Heating and cooling in San Diego
San Diego has a Simple (No-plan) Permit for minor mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations, and the Development Services Department (DSD) takes it through its online portal at aca.accela.com/SANDIEGO. Every new permit goes in online, and a homeowner can pull this one. For a furnace or air conditioner swap in a house, duplex or townhome, choose 'No-Plan - Residential - Combination Mech/Elec/Plum', and the permit issues once the invoice is paid.
Historically designated properties don't qualify and need a standalone permit with plans. DSD's Information Bulletin 103, dated May 2026, prices a furnace at $176.57 for the first unit and $52.39 for each one after, and a condensing unit at $131.52. Expect a third-party HERS rater, who tests the work against the state's Title 24 energy rules, before final approval whenever more than 40 feet of duct runs through unconditioned space.
DSD says scheduling every required inspection is the responsibility of the contractor or the owner, so settle in writing which of you books them. PMT project types can be booked online at any hour. Grading and right of way inspections go through 619-446-5242, and every other inspection through 858-581-7111. Paying in person by credit card carries a $10 minimum. SDG&E's rebates page says its Golden State Rebates retail offerings have ended and lists nothing for central air, furnaces or heat pump HVAC; the closure line is (866) 258-4937. Questions about a permit go to the DSD customer service line, 619-446-5000, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What heating and cooling work costs near San Diego
Nobody's given us a quote for work in San Diego yet, so this page can't show a city price. The California page lists what technicians earn (the California median in 2025 BLS wage data is $36.24 an hour, which is their pay, not your price). How we estimate costs.
Permits for heating and cooling work in San Diego
Under the California Mechanical Code, replacing a furnace, air handler, coil or condenser needs a building permit, and so does adding ducting, as the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) told C-20 contractors in a 2010 letter. Code details vary by city and county, so ask the building department for your address what it needs.
Heating and cooling jobs in San Diego
Sources for San Diego
- Contact Us, Development Services, City of San Diego Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Inspections, Development Services, City of San Diego Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Fees, Development Services, City of San Diego Read Oct 20, 2026.
- Rebates | San Diego Gas & Electric Read Oct 20, 2026.
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2023 5-year (B01003, B25034, B25077)
- Fee Schedule for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas Permits (IB-103), City of San Diego Read Oct 23, 2026.