Last updated
By Jimmy Nguyen | Official sources rechecked November 9, 2026.
Read this article in Español.
If a City of San Diego vehicle, sidewalk, water main, or other City operation injured you or damaged your property, the first legal step is usually a written government claim, not a lawsuit. California’s Government Claims Act sets the deadlines, and the City’s Risk Management Department sets the practical filing steps. This guide walks through both, using the City’s own Public Liability page and claim form.
What kinds of claims go to the City
The City’s Public Liability page lists examples of claims that can be filed against the City, including automobile accidents involving a City vehicle, water main breaks and flooding, sewer main backups and flooding, tow-aways, and trip-and-falls. The list is not exclusive.
Make sure the City of San Diego is the right agency. A trolley or MTS bus injury goes to MTS, a separate public agency (see how to file a claim against MTS). An injury on a road in an unincorporated area may involve the County, and an incident in Chula Vista goes to that city (see our Chula Vista claim guide). A State highway points to Caltrans.
The six-month deadline
Government Code section 911.2 says a claim for death or for injury to a person or to personal property must be presented no later than six months after the cause of action accrues. Most other claims get one year. Accrual is a legal question, so do not guess at the start date.
The City’s page says any claim against the City must be made in writing and completed in accordance with Government Code sections 900 to 915.4, and that most claims must be presented to Risk Management no later than six months after the date of the incident. The City’s claim form repeats the six-month rule for death, injury to person, or personal property, and one year for all other claims.
Option 1: the online Public Liability Claims Portal
Under City Council Resolution No. 314369, the City accepts public liability claims electronically through its Public Liability Claims Portal, which is linked from the Risk Management page. After you submit, the City says you will receive confirmation, the claim will be assigned to an adjuster, and you will be notified of the adjuster’s direct contact information and the claim number.
Email is not an option for a new claim. The City states that effective December 11, 2023, Risk Management no longer accepts first-notice public liability claims by email. To amend a portal claim or add photos and damage records later, the City says to communicate directly with the assigned adjuster by email or in writing.
Option 2: the paper RM-9 form
If you do not want to use the portal, the City accepts its Claim Against the City of San Diego form (RM-9), or any written form that complies with the Government Code. The RM-9 form must be accurately completed, printed, signed by the claimant, and mailed or hand-delivered during regular business hours to:
City of San Diego Risk Management Department, 1200 Third Ave., Suite 1000, San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-236-7300. Document drop-off hours: 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
The form marks required fields and asks for an address where official notices should be sent. The City recommends including your email address. If you mail it, use a method that gives you proof of mailing and the date.
What to attach and what to expect
The City says it will investigate after the claim is received and asks claimants to be as accurate as possible. It also asks for written justification of the amount claimed: an estimate and photographs for property damage, and unaltered copies of bills from treating physicians or other injury expenses for personal injury claims.
A request for more information is not an acceptance of your claim, and the City says it does not mean the City accepts liability. City staff are prohibited from giving legal advice.
After the claim: rejection, silence, and late claims
Under Government Code section 945.4, you generally cannot sue the City for money damages until a required claim has been presented and acted on, or deemed rejected. Section 912.4 generally gives the public entity 45 days to act. If it does not act, the claim is deemed rejected on the last day of that period.
After written notice of rejection, Government Code section 945.6 generally gives you six months from the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed to file suit. If no written notice is given, a two-year period from accrual can apply instead.
Missed the six-month window? Government Code section 911.4 allows a written application for leave to present a late claim within a reasonable time, not more than one year after accrual, with the proposed claim attached. Relief is not automatic. See our guide on a missed six-month government claim deadline.
Filing too soon can also cause problems; see filing a government claim too early. Our dangerous road and sidewalk guide explains how liability for public property works.
Talk to us
If you were hurt in California and a city, county, transit agency, or the State may be involved, Win Attorneys handles government claims and personal injury matters statewide from our Tustin office. See our San Diego page. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
Call us at (562) 296-5380, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a claim against the City of San Diego for an injury?
Government Code section 911.2 sets six months from accrual for death, personal injury, and personal property claims, and one year for most others. The City’s Public Liability page says most claims must be presented to Risk Management no later than six months after the incident.
Can I file a City of San Diego claim online or by email?
Online, yes, through the Public Liability Claims Portal linked from the City’s Risk Management page. Email, no. The City says that effective December 11, 2023, it no longer accepts first-notice public liability claims by email.
Where do I mail or drop off the RM-9 claim form?
The City lists the Risk Management Department, 1200 Third Ave., Suite 1000, San Diego, CA 92101, phone 619-236-7300. Document drop-off hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The form must be completed, printed, and signed by the claimant.
What documents should I include with my claim?
The City says property damage claims require an estimate and photographs, and personal injury claims should include unaltered copies of bills from treating physicians or other expenses from the injury. Keep copies of everything you send.
What happens if the City rejects my claim?
Government Code section 945.6 generally allows six months after written notice of rejection is delivered or mailed to file suit. If no written notice is given, a two-year period from accrual can apply. Confirm which clock fits your case with a lawyer.