(a) (1) The governing body of any county or city, including a charter city, may prescribe fees for permits, certificates, or other forms or documents required or authorized by this part or rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this part.
(2) If a governing body of any county or city, including a charter city, prescribes fees for a residential building permit, pursuant to paragraph (1), the city or county shall prepare a schedule of the fees for a residential building permit and post the schedule on the county’s or city’s internet website.
(b) The governing body of any county or city, including a charter city, or fire protection district, may prescribe fees to defray the costs of enforcement required by this part to be carried out by local enforcement agencies.
(c) The amount of the fees prescribed pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) and subdivision (b) shall not exceed the amount reasonably required to administer or process these permits, certificates, or other forms or documents, or to defray the costs of enforcement required by this part to be carried out by local enforcement agencies, and shall not be levied for general revenue purposes. The fees shall be imposed pursuant to Section 66016 of the Government Code.
(d) If the local enforcement agency fails to conduct an inspection of permitted work for which permit fees have been charged pursuant to this section within 60 days of receiving notice of the completion of the permitted work, the permittee shall be entitled to reimbursement of the permit fees. The local enforcement agency shall disclose in clear language on each permit or on a document that accompanies the permit that the permittee may be entitled to reimbursement of permit fees pursuant to this subdivision.
(e) (1) The provisions of this part are not intended to prevent the use of any manufactured home, mobilehome, multiunit manufactured home, material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, or method of construction not specifically prescribed by the California Building Standards Code or this part, provided that this alternate has been approved by the building department.
(2) The building department of any city or county may approve an alternate material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, method, or work on a case-by-case basis if it finds that the proposed design is satisfactory and that each such material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, method, or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in the California Building Standards Code or this part in performance, safety, and for the protection of life and health.
(3) The building department of any city or county shall require evidence that any material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, or method of construction conforms to, or that the proposed alternate is at least equivalent to, the requirements of this part, building standards published in the California Building Standards Code, or the other rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this part and in order to substantiate claims for alternates, the building department of any city or county may require tests as proof of compliance to be made at the expense of the owner or the owner’s agent by an approved testing agency selected by the owner or the owner’s agent.
(Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 487, Sec. 3. (AB 253) Effective October 10, 2025.)