DSA Releases New CASp Guidelines

Regulatory Changes to the Certified Access Specialist Program
Published on June 11, 2021
DSA Logo: Blue cube with old architectural drawing tool in the center. Division of the State Architect, Department of General Services written below.

The Division of State Architect (DSA) has completed its rulemaking process to make amendments to the Certified Access Specialist Program (CASp) regulations. The revised regulations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law and will be effective on July 1, 2021. A strikeout-and-underline version of the adopted regulations and the Final Statement of Reasons are available on the CASp Regulation Development webpage.

Program regulation amendments include:

FEE REDUCTIONS for Program participation relating to initial certification and certification renewal:

  1. Examination registration fee is reduced to $250 from $400, per examination
  2. Initial Certification Fee is reduced to $200 from $300
  3. Certification renewal fees including application Evaluation Fee and Certification Fee is reduced to $100 from $200 and $200 from $300, respectively.

There is no change to application fees nor to the delinquency fee. Lowered fees will not be applied retroactively; nor applicable toward exams for those candidates using their non-refundable exam-credits.

NEW REQUIREMENT FOR RECORD OF DISABILITY ACCESS INSPECTION CERTIFICATE (DAIC)

CASps who provide services including issuance of DAICs are required to submit a record of DAIC during the recertification process. The amended regulations change content requirement of the DAIC record from the number of certificates, the name and address of the facility inspected to the number of the certificate, the city and zip code of the facility inspected; and, further adds a new requirement to include the date of inspection.

NEW CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY SUBCATEGORY has been added for Program qualification that provides Program applicants to list their Class 1 and Class 2 DSA Project Inspector work experience for eligibility for the CASp examination.

For questions regarding candidate eligibility or certification renewal, please contact Elizabeth Randolph at Elizabeth.Randolph@dgs.ca.gov. For questions regarding CASp regulatory changes, please contact Debbie Wong at Debbie.Wong@dgs.ca.gov.