In San Francisco, the general rule is that a deck needs a permit if it is more than thirty inches above grade at any point, attaches to the house, or carries a roof or structure. Since most city lots slope and most decks attach to the house, most decks in San Francisco need a permit — and the same pattern holds in Daly City, Pacifica, San Bruno, and most Peninsula cities.
What does permitting actually involve? A simple residential deck typically needs a site plan, framing details, and footing specs submitted to the local building department, followed by inspections at the footing and framing stages. It sounds bureaucratic, but the drawings are quick for an experienced builder, and the inspections are genuinely useful: they verify the connections that keep a deck safe.
The risk of skipping the permit isn't abstract. Unpermitted decks surface during home sales and appraisals, and lenders and buyers routinely ask for records that don't exist. Cities can require retroactive permits, repairs to expose framing, or removal in worst cases. A permitted deck costs a little more and protects far more.
We handle permits for our clients as a standard part of the job: we prepare the drawings, file the application, and schedule the inspections. If you're not sure whether your project needs one — a low platform deck often doesn't — ask us during the free estimate and we'll give you a straight answer for your specific city.