Window replacement costs in San Francisco

In San Francisco, every window replacement needs a building permit. The Planning Department's May 2025 guide says that holds for all types of window replacement, wherever the window sits on the building. It also says to talk to Planning before you buy, because some windows can't be approved for a building's historic status, even after they're bought or installed.

What you're allowed to buy changed that month. Planning Code Section 136.2, passed by the Board of Supervisors in May 2025, bars the department from restricting the material of a replacement frame or sash. That freedom doesn't reach historic buildings in Categories A and A*, or any job that enlarges a window or adds a new opening. You can look up your building's category on the city's Property Information Map. A* means a City Landmark or a building in a landmark or conservation district. Those jobs can't get over-the-counter approval and may need an Administrative Certificate of Appropriateness or a Minor Permit to Alter instead.

The energy side is gentler here. San Francisco sits in the state's climate Zone 3, where windows carry no solar heat gain limit. On a job that replaces more than 75 square feet, the U-factor cap is 0.27.

When the work is done, a city building inspector signs off on site, and most window permits stay valid for a year.