Building Plans Request

How to Obtain Copies of Building Plans


The City of San Juan Capistrano follows California Health & Safety Code § 19851 - 19853 for all requests to duplicate the official copy of building plans maintained by the City.  These codes require certain procedures to be followed to seek permission from the current property owner and the professional(s) of record who prepared the plans; and the requirement that the requestor complete an affidavit.  

The City Clerk’s Office acts as an intermediary between the public and the licensed, registered, or certified professionals (the copyright owners) to ensure these copyrighted documents are not misused.  

The City is required by state law to send certified letters to the property owner and professional of record requesting permission to copy their plans.

Below are the required steps to obtain copies of building plans in the City of San Juan Capistrano:

  • Determine the address of the building for which you want plans.
  • Email or visit the Building Department to confirm the plans are available.  
  • If you are the owner of the building, Health & Safety Code § 19851 requires the owner to complete an Authorization Form. The Authorization Form should be included with the completed affidavit. 
  • Health & Safety Code § 19851 requires the City to obtain an Affidavit from the person whom is requesting copies of the plans. Your signature must be notarized.  The affidavit form is included with the Building Plan Request Forms.
  • Submit your completed original notarized forms and owner’s Authorization Form to the City Clerk’s Office.  

The City Clerk’s Office will send copies of these documents to each professional of record and property owner (if necessary) via certified mail. 

California law states the City must allow the professional of record and property owner (if necessary) 30 days to respond to a request for copies of building plans.

Permit records dating back to 2007 can be viewed online via the City E-Trakit Citizen Portal. Building plans related to permit records may only be viewed in person at city hall and are not accessible online. 

To view permit records prior to 2007, please schedule an appointment with the Building Department to view the documents at the public counter via the city records system.

For questions regarding the process, please email the City Clerk's Office or call (949) 493-1171.