Downed pole or wires: safety first
If a pole is down across the road or power lines are down, stay away and call 911. SDG&E says not to touch downed lines and to also call SDG&E right away at 1-800-411-7343. For other urgent street light problems inside the City, call the Street Division at 619-527-7500.
Reporting a street light to the City
Inside the City of San Diego, the Street Division is responsible for the street lights. Report a light that is out with Get It Done, using the Street Light form or the Get It Done San Diego app. The City asks you to be specific:
- The exact location. Put the pin on the pole itself, not just the block.
- A photo that shows the surrounding area, so crews can find the right pole.
- What is wrong: the light is out, the pole was knocked down, or the pole is damaged. If it is a safety issue, say so plainly.
The City also asks residents not to plant vegetation over or cover up street light equipment in their yards, so crews can find and fix the problem, and to call Underground Service Alert at 811 before digging. For other kinds of problems, see our guide to reporting a problem to the City of San Diego.
How long repairs take, and why
The Street Light form carries a note: emergencies and safety issues responded to only at this time. The City's list of estimated timeframes, last updated May 7, 2026, gave 480 days. The City does not publish a list of what it counts as a safety issue, which is one more reason to describe the problem clearly in your report.
Why so long? According to the City, when a street light is out, its electricians have to troubleshoot the light and its power source to find the cause and the fix, and these are often complex problems:
- Power supply: where the power comes from, and whether SDG&E needs to make repairs.
- Outdated technology: parts that no longer exist, so the light has to be replaced with a newer one.
- The pole: damage, failed components, or unauthorized use of the pole or light.
- Wiring: wiring in the pole that needs to be repaired or replaced.
- Underground conduit: a problem in the buried conduit that has to be dug up.
The scale is large: the City has more than 55,000 street lights in operation, about 9,000 of them in community Lighting Districts that pay a special assessment for additional or ornamental lighting, and the Street Division also maintains more than 4,000 lights in parks, ball fields and other City facilities.
City, County, SDG&E or Caltrans: whose light is it?
The County of San Diego notes that 18 cities, the State of California and SDG&E all operate street lights in the region, and that knowing which agency to contact can be confusing. A rough guide:
City streets in the City of San Diego
Handled by: City of San Diego Street Division
Report it: Get It Done: report a street light. Urgent issues: 619-527-7500.
County-maintained roads in unincorporated areas
Handled by: County of San Diego Department of Public Works
Report it: 858-694-3850, the toll-free hotline 877-684-8000 during business hours, or the County's service request form.
Lights maintained by SDG&E
Handled by: San Diego Gas & Electric
Report it: SDG&E's streetlighting outage report.
Freeways (I-5, I-8...) and state highways (SR-76, SR-78...)
Handled by: Caltrans
Report it: csr.dot.ca.gov.
Other cities (Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside...)
Handled by: That city
Report it: That city's own service request system.
Not every light on a County road is maintained by the County; some are SDG&E's. The County says it will forward a report about an SDG&E light, or you can report it to SDG&E directly. The County also publishes a list of County-maintained roads. Lights on freeway on and off ramps that meet City streets are shared between the City and Caltrans.
Let your neighbors know
Your Get It Done report goes to the City. Sharing it on SaveSanDiego lets people nearby see that a dark block is known, add photos and follow it until the light is back on. SaveSanDiego is an independent community platform, not a City service, so always file with the City too. Road damage nearby? See our pothole guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a street light that is out in San Diego?
Inside the City of San Diego, report it with Get It Done, using the Street Light form at getitdone.sandiego.gov or the Get It Done San Diego app. Give the exact location, a photo that shows the surroundings, and say what is wrong: the light is out, the pole was knocked down, or the pole is damaged.
How long does the City take to fix a street light?
As of October 27, 2026, the Get It Done Street Light form shows an estimated resolution time of 500 days, with the note that only emergencies and safety issues are being responded to at this time. The City's timeframe list dated May 7, 2026 gave 480 days.
Why do street light repairs take so long?
According to the City, electricians first have to troubleshoot the light and its power source to find the cause, which is often complex: SDG&E may need to repair the power supply, parts for older lights may no longer exist, or the wiring in the pole or the underground conduit may need to be repaired or replaced.
A street light pole was knocked down or has exposed wires. What do I do?
Stay away from it. If power lines are down, call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343; SDG&E says not to touch downed lines. For other urgent street light problems inside the City, call the Street Division at 619-527-7500, and file a Get It Done report saying the pole is down or damaged.
Is every street light in San Diego maintained by the City?
No. The City's Street Division maintains the street lights in the City of San Diego and shares responsibility with Caltrans for lights on freeway on and off ramps. The County maintains more than 6,500 street lights in unincorporated areas, and 18 cities, the State and SDG&E also operate street lights in the region.
Why are some San Diego street lights yellow?
The City uses two types of street lights: white induction lights, its standard, and low-pressure sodium lights, which give a yellow light. To limit light pollution that affects Palomar Observatory, low-pressure sodium lights are used in all areas within a 30-mile radius of the Observatory.
Sources
- City of San Diego Street Division: streetlights
- City of San Diego: what's wrong with the streetlight? (PDF)
- City of San Diego: Get It Done Street Light form (estimate as of October 27, 2026)
- City of San Diego: Get It Done estimated timeframes (as of 5/7/2026)
- County of San Diego: streetlights in the unincorporated area
- SDG&E: report a street light outage
- SDG&E: power outage safety
- Caltrans: Customer Service Request
Last checked October 27, 2026. Phone numbers, forms and timeframes can change; the agencies' own pages are the final word.