AB 2418: Local building permits: nonresidential private permitting review.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law requires every city, county, or city and county, whether general law or chartered, that requires the issuance of a permit as a condition precedent to the construction, alteration, improvement, demolition, or repair of any building or structure, to require the execution of a permit application, as specified.

Existing law permits a local agency, defined as a city, county, or city and county, to authorize its enforcement agency to contract with or employ a private entity or persons on a temporary basis to perform plan-checking functions for a nonresidential building, but the local agency is not required to do so if it determines that no entities or persons are available or qualified to perform plan-checking services. Under existing law, when there is an excessive delay, as defined, in checking plans submitted as part of an application for specified nonresidential projects, a local agency is required to, upon request of the applicant, contract with or employ a private entity or persons on a temporary basis to perform the plan-checking function. Existing law defines “excessive delay” to mean, among other things, the local agency has taken more than 50 days to check plans and specifications, as provided.

This bill would, until January 1, 2032, revise and recast the above-described provisions related to private plan checking. The bill would, upon receipt of a complete application for a nonresidential building permit, require the city or county to provide the applicant with an estimated timeframe in which it will determine if the completed application is compliant with permit standards.

This bill would require the local agency to, upon an applicant’s request, contract with or employ a private plan-checking entity if the estimated timeframe would result in an excessive delay or if there is excessive delay by the local agency. The bill would prohibit a local agency from reducing, eliminating, or failing to fill budgeted civil service positions within the building department as a result of the use of private professional providers, as provided. If the local agency determines no private entities or persons are available or qualified to perform plan-checking services, the bill would authorize the applicant to retain, at their sole expense, a private professional provider, as specified. The bill would shorten the timeframe constituting an “excessive delay” from 50 days to 30 business days.

This bill would require an applicant who retains a private professional provider to notify the city or county of their intent to retain the private professional provider within a prescribed timeframe. If a private professional provider performs the plan-checking function, the bill would impose additional requirements, including, among other things, requiring the private professional provider to prepare a specified affidavit, under penalty of perjury, and the applicant to submit to the city or county a specified report of the plan check.

This bill would require the city or county, within 10 business days of receiving the report, to consider the report and, based on the report, either issue the residential building permit, as provided, or notify the applicant that, according to the report prepared by the private professional provider, the plans and specifications do not comply, as specified. If the city or county notifies the applicant that the plans and specifications do not comply, the bill would authorize the applicant to resubmit corrected plans and specifications to the city or county, as specified. The bill would authorize a city or county to adopt requirements that limit the size of an eligible nonresidential building, as provided, or specify the eligible types of businesses or occupancy, provided that the requirements do not prohibit or effectively prohibit the use of a private professional provider as authorized by the bill.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 8

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 828, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 828, Statutes of 2026.
3. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
4. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
5. August 27, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
6. August 27, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
7. August 20, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6327.).
8. August 20, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6327.).
9. August 19, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
10. August 19, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
11. August 19, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 5555.).
12. August 19, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.).