|
DATE: |
May 19, 2026 and June 9, 2026 |
23 |
SUBJECT
Title
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 448.1 TO ARTICLE XXV OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND SECTION 21.1901 OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF REGULATORY ORDINANCES RELATING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff’s Office) is dedicated to delivering high quality public safety services to all residents of San Diego County. To support this commitment, the Sheriff’s Office regularly evaluates its operations to ensure a balanced and effective approach to service delivery. This includes reviewing the services it provides and the associated costs, with periodic adjustments to fees to reflect current expenses.
The Sheriff’s Office recently conducted a review of all its fees and rates to ensure compliance with Board Policy B-29 Fees, Grants, and Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Cost Recovery (Board Policy B-29), which requires County of San Diego (County) departments to recover costs to provide services to agencies or individuals. As a result, the Sheriff’s Office is proposing a fee package that is the result of an analysis of services provided to the public, processing times, and corresponding costs to provide those services. The proposed amendments to the County Administrative Code pertain to Section 448.1 (Detention Services User Fees), to update existing fees associated with prepaid debit cards issued to an incarcerated person upon final release from custody, and vendor costs put forth by the commissary service website. In addition to the County Administrative Code amendments, the Sheriff's Office reviewed its regulatory and licensing fees, and is proposing increasing 28 fees, deleting three fees, keeping seven fees the same, and adding two new fees for services. The Sheriff's Office is requesting a waiver of Board Policy B-29 for three fees which are less than full cost recovery: Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) license, For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card, and Taxicab Driver Identification Card.
The Auditor and Controller has reviewed and approved the supporting documentation and methodology for establishing the fees in this proposal for Fiscal Year 2026-27.
Today’s actions request the Board of Supervisors (Board) to approve amendments to Section 448.1 of the County Administrative Code and Section 21.1901 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances related to the Sheriff’s Office fees charged for services provided. The ordinance will be introduced on May 19, 2026 (first reading), if the Board takes action as recommended, then on June 9, 2026 (second reading), these changes will be adopted. If the proposed ordinance is altered on May 19, 2026, then on that date, a subsequent meeting date will be selected for the ordinance’s adoption. Additionally, today’s action requests a waiver of Board Policy B-29 full cost recovery related to the CCW, For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card, and Taxicab Driver Identification Card fee.
RECOMMENDATION(S)SHERIFF
1. Approve the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading):
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 448.1 TO ARTICLE XXV OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND SECTION 21.1901 OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF REGULATORY ORDINANCES RELATING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEES
2. Waive Board Policy B-29, Fees, Grants and Revenue Contracts, Department Responsibility for Full Cost Recovery related to Carry Concealed Weapons License, For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card, and Taxicab Driver Identification Card fees, of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances.
If, on May 19, 2026, the Board takes action as recommended above, then on June 9, 2026:
1. Consider and adopt (second reading):
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 448.1 TO ARTICLE XXV OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND SECTION 21.1901 OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF REGULATORY ORDINANCES RELATING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEES
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office strives for equitable and positive outcomes in our communities, ensuring that services to our communities do not entail fees that create inequities. The proposed fee changes aim to provide additional transparency and accountability. The adjustments to fees are meant for service cost recovery and to provide benefit from a service by paying part of its cost, rather than having the entire burden fall on taxpayers. The calculations for the fee increases are not meant to be cost prohibitive for individuals, especially members of our communities who suffer from economic inequality.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today's actions align with the County of San Diego's (County) Sustainability Goals by enhancing fiscal stability by obtaining partial cost recovery for services provided, while ensuring equity by requiring recipients of the service to pay a portion of the costs, lessening the reliance on County's General Purpose Revenue to provide the services. Each of the fees has been tailored to balance fiscal stability and equity to avoid disproportionately burdening any segment of the population needing the services.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the County for fees related to pre-paid debit cards found in the County Administrative Code. The fees assessed for this service are paid directly by the customer to the debit card vendor and/or merchant for processing the transactions. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
There is no fiscal impact to the County for fees related to commissary website transactions, also found in the County Administrative Code. To offset vendor service costs, transaction fees are proposed to increase by $0.65 per transaction. If approved, the cost per transaction will go from $3.25 to $3.90 to support website hosting and processing online credit and debit card payments. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
If various regulatory and licensing fees are approved, this request will produce a nominal increase in revenue depending on the number of licenses issued each year. Costs and revenues related to these fees of $1,048,117, are included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 CAO Recommended Operational Plan for the Sheriff’s Office. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
A waiver of Board Policy B-29, for three fees is being requested because full cost recovery could become cost prohibitive and inhibit access and participation for those that face economic challenges. The three fees are: Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) License, For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card, and Taxicab Driver Identification Card. The unrecovered cost, estimated at $5.1 million will be funded with Sheriff's Office General Purpose Revenue. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office (Sheriff's Office) is committed to providing the highest quality public safety service to everyone in San Diego County. The Sheriff's Office routinely reflects on its operations to ensure it maintains a balanced approach to its service delivery. One aspect of this is through assessing services and respective costs of doing business that require the evaluation of fees to align with current costs. Pursuant to Board Policy B-29, Fees, Grants, and Revenue Contracts - Department Responsibility for Cost Recovery (Board Policy B-29) County of San Diego departments are required to ensure costs are fully recovered for services provided to agencies or individuals. On June 14, 2022 (14), the Board approved the fees proposed by the Sheriff’s Office, however, those approved fees were not updated in the published regulatory code. As a result, the fees being amended in the ordinance (Attachment B) reflect the pre-2022 fees rather than the current, 2022 approved, fees shown in the tables in this board letter.
