What does “Denied” mean on a building permit?

Your permit application was denied. On Accela portals (San Diego, San Bernardino), 'Denied' means the application was rejected and you should review the denial letter for next steps. A denial is a terminal, closed status — the city has decided not to approve the application as submitted.

What should you do when a permit shows “Denied”?

Read the denial letter carefully — it states why the application was rejected and whether you can appeal, revise, or refile. Depending on the reason, you may be able to correct the deficiency and resubmit a new application. Denials are classified as closed because the permit is no longer in the active review pipeline.