What's Required in San Jose
- Permit required to replace a furnace, condenser, air handler or heat pump, including like-for-like (SJMC 24.02.100)
- Portable units, component-part replacement and self-contained refrigeration under 10 lb and 1 hp are exempt (SJMC 24.02.140)
- Furnace replacement, AC, heat pump, duct/flue alteration and evaporative cooler are online mechanical permits; no plans needed
- New AC or heat pump circuit needs an electrical permit ($315 minimum)
- Mechanical permit $315 per hour of inspection time, $315 minimum; $211 processing when filed at the counter
- Equipment in the rear setback keeps 5 ft from the rear line; heat pumps may project 2 ft into a setback with 3 ft side clearance
- Installation follows the 2025 California Mechanical and Energy Codes in effect since January 1, 2026
- Contractors need a state license for jobs of $1,000 or more; owner-builders may pull the permit
Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Furnace or AC in San Jose?
Yes, including a like-for-like change-out. San Jose Municipal Code 24.02.100 requires a permit before building service equipment is altered, repaired or replaced, and the mechanical exemptions in 24.02.140 do not reach a new unit: they cover a portable heating appliance, portable ventilating equipment, a portable cooling unit, replacement of a component part that does not alter the appliance's original approval, and a self-contained refrigeration system with 10 pounds or less of refrigerant driven by a motor of 1 horsepower or less. A blower motor, capacitor or control board is a part; a condenser, furnace or air handler is the equipment. SJPermits.org issues the common jobs online without plans: Furnace - Replacement, Air Conditioning, Heat Pump including condensate, Appliance - New or Replacements, Duct / Flue Alteration and Evaporative Cooler.
San Jose HVAC Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a blower motor, capacitor, igniter or control board | No permit | SJMC 24.02.140.6 |
| Window unit or portable heater or cooler | No permit | SJMC 24.02.140.1-3 |
| Furnace replacement, same location | Online mechanical permit: Furnace - Replacement | SJPermits available online permits |
| New or replacement central AC condenser | Online mechanical permit: Air Conditioning; electrical permit for a new circuit | SJPermits available online permits (electrical and mechanical lines) |
| Heat pump replacing a furnace and AC | Online mechanical permit: Heat Pump including condensate; electrical permit | SJPermits available online permits |
| New or altered ductwork or flue | Online mechanical permit: Duct / Flue Alteration (single-family) | SJPermits available online permits |
| Condensate drain to a new location | Mechanical and plumbing permits | SJPermits: Condensate Waste or Inlet Drain |
How Much Does an HVAC Permit Cost in San Jose?
The city prices residential trade permits by inspection time: Plumbing, Mechanical or Electrical Permit, $315.00 per hour of required inspection time, and miscellaneous mechanical permits are the greater of a $315 per hour minimum or an itemized amount from the fee tables. A furnace or condenser change-out that passes in one inspection is therefore about $315 in permit fee. The FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges, effective July 1, 2026, lists permit processing for a combination of fixtures or prescriptive items at 1.0 hour, $211, which puts a counter-filed mechanical permit near $526. A new AC or heat pump circuit adds an electrical permit at the same $315 minimum, so a full system replacement with new wiring runs roughly $840 before any itemized adjustment. The online checkout shows the exact total. Work done without a permit is charged two times the plan review and inspection cost when found.
Where the Equipment Can Go
Zoning 20.30.400 lets HVAC equipment sit in the rear setback if it keeps 5 feet from the rear property line and the district's side setback, and lets heat pumps project up to 2 feet into a setback area as long as a 3-foot side setback remains. San Jose adopted the 2025 California Mechanical Code and California Energy Code, in effect since January 1, 2026, so duct sealing, equipment efficiency and the state's energy-compliance forms follow those editions rather than a local ordinance; the inspector checks the installation, venting, condensate and clearances against them. Building service equipment must be inspected before it is concealed, and a reinspection fee applies when the job is not ready.
Who Pulls the Permit
Usually the installing contractor, who must hold a state license for any job of $1,000 or more. A homeowner improving a principal residence occupied for 12 months may pull the permit as owner-builder and do the work personally. Online permits are available for single-family, duplex, multifamily and commercial properties (some lines, such as duct alteration and heat pumps, single-family only). Inspections are scheduled on SJPermits.org and must be cancelled by 2 pm two business days ahead; the permit expires after 12 months without a start or 180 days idle.
How to Get a HVAC Permit in San Jose
Confirm it is equipment, not a part
Parts and portables are exempt; a new furnace, condenser, air handler or heat pump needs a permit.
Apply online at SJPermits.org
Pick Furnace - Replacement, Air Conditioning or Heat Pump including condensate; add an electrical permit for a new circuit.
Pay the fee
$315 minimum mechanical permit plus $211 processing where charged, and $315 for an electrical permit; the checkout shows the total.
Install to the 2025 codes
Place outdoor equipment 5 ft off the rear line; keep energy-code paperwork for the inspector.
Inspect
Schedule on SJPermits.org before anything is concealed; cancel by 2 pm two business days ahead.