Administrative Code Proposed Changes
On June 6, 2017 (3), Section 448.1 was added to the San Diego County Code of Administrative Ordinances to include fees associated with payment processing, electronic transfer fees for incarcerated persons' accounts, issuing debit cards to incarcerated persons upon release from custody, and establishing a fee associated with the Sheriff's Office commissary website which provides the public with the opportunity to purchase gift packs for an incarcerated person or to deposit funds on an incarcerated person's account. The Sheriff's Office is proposing deleting the fee provisions for the lobby kiosks as it no longer contracts with Securus Technologies for the kiosk services.
Upon being released from Sheriff’s Office custody, all unused funds in the incarcerated person's account will be returned to them. Those released into the community will have funds loaded onto a debit card and provided all pertinent information needed to access and manage their funds. There are transaction options available that do not charge a fee.
The charges associated with the pre-paid debit cards do not serve as a revenue source for the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office seeks to make a technical update (Attachment B) to the ordinance to mirror the most recent version of the vendor's cardholder agreement fee chart. The fees associated with the pre-paid debit cards are paid directly by the customer to the vendor for processing the transaction.
The annual vendor cost to maintain website hosting and processing fees for the commissary website has increased over the past nine years. Therefore, to become full cost recovery, transaction fees are proposed to increase by $0.65 per transaction. The public may also deposit money in an incarcerated person's account by cash at the information window counter at any detention or reentry facility at no cost.
Code of Regulatory Ordinances
The Sheriff's Office is responsible for the regulation and enforcement of regulatory ordinances and other state mandated licensing requirements within the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. The Sheriff's Office is authorized by Section 21.1901 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances to collect fees for the issuance of law enforcement regulated licenses and permits, in addition to collecting fees for copies of various documents and services.
To ensure full cost recovery pursuant to Board Policy B-29, the Sheriff's Office reviews its regulatory and licensing fees; June 14, 2022 (14), was the last time the Sheriff’s Office came to the Board with a request to increase fees. This year, the Sheriff's Office reviewed its regulatory and licensing fees and identified a total of 40 fees: 28 fees that are proposed to increase, three fees that are proposed to be deleted, seven fees that do not require an adjustment, and two new fees. (Attachments A, B, and D).
The Sheriff's Office is seeking a waiver of Board Policy B-29 relating to three fees, the first of which is the Carry Concealed Weapons License (CCW). Full cost for a CCW license was calculated at $1,155 for an initial application, $307 for a renewal, and $92 for amendments and modifications. The current fees for CCWs are $176 per initial application and $25 for renewal, in addition to the fees paid to the California Department of Justice. This fee does not capture full cost-recovery since it does not incorporate costs associated with background and investigation processing as well as supervisory staff time to review each application. The currently charged amounts are comparable to what similarly sized county agencies throughout the state currently charge for an initial CCW License, for example: Riverside County charges $100; Los Angeles County charges $216; San Bernardino County charges $190; Fresno charges $201; and Orange County charges $300. In 2025, the Sheriff's Office received 5,190 applications and 4,662 renewals. Through April 30, 2026, a total of 2,027 applications and 2,040 renewals have been submitted. Maintaining accessible fees ensures that individuals who seek to carry legally are those who have completed the required training and background process.
The Sheriff's Office is also seeking a waiver of Board Policy B-29 for For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card and Taxicab Driver Identification Card. Unlike other license types, these drivers cannot pass fee increases on to customers - their fares are regulated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and set by certified meters. Ride fees are determined by a meter that is inspected and certified by Agriculture, Weights, and Measures. Working in partnership with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), the Sheriff's Office continues to encourage participation in the regulatory process and seeks to ensure compliance with eligibility requirements. Full cost recovery would mean a steep increase for Taxicab Drivers, which would be a financial burden on drivers with limited means. Any increase to the licensing fee for operating a for-hire vehicle or taxicab has a direct impact on the driver's livelihood given that these fees cannot be passed on to customers. Licensing compliance exists to protect passengers and public safety. Making compliance unaffordable undermines that goal. The Sheriff's Office is committed to maintaining licensing standards while keeping licensure accessible to eligible applicants. In 2025, the Sheriff’s Licensing Division issued a total of 762 taxi driver licenses and 786 for-hire driver licenses. These numbers underscore the necessity of the Sheriff’s Office’s authority to uphold licensing standards.
The overall cost recovery analysis results in the following recommendations (see Attachments B and D for additional details).
Fees in the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances to be Increased (28):
The proposed increases to fees are due to increases in staffing costs from a position reclassification and the amount of hours spent to process the request, as well as an increase in the cost of services and supplies that support the issuance of a requested license. Sheriff’s Licensing reclassed License Clerk II positions to Licensing Specialists. This reclassification did not reduce or eliminate duties previously assigned to the Licensing Clerk II, and these duties remain part of the essential operational tasks that have been fully absorbed by the Licensing Specialists. The Licensing Specialist classification are a higher salary classification and encompass additional responsibilities than the old classification of Licensing Clerk II. That rise in salary cost was part of the calculation for the increase in fees.
The increase for the Carnival and Circus License (Per Event Fee) coincides with the deletion of the Carnival and Circus License Fee as it reflects the fact that an annual fee did not provide authority to operate. What was a per day fee of $100 is now captured in a singular per event fee, which is a more efficient way to process the licensing for this activity.
|
REGULATORY FEE |
Current Fee |
Proposed Fee |
|
|
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
|
Adult Entertainment Employee License |
$ 325 |
$ - |
$ 296 |
$ 444 |
$ - |
$ 405 |
|
Adult Entertainment Establishment License |
$ 885 |
$ - |
$ 826 |
$ 1,112 |
$ - |
$ 1,074 |
|
Carnival and Circus License (Per Event Fee) |
$ 100 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 764 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Casino Party License |
$ 396 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 508 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Entertainment Establishment License |
$ 348 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 647 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Entertainment Establishment Manager Registration |
$ 124 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 240 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Explosives Permit |
$ 741 |
$ - |
$ 507 |
$ 1,377 |
$ - |
$ 1,165 |
|
Firearms Dealer Permit |
$ 543 |
$ - |
$ 514 |
$ 790 |
$ - |
$ 751 |
|
Fireworks Permit |
$ 376 |
$ - |
$ 347 |
$ 798 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
For-Hire Vehicle Driver Identification Card |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 153 |
$ 38 |
$ 77 |
|
Fortune Telling License |
$ 328 |
$ - |
$ 299 |
$ 570 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Junk Yards and Motor Vehicle Wrecking Yards License |
$ 463 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 609 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
REGULATORY FEE |
Current Fee |
Proposed Fee |
|
|
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
|
Merchandise Coupon Distributor |
$ 212 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 274 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Outdoor Assembly License |
$ 538 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 639 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Outdoor Assembly Manager Registration |
$ 124 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 238 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Pawnbroker and Secondhand Dealers Fee |
$ 497 |
$ - |
$ 468 |
$ 697 |
$ - |
$ 659 |
|
Permanent Amusement Rides and Go Cart Centers Permit |
$ 719 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 1,094 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Public Dance License |
$ 279 |
$ - |
$ 249 |
$ 431 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Public Dance Manager Registration |
$ 124 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 238 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Security Alarm Systems Permit |
$ 176 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 272 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Solicitor's ID Cards |
$ 124 |
$ - |
$ 95 |
$ 278 |
$ - |
$ 236 |
|
Solicitor's License |
$ 245 |
$ - |
$ 183 |
$ 431 |
$ - |
$ 393 |
|
Swap Meet License |
$ 400 |
$ 24 |
$ 370 |
$ 431 |
$ 32 |
$ - |
|
Taxicab Driver Identification Card |
$ 121 |
$ 25 |
$ 44 |
$ 153 |
$ 38 |
$ 77 |
|
Taxicabs and Taxicab Operators License |
$ 183 |
$ 173 |
$ 154 |
$ 353 |
$ 300 |
$ 276 |
|
Teenage Public Dances |
$ 279 |
$ - |
$ 249 |
$ 351 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Fingerprint Services |
$ 29 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 38 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Police Clearance Letter (Good Conduct Letter) |
$ 59 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 80 |
$ - |
$ - |
Fees in the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances to be Deleted (3):
As part of this review, permits and licenses that the Sheriff's Office no longer regulates and has no authority to issue will be deleted. These specifically related to Bathhouse Permit and Massage Establishments. In addition, the Carnival and Circus Annual Fee is being deleted as it is redundant given that the applicant must apply separately for the Carnival and Circus Per Event Fee to operate.
Fees in the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances with No Change (7):
There is no change in services in seven Sheriff's fees. The amount a County can charge for a Bingo License is governed by the State of California Penal Code 326.5. The fees for Copies of Crime Lab Reports, Copies of Reports, Records Search/Criminal History Copies and Copies for Evidence Photos were not reviewed by Auditor and Controller this year, as no cost analysis was conducted. The Sheriff's Office plans to finalize these fees and submit to the Auditor and Controller for review and approval for the next fee cycle.
|
REGULATORY FEE |
Current Fee |
Proposed Fee |
|
|
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
|
Bingo License |
$ 50 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 50 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Carry Concealed Weapon License |
$ 176 |
$ 10 |
$ 25 |
$ 176 |
$ 10 |
$ 25 |
|
Charitable Solicitor Registration |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Copies of Evidence Photos |
$ 25 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 25 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Copies of Crime Lab Reports |
$ 14 |
- |
- |
$ 14 |
$ - |
- |
|
Copies of Reports |
$ 20 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 20 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Records Search/Criminal History Copies |
$ 14 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 14 |
$ - |
$ - |
Fees for services to be added to the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances (2):
The Sheriff’s Office has identified two fees assessed to the public in accordance with California Government Code which are proposed to be included in the County’s regulatory code. These fees have not previously been included in the Sheriff’s Office fees package but since they can be charged and have been charged, consistent with the California Government Code, the Sheriff’s Office would like to present all fees to the Board of Supervisors for full transparency. The Sheriff’s Office may collect credit card and debit card fees that are set by the vendor the Sheriff’s Office uses for processing credit and debit transactions related to the public’s request for services.
|
REGULATORY FEE |
Current Fee |
Proposed Fee |
|
|
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
Annual/ Initial |
Additional Fee |
Renewal |
|
Credit Card Fee |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 3 |
$ - |
$ - |
|
Debit Card Fee |
$ - |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 2.50 |
$ - |
$ - |
Today’s actions request the Board’s approval of amendments to Section 448.1 of the County Administrative Code and Section 21.1901 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances related to the Sheriff’s Office fees charged for services provided. The ordinance will be introduced on May 19, 2026 (first reading), if the Board takes action as recommended then on June 9, 2026 (second reading), these changes will be adopted. If the proposed ordinance is altered on May 19, 2026, then on that date, a subsequent meeting date will be selected for the ordinance’s adoption. Additionally, today’s action requests a waiver of Board Policy B-29 full cost recovery related to Carry Concealed Weapons, For-Hire Drivers, and Taxicab Drivers license fee.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support the Sustainability Initiative in the County of San Diego’s (County) 2026-2031 Strategic Plan by aligning the County's available resources with services to maintain fiscal stability and ensure long-term solvency. Several of the proposed fees have been set to ensure cost recovery on services provided to maintain fiscal stability. The proposed actions also align with the Equity Initiative of the County's Strategic Plan by balancing accessibility to services through reasonable fee amounts. Periodically reviewing Sheriff's Office services and related fees ensures that the County has optimized its public safety service delivery systems to ensure efficiency, integration and innovation while maintaining fiscal stability.
Respectfully submitted,
KELLY A. MARTINEZ
Sheriff
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 448.1 TO ARTICLE XXV OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND SECTION 21.1901 OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF REGULATORY ORDINANCES RELATING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEES (Clean Copy)
Attachment B - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 448.1 TO ARTICLE XXV OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND SECTION 21.1901 OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY CODE OF REGULATORY ORDINANCES RELATING TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEES (Informational Copy)
Attachment C - Summary of Proposed Ordinance
Attachment D - Summary Comparison of Current and Proposed Fees