing cost?
Flat fee typically $2,500–$6,000 depending on jurisdiction and project size. Coastal or historic jurisdictions run higher.
05 Do I still pay city permit fees?
Yes — city fees are separate and paid by you directly at submission and pickup. Our fee covers the processing work, not city fees.
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