Established in 1953 by California Building Standards Law (HS. Code, § 18901 et seq.), the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) is within the Department of General Services under the Government Operations Agency. CBSC members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. CBSC’s mission is to produce sensible and usable state building standards, and administrative regulations that implement or enforce those standards. CBSC’s vision is to ensure that the statewide building code development and adoption process is efficient and effective. See below for more details. 

California Building Standards Commission Duties, Mission, Vision & Challenges

As provided in existing law and regulation, CBSC is charged with:

 

  • Administering California's building code adoption process

  • Coordinating and managing the model code adoption process for various state agencies

  • Reviewing and approving building standards proposed and adopted by state agencies

  • Codifying and publishing approved building standards in the California Building Standards Code (Cal. Code Regs., Title 24.)

  • Resolving conflict, duplication and overlap in building standards

  • Ensuring consistency in the nomenclature and format of the code

  • Administering appeals and petitions regarding state building standards

  • Reviewing to accept/reject for filing local code ordinances to the California Building Standards Code

  • Proposing and adopting model codes and building standards for buildings owned by the state, including those constructed by the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California

  • Adopting and approving model codes for state agencies that fail to adopt these codes within one year of their publication

  • Administering the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund

  • Providing education and outreach to public and private stakeholders

CBSC's mission is to produce sensible, equitable, sustainable, and usable state building standards and administrative regulations that implement or enforce those standards.  Specifically, CBSC:

  • Administers, coordinates and manages the building standards adoption process for Title 24
    • Works with various state agencies to produce high-quality, clearly written building codes free from bias and inequity
    • Oversees adoption and amendment of model codes that are the basis of many parts of Title 24
    • Reviews and approves California building standards proposed and adopted by state agencies
  • Proposes, adopts and approves building standards for state-owned buildings, including those constructed by the Trustees of the California State University and the Regents of the University of California
  • Proposes, adopts and approves green building standards for nonresidential occupancies that no other state agency has the authority to regulate
  • Repeals unnecessary building regulations
  • Codifies and publishes approved building standards in Title 24
    • Resolves conflict, duplication and overlap in building standards
    • Ensures consistency in the language and format of the code
    • Publishes building standards with minimal errors
  • Offers public participation opportunities so all constituents and the regulated community can make their needs known during code development
    • Accepts input from all participants, and values the diversity of stakeholders
    • Convenes public meetings virtually and in locations accessible to persons with disabilities to allow participation by all interested constituents
  • Administers appeals and petitions regarding state building standards
  • Reviews ordinances—amendments to Title 24 by local jurisdictions—for acceptance for filing
  • Educates the public about the California Building Standards Code, and helps affected parties understand and comply with the regulations
  • Produces, publishes and posts documents that are formatted to be accessible to persons with disabilities
  • Administers the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund

CBSC's vision is to ensure that the statewide building code development and adoption process is equitable, inclusive, efficient and effective.

CBSC encourages state agency representatives and the public to participate in model code development, as well as in California's process. This results in:

  • Building standards that are understandable, straightforward, and without errors and conflicts
  • Consistent building standards applied throughout California
  • Safe, accessible, and sustainable buildings and related structures

CBSC administers a regulatory process that includes all Californians who want to participate. Activities crucial to realizing this vision are:

  • Maintaining stable funding for CBSC activities
  • Encouraging participation of state agency staff in the development of model codes
  • Producing and posting documents that are accessible to all, including persons with disabilities
  • Facilitating cooperation and collaboration between CBSC staff and representatives of proposing and adopting state agencies
  • Involving the public in the code development process
  • Sharing information and knowledge about the development and use of Title 24

Areas of consumer and legislative interest are almost as diverse as the building code itself. Building regulations involve areas such as health, fire and panic safety, employee safety, energy conservation, and accessibility for persons with disabilities. These regulations impact various consumer and building industry groups, such as apartment owners, architects, engineers, and insurance companies.

 

California is a leader in the regulation of its building industry, particularly in the areas of accessibility for persons with disabilities and energy conservation. However, the current regulatory process is much more complex than in past years. Controversial and complex building standards and new emerging model codes and national standards present a challenge to CBSC in determining if such codes and standards are in the public interest. If CBSC were to approve and publish standards that were not in the public interest, it would cause confusion, create problems, and place an unreasonable burden on the public and the building industry.

Within CBSC, the Coordinating Council is responsible for:

  • Ensuring coordination in the proposal of building standards;
  • Assisting in the development of building standards;
  • Resolving conflicting building standards.

Coordinating Council Meetings - for recent meeting dates, please access the Calendars  page.

Coordinating Council Charter (HS. Code, § 18926.):

There is, in the office of the executive director, a Coordinating Council.  The membership of the Council shall consist of the executive director, who shall serve as chairperson, and representatives appointed by the State Director of Public Health, the Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Director of Housing and Community Development, the State Fire Marshal, the Executive Director of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (California Energy Commission), and the Director of General Services.

Subject to the pleasure of the Commission:

  • The Council or any member of the Council shall, when called and directed in writing by the executive director, work with and assist an agency proposing building standards or adopting building standards, or both, in the development of proposals for building standards.
  • When a state agency contemplates the adoption of any building standard, it shall, prior to commencing any action to prepare a draft of the proposal, advise the executive director, in writing, of that intent and request the executive director to call the Council, or any member of the Council, as appropriate, for assistance.
  • Whenever the Commission returns for amendment or rejects any proposed building standard, and one of the reasons for that action is that approval of the proposal would create a conflict with existing building standards of other adopting agencies, the executive director shall call the Council or any member of the Council, as appropriate, to assist in the elimination of the conflict.
  • The Council shall draft proposed building standards which the Commission is authorized to adopt pursuant to Section 18933 for the consideration of the Commission and approval, utilizing the criteria of Section 18930.

Per Section 1-409 of the California Administrative Code (Cal. Code Regs., Title 24, Part 1), and prior to conducting any hearing or public comment period as part of the rulemaking proceeding required by the Administrative Procedure Act, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) assigns the initial code change proposals to one or more of the six Code Advisory Committees (CACs) specifically knowledgeable in the proposed building standards. CACs provide special technical review of proposed building standards and provide recommendations to CBSC and state proposing agencies. Public meetings are noticed and scheduled to ensure adequate opportunity for public participation and technical review.

Code Advisory Committees

The California Building Standards Commission currently has two internal committees: the Code Adoption Committee and the Appeals Committee. Each committee is comprised of at least one and up to five commissioners. They meet on an as-needed basis.

The purpose and responsibilities of the Code Adoption Committee include selecting members for the Code Advisory Committees, identifying methods of improving the state’s building code adoption process, and participating in the development and adoption of model building codes.

The current members of the Code Adoption Committee are:

Rajesh Patel - Chair

Kent Sasaki

Peter Santillan

Erick Mikiten

Frank Ramirez

The Appeals Committee administers the process of handling appeals filed with CBSC pursuant to the California Administrative Code, Part 1 of Title 24, Chapter 1, Article 3.

The commission may accept appeals relating to actions and decisions by state and local agencies to enforce building standards, but may only make recommendations for reconsideration to those agencies. The commission has no authority to overturn a decision when the matter is within the jurisdiction of that state or local agency. For more information about appeals, visit the Appeals page.

The current members of the Appeals Committee are:

Kent Sasaki – Chair

Juvilyn Alegre

Elley Klausbruckner

Laura Rambin

James D. Haskin

The following webpages contain historical information related to the California Building Standards Commission and the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24). These historical documents help explain the development of the current processes by which building standards are adopted, approved, published, used as design and construction requirements, and enforced.

CBSC is charged by California Building Standards Law (HS Code, §§ 18901 - 18949.31.) to administer the processes related to the adoption, approval, publication and implementation of California's building codes. These building codes serve as the basis for the design and construction of buildings in California.

California Building Standards Law: Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code

the Commissioners

Learn more about CBSC's Commissioners

CBSC Staff

Learn more about CBSC's staff
About the California Building Standards Commission - Educational Video