What is a San Francisco 3R report?

You’re buying or selling a San Francisco home, and someone says the transaction needs a “3R.” The Report of Residential Building Record is a City record that identifies matters such as the property’s authorized use, zoning district and residential building permit history. Under Section 351 of the Housing Code, the owner or the owner’s authorized agent shall obtain the report and deliver it to the buyer before the sale or exchange is completed, with one exception for a first sale of a new building.

The report can show where a property’s records and its current use differ. It is not a physical inspection, a complete permit search or proof that the property complies with current law.

This is general information and not legal advice.

What is a 3R report?

A 3R report is the Department of Building Inspection’s summary of specified information about a residential building, insofar as that information can be determined from City records.

Section 351 of the San Francisco Housing Code calls it a Report of Residential Building Record. It applies to a residential building or part of a building containing one or more dwelling units. The definition excludes hotels with 30 or more guest rooms and motels.

The report describes the current legal use compiled from City department records. A sample report published by San Francisco Public Works, an older report, shows a numbered format, including an entry for “Present authorized Occupancy or use” and a permit list organized by year with status codes. The sample entries do not describe any other property.

As of November 5, 2026, this guide relies on Sections 351 through 353 of the San Francisco Housing Code, 2025 edition, which has an operative date of January 1, 2025. Those sections may have changed since that edition was published. Check the City’s current code and the Department of Building Inspection before relying on the requirements for a transaction.

Who must obtain and deliver the report?

The Housing Code says the owner or the owner’s authorized agent shall obtain the report and deliver it to the buyer before the sale or exchange is completed.

The requirement applies before the sale or exchange of a residential building, with an exception for the first sale or exchange when it occurs within one year after the Certificate of Final Completion for the building’s construction. The code says it is unlawful for the owner to sell or exchange a covered residential building without first obtaining the report and delivering it to the buyer.

The buyer shall then file a receipt with the Department of Building Inspection on a form furnished by the department. A person licensed by California to sell property must also provide a prospective buyer, upon request, with a copy of the report for a listed residential property.

The 3R is one city-specific part of the information involved in a sale. California disclosure topics are covered separately in the seller disclosure guide.

When does the report expire?

A 3R report is effective for one year from its date of issuance.

The report contains both an issuance date and an expiration date. The City’s printed sample states that the report is valid for one year only and that the seller must deliver it to the buyer before the sale or exchange is completed. It also says the buyer must sign it.

That one-year period matters when an existing report is being considered for a later transaction. Check the dates printed on the report itself rather than assuming an earlier copy remains effective.

The Housing Code ties delivery to completion of the sale or exchange. It does not say that a lender requires the report, and the reviewed sources do not say that an escrow or title company orders or handles it.

What information appears in a 3R report?

The report lists specific property facts that are ascertainable from City records.

Those facts include the present authorized occupancy or use, the zoning district, the Building Code occupancy classification and whether the building is classified as a residential condominium. It also states whether the property contains Residential Hotel Guest Rooms and whether Planning Department records show an expiration date for a nonconforming use.

The report covers the building’s construction date, original occupancy or use, and construction, conversion or alteration permits issued. For a mixed-use building, the City’s service page says the report contains only the permit history for the residential units.

Other entries address the number of residential structures on the property, active Franchise Tax Board referrals, current abatement proceedings for code violations and the status of an energy inspection and proof of compliance. The report also addresses the Mandatory Earthquake Retrofit of Wood-Frame Building Program, including whether required upgrade work has been completed, and whether the building falls within the flood risk zone boundaries on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s 100-Year Storm Flood Risk Map.

What does the report leave out?

The 3R leaves out a physical examination and several categories of permits.

Its required warning says no physical examination of the property has taken place. The report contains no history of plumbing or electrical permits, and the City’s service page adds that it does not include commercial permits. To see all permits, you must request public building records.

A 3R also makes no representation that the property complies with the law. It reports the authorized use shown by City records, but it does not prove that a unit, room or alteration is legal or safe. Any occupancy or use other than the authorized use listed in the report could be illegal and subject to removal or abatement. The warning directs readers to the Planning Department and the Department of Building Inspection for review.

Errors or omissions do not prevent the City from enforcing building and zoning codes against a seller, buyer or later owner. For association documents on a condominium, see the California HOA disclosure guide.

We were helping a buyer evaluate a San Francisco building when she treated the 3R report as proof that every improvement was legal and code-compliant. We explained that the report provides important city records about the property, but it does not replace inspections or resolve every question about the work actually present. We compared the report with the building’s current layout before advising her further.

How do you request a 3R report?

You request a 3R report from the Department of Building Inspection by submitting the required property and ownership information and paying the fee in advance.

The application requires the owner’s name and address, the applicant’s name and address if different, and the building’s location. The City’s 3R request page says you will need the block and lot, street address, and legal owner’s name and contact information. It also asks whether the building is a corner building, condominium or co-op. If a lot has multiple buildings, the form asks which building is involved, such as the front or rear building.

The City lists a fee of $379 for each residential building on a lot. Online credit card payment brings the total to $388.48. After payment, no refunds are issued and no changes are allowed. A separate online form is required for each building, and each person may request up to six reports per day, per company.

DBI says it will issue the report in seven to ten business days. Delivery is available by emailed PDF, mail or in-person pickup.

Where can you get help or request an inspection?

You can contact the Department of Building Inspection’s Records Management Division for 3R assistance, while a physical inspection requires a separate request.

The division is at 49 South Van Ness, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94103. The City prints the phone number 628-652-3420 and email address [email protected] on its service page. If you do not know the block and lot, that page points to Building Eye and the SF Property Information Map.

Section 353 provides a separate inspection path. If an owner or the owner’s agent wants a physical inspection, DBI shall inspect the property and provide that person with a list of any legal violations disclosed by the inspection. This inspection is not part of the 3R itself.

The short version

A San Francisco 3R report states what City records show about a residential building’s authorized use, occupancy, zoning and specified permit history. For a covered sale, the code says the owner or authorized agent shall obtain the report and deliver it to the buyer before completion. The buyer shall file the City’s receipt form.

Check the report’s one-year expiration date, and do not treat it as an inspection, a complete permit record or proof of legal compliance. Plumbing, electrical and commercial permits require a broader public-records request.

For a separate estimate based on your property details, use the home value tool.