Local building permits: nonresidential private permitting review

Cities and counties must give applicants a review estimate and provide a private-review path when plan checks are expected to exceed, or do exceed, statutory timelines. The law also adds permit-fee transparency and inspection deadlines.

What the law does ​

• Until January 1, 2032, requires cities and counties to give applicants an estimated plan-check timeframe for complete eligible nonresidential permit applications.
• Defines excessive delay as more than 30 business days for an initial structural safety plan check, or more than 60 days total for corrected resubmitted plans.
• Requires a local agency, at an applicant’s request, to temporarily hire or contract with private plan checkers when excessive delay is expected or occurs.
• Lets an applicant hire a qualified private engineer or architect at the applicant’s expense if the local agency finds no qualified private plan checker is available.
• Requires local agencies to act on a private plan-check report within 10 business days, issue a permit when plans comply, and randomly audit at least 20% of permits issued through this process.
• Bars local agencies from cutting, eliminating, or leaving budgeted building-department civil-service positions unfilled because of private plan checking.
• Requires cities and counties to post nonresidential permit-fee schedules online and inspect specified completed nonresidential projects within 10 business days after notice of completion.

Who it affects ​

• Applicants seeking permits for eligible one- to three-story business-occupancy tenant improvements with no more than 49 occupants.
• City and county building departments and their plan-check staff.
• Qualified private engineers and architects serving as private professional providers.
• Local businesses undertaking eligible tenant improvements.