Almanac note · Rules and licenses
San Jose 311 is the first stop for everyday city fixes
San Jose 311 gives residents one place to start many non-emergency city requests, including potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, streetlights, and some trash service issues.
In San Jose, a small city problem can land in the right place faster if you start with 311. It is built for non-emergency requests that need a city crew, a city record, or a city answer.
Use it for common things like potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, broken streetlights, and general city service questions. It can also point you toward the right trash, water, street sweeping, or service provider for your address.
The helpful part is the paper trail. A request can be filed online or in the app, and the city routes it to the team that handles that kind of work. A photo, cross street, address, or short description can make the request clearer.
There are still limits. A 311 request is not the same as an emergency call, and it is not the right place for every private-property problem. But for everyday city fixes, it is usually the cleanest front door.
Before you file, write down what happened, where it is, and whether it is blocking a sidewalk, street, driveway, or public space. That small bit of detail helps the request start in the right lane.
Where to see it
San Jose 311 online, by phone, and in the San Jose 311 app.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 3, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
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