Permit Technician I (6321) - Citywide - 158723

THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

• Application Opening: August 1, 2025.
• Application Deadline: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than August 15, 2025.
• Compensation Range: $67,054 - $81,536 https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/ 
• Recruitment ID: CBT-6321-158723

About:
San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.

Role Description:

Under direct supervision, the Permit Technician I performs a wide variety of routine paraprofessional, technical, administrative and specialized work involved in receiving and reviewing building, electrical, plumbing and related permit applications for completeness; processing records requests; and creating inspection records; making appointments; maintaining field inspection lists; and providing routine permit-related information concerning building permit requirements, codes, ordinances and inspection procedures.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: This is the entry-level class in the Permit Technician series. This class is distinguished from the Permit Technician II in that the latter independently performs and/or provides specialized information that is more complex in nature. The Permit Technician I performs routine and less complex assignments.

The essential functions of this job include, but are not limited to:

• Receives and reviews permit applications and related documentation for completeness; receives request for records and processes routine requests.
• Interacts directly with project sponsors, permit expediters, contractors, the general public and other department representatives relative to DBI process, permit routing, report requests, inspection scheduling, special inspections, complaints and code violations.
• Researches public records with regard to construction drawings, permits, complaints and notices of violations, calculations, soil reports and legal descriptions.
• Performs routine entries into the department’s cashiering system and other computer based systems, ensuring accuracy in all data including street names, names of owner(s) project sponsor(s) and design professionals, characteristics of the projects, fees and payments, and permit contractor’s information
• Records, logs, compiles and maintains various permit, complaint, and Notice of Violation related files, data, documents, plans and reports.
• May use fee schedules and designated calculation methodologies to determine value and calculate and access preliminary and final fees; collects, records and balances permit related monetary transactions. Processes applicable charges, handles cash, checks and other forms of payment, performs initial reconciliation of receipts and reconciles entries with the Permit Tracking System.
• Receives a variety of routine problems and complaints and directs them to appropriate division and staff. May produce routine correspondence requiring knowledge of department operations, policies, procedures, regulations and ordinances as directed by the supervisor.
• Preparation of hearings and dissemination of information by compiling complaint related files and conducting property research.
• Accepting and processing complaints from residents; 
• Processing payments in-person and online;
• Processing and issuing permit applications for plumbing, electrical, mechanical, street space, and building permits without plans.
• Monitor specialized email accounts and respond as appropriate.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of: Standard alphabetical, numerical and chronological filing systems; basic office operations.
• Skill to: Utilize complex specialized computer software including permit systems; operating Window Based Personal Computers, point of sale machines, copiers, fax machines and scanners.
• Ability to: Receive and direct day-to-day problems and/or complaints encountered by staff, the public and other in the course of handling office operations and procedures; explain, interpret and apply routine and specialized information, polices, and governmental guidelines and regulations to departments, staff, the public and/or others; learn, understand and apply various state and local laws, codes, ordinances and regulations; communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing; communicate with customers and staff using technical terminology; work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner; learn to work independently within established policies and procedures.

How to qualify

Experience: Two (2) years of verifiable clerical experience including interacting with the public, preparing and maintaining a variety of records and/or documents, filing, use of office equipment, public contact and processing of incoming and outgoing mail.

Substitution:

• Completion of a clerical training program of at least two-hundred and forty (240) hours may substitute for six (6) months of the required experience.
• Completion of fifteen (15) semester or twenty-four (24) quarter units of coursework from an accredited college or university may substitute for six (6) months of the required experience.

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Verification of Education and Experience:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Written Test (Weight: 100%): Qualified candidates will be scheduled for the written test multiple-choice examination to determine their relative knowledge, skills and abilities in job-related areas which may include, but not be limited to: Knowledge of standard alphabetical, numerical and chronological filing systems; knowledge of basic office operations; ability to receive and direct day-to-day problems and/or complaints encountered by staff, the public and other in the course of handling office operations and procedures; and ability to explain, interpret and apply routine and specialized information, polices, and governmental guidelines and regulations to departments, staff, the public and/or others; learn, understand and apply various state and local laws, codes, ordinances and regulations.

A minimum score must be achieved on the Written Test to be placed on the eligible list.

This is a standardized written multiple-choice examination. In accordance with Civil Service Rule 111.11.4, inspection privileges do not apply to the questions and answers in this examination. Candidate scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.

Exam Banked Score: The score you achieve on this examination shall be valid and "banked" for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take this test again should you apply and be found eligible for a future announcement for which this particular test is used. If the test for this future announcement is held within one year of the date of this examination, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your banked test score to the other recruitments that you qualify for or (b) re-take the test. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which this test is used. Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score and new banked score.

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of twelve (12) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2023-24.pdf 

Certification Rule: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: 

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/. The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at http://sfgov.org/civilservice/rules.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/  to begin your application process. No other methods of application will be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Upon successful submission, applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected]. Keep this email for your records. If you do not receive it, your application was not submitted successfully.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst Jason Hammack, via email at [email protected]

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.