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    AB-253
    Housing & Homelessness

    California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building permits.

    Engrossed
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes a new system allowing private professionals to review building permits when city delays exceed 30 days.
    • Requires cities to post residential building permit fee schedules online and provide estimated review timeframes.
    • Mandates building departments to approve or reject private review reports within 14 days of submission.
    • Applies only to residential projects with 1-10 units and buildings under 40 feet in height.

    Summary

    Assembly Members Ward, Quirk-Silva, and Rivas propose new mechanisms for expediting residential building permit reviews through legislation that allows private professionals to conduct plan checks when local building departments face processing delays. The California Residential Private Permitting Review Act establishes alternative pathways for permit processing while maintaining existing safety and compliance standards.

    The legislation requires local building departments to provide applicants with estimated timeframes for completing plan checks upon receiving permit applications. When reviews are projected to exceed 30 days or remain incomplete after that period, applicants gain the option to contract licensed architects or engineers to perform plan checks. These private providers must submit detailed reports and affidavits confirming compliance with state and local requirements. Building departments then have 14 days to either issue permits based on these submissions or specify necessary corrections.

    The provisions apply to new residential construction of 1-10 units and to additions or remodels of existing buildings, provided no occupied floors exceed 40 feet above ground level. The law mandates that local jurisdictions post their residential permit fee schedules online and maintains existing requirements that fees not exceed actual administrative costs. Building departments must reimburse permit fees if they fail to inspect completed work within 60 days of notification.

    This statewide measure applies to all California cities, including charter cities, reflecting legislative findings that streamlining permit processing addresses critical housing availability and disaster preparedness needs. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage as an urgency statute.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Read first time. To print.
    Assembly Floor
    Read first time. To print.
    Read first time. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 11 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 3
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Maria DurazoD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Chris WardD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Jesse ArreguinD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Robert Rivas
    Robert RivasD
    California State Assembly Member
    Chris Ward
    Chris WardD
    California State Assembly Member
    Sharon Quirk-Silva
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Author
    Buffy Wicks
    Buffy WicksD
    California State Assembly Member
    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (4/1/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 1, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    760480PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Establishes a new system allowing private professionals to review building permits when city delays exceed 30 days.
    • Requires cities to post residential building permit fee schedules online and provide estimated review timeframes.
    • Mandates building departments to approve or reject private review reports within 14 days of submission.
    • Applies only to residential projects with 1-10 units and buildings under 40 feet in height.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Robert Rivas
    Robert RivasD
    California State Assembly Member
    Chris Ward
    Chris WardD
    California State Assembly Member
    Sharon Quirk-Silva
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    California State Assembly Member
    Co-Author
    Buffy Wicks
    Buffy WicksD
    California State Assembly Member

    Summary

    Assembly Members Ward, Quirk-Silva, and Rivas propose new mechanisms for expediting residential building permit reviews through legislation that allows private professionals to conduct plan checks when local building departments face processing delays. The California Residential Private Permitting Review Act establishes alternative pathways for permit processing while maintaining existing safety and compliance standards.

    The legislation requires local building departments to provide applicants with estimated timeframes for completing plan checks upon receiving permit applications. When reviews are projected to exceed 30 days or remain incomplete after that period, applicants gain the option to contract licensed architects or engineers to perform plan checks. These private providers must submit detailed reports and affidavits confirming compliance with state and local requirements. Building departments then have 14 days to either issue permits based on these submissions or specify necessary corrections.

    The provisions apply to new residential construction of 1-10 units and to additions or remodels of existing buildings, provided no occupied floors exceed 40 feet above ground level. The law mandates that local jurisdictions post their residential permit fee schedules online and maintains existing requirements that fees not exceed actual administrative costs. Building departments must reimburse permit fees if they fail to inspect completed work within 60 days of notification.

    This statewide measure applies to all California cities, including charter cities, reflecting legislative findings that streamlining permit processing addresses critical housing availability and disaster preparedness needs. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage as an urgency statute.

    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (4/1/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Local Government
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Housing And Community Development Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Assembly Local Government Hearing
    Read first time. To print.
    Assembly Floor
    Read first time. To print.
    Read first time. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 1, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    760480PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 11 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 3
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Sharon Quirk-SilvaD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Scott WienerD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Buffy WicksD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Maria DurazoD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Chris WardD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Jesse ArreguinD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member