Departments
This page provides a practical directory of selected San Diego County departments, including the main services handled by each office and commonly used public phone numbers. Residents can use the table to identify the appropriate department for public records, health programs, property matters, elections, emergency planning, housing assistance, family services, taxation, parks, libraries, and other county functions.
County Department Directory and Phone Numbers
| Department | Services | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Aging & Independence Services | Programs for older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, independent living, adult protection, and community-based support. | Call Center: 800-339-4661 Administration: 858-495-5885 |
| Agriculture, Weights and Measures | Agricultural inspections, pest prevention, pesticide oversight, commercial weighing and measuring devices, and consumer protection. | 858-694-2739 |
| Animal Services | Animal emergencies, stray animal reports, lost and found pets, licensing assistance, shelter services, and animal welfare matters in unincorporated areas served by the department. | Shelter Services: 619-767-2675 24/7 Animal Emergencies: 619-236-2341 |
| Assessor / Recorder / County Clerk | Property assessment records, recorded documents, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, fictitious business names, and civil ceremonies. | Assessor: 619-236-3771 Recorder/County Clerk: 619-237-0502 |
| Auditor & Controller | County accounting, financial reporting, audits, payroll administration, payment processing, and oversight of public funds. | 858-694-2176 |
| Behavioral Health Services | Mental health support, substance use services, crisis assistance, treatment referrals, and access to behavioral health programs. | Crisis Support: 988 Access and Crisis Line: 888-724-7240 Administration: 619-563-2700 |
| Child and Family Well-Being | Child safety reports, family support, protective services, foster care coordination, prevention programs, and child welfare assistance. | Resource Family KIDSline: 877-792-5437 Child Abuse Hotline: 858-560-2191 California Toll-Free Hotline: 800-344-6000 |
| Child Support Services | Establishing parentage, obtaining child support orders, collecting payments, modifying orders, and enforcing support obligations. | 866-901-3212 |
| Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board | Independent review of complaints involving specified law enforcement and probation personnel, including misconduct and use-of-force concerns. | 619-238-6776 |
| Clerk of the Board of Supervisors | Board meeting records, agendas, public hearing materials, official county documents, assessment appeals, and administrative filings. | 619-531-5600 |
| County Counsel | Legal advice and representation for county government, departments, boards, commissions, and authorized public agencies. | 619-531-4860 |
| County Fire | Fire protection, emergency response coordination, wildfire preparedness, fire prevention, and support for participating communities. | 858-974-5999 |
| Economic Development and Government Affairs | Business development, regional economic initiatives, government relations, legislative coordination, and community investment efforts. | 619-531-5198 |
| Emergency Services | Disaster planning, emergency coordination, preparedness information, recovery operations, public alerts, and regional response support. | 858-565-3490 |
| Environmental Health & Quality | Food facility inspections, water quality, hazardous materials oversight, septic systems, vector concerns, housing complaints, and environmental permits. | General: 858-505-6700 Toll-Free: 800-253-9933 |
| Equity & Racial Justice | Equity planning, inclusive public policy, community engagement, departmental guidance, and efforts to reduce disparities in county services. | 619-531-5505 |
| Ethics, Compliance & Labor Standards | Government ethics, workplace compliance, labor standards, wage protections, policy guidance, and reports of possible violations. | Ethics and Compliance: 619-531-5174 Labor Standards: 619-531-5129 |
| Grand Jury | Citizen oversight of local government operations, complaint review, civil investigations, and reports concerning public agencies. | 619-236-2020 |
| Health & Human Services Agency | Health care access, social services, family programs, public assistance, behavioral health, aging services, and community wellness programs. | 619-515-6555 |
| Housing & Community Development Services | Rental assistance, affordable housing programs, community development, housing resources, homelessness programs, and fair housing support. | General: 858-694-4801 Toll-Free: 877-478-5478 |
| Human Resources | County job opportunities, employee benefits, labor relations, workplace policies, recruitment, classification, and personnel administration. | 619-236-2191 |
| Library | Library cards, books, digital materials, research assistance, educational programs, public computers, and local branch information. | 858-694-2415 |
| Medical Examiner | Death investigations, identification of decedents, examination records, case inquiries, and coordination with families and authorized agencies. | 858-694-2895 |
| Parks & Recreation | Regional parks, campgrounds, trails, recreation programs, facility reservations, community centers, and outdoor activities. | Front Desk and Reservations: 858-565-3600 Toll-Free Reservations: 877-565-3600 |
| Planning & Development Services | Building permits, land-use applications, zoning questions, code compliance, inspections, development review, and property planning information. | 858-694-2960 |
| Probation | Adult and juvenile supervision, court-ordered programs, rehabilitation services, community monitoring, and probation case information. | Administration: 858-514-3148 Adult Records: 619-515-8202 Juvenile Records: 858-694-4319 |
| Public Defender | Legal representation for qualifying individuals in criminal, juvenile, mental health, and other court proceedings. | Primary Public Defender: 619-338-4700 Alternate Public Defender: 619-446-2900 Multiple Conflicts Office: 619-446-2909 Office of Assigned Counsel: 619-338-4800 |
| Public Health Services | Disease prevention, immunization programs, maternal and child health, health education, laboratory services, and community health protection. | 619-542-4170 |
| Public Works | County roads, drainage systems, wastewater services, flood control, engineering projects, traffic operations, and infrastructure maintenance. | 858-694-2212 |
| Purchasing & Contracting | County purchasing, vendor registration, competitive solicitations, public contracts, procurement standards, and supplier assistance. | 858-505-6367 |
| Registrar of Voters | Voter registration, ballots, polling information, election results, candidate filings, election worker programs, and accessible voting assistance. | 800-696-0136 |
| Self-Sufficiency Services | Applications and case assistance for food benefits, health coverage, cash aid, employment programs, and other public assistance services. | 866-262-9881 |
| Sheriff’s Office | Patrol and law enforcement services in areas served by the Sheriff’s Office, non-emergency crime reporting, detention operations, civil process, investigations, records, and public safety assistance. | Emergency: 911 Non-Emergency: 858-868-3200 Administration: 858-974-2222 |
| Treasurer-Tax Collector | Property tax billing and payments, delinquent tax accounts, public fund management, tax collection services, and payment assistance. | Tax Questions: 877-829-4732 Pay by Phone: 855-829-3773 |