California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building permits.

Assembly Members Ward, Quirk-Silva, and Rivas have introduced legislation establishing new options for residential building permit reviews in California, allowing property owners to hire qualified private professionals when local agencies face processing delays. The California Residential Private Permitting Review Act creates a framework for expedited permit processing while maintaining oversight of building safety standards.

Under the new provisions, local agencies must provide applicants with estimated timeframes for reviewing completed residential permit applications. If the estimated review period exceeds 30 business days, or if the agency has not completed its review within that timeframe, applicants may retain a licensed architect or engineer certified as a residential plans examiner to conduct the plan check. These private providers must verify compliance with state and local building requirements through sworn affidavits, with local agencies maintaining final permit approval authority.

The legislation requires cities and counties to post residential building permit fee schedules online and establishes specific timelines for agency responses to private provider reviews. Local agencies must either issue permits or identify non-compliance issues within 10 business days of receiving private review reports. The law also includes provisions for applicant indemnification of local agencies and requires annual reporting on the number of permits reviewed through both traditional and private provider pathways beginning in 2027.

The measure applies to new residential construction of up to 10 units and to remodels or additions that would result in no more than 10 total units, provided the buildings do not exceed 40 feet in height. The bill's authors cite prolonged local permit processing delays and their impact on housing production as key factors necessitating these reforms.