Division of the State Architect

WEBSITE MAINTENANCE
The DSA website is undergoing routine maintenance from Thursday (01/30) to Friday (01/31). The DSA Services and Resources webpages will be unavailable at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

NOTICE TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS

DSA has implemented a new tool to better manage requests from authorized users and process project document requests. DSA is now accepting requests for authorized users through the School District Documentation Authorization form. Please visit DSA's Contact Us webpage for more information regarding this new process.

Natural Pod Oak Park Shipping Container Classroom

Division of the State Architect

Provides design and construction oversight for K–12 schools, community colleges, and various other state-owned and leased facilities.

Sustainability for California Schools

Learn DSA's role in helping California schools create sustainable educational facilities and how it supports sustainability efforts through the adoption of guidelines and technical resources.

Certified Access Special program - for Small Business Owner that is ADA Compliant

CASp

Learn about the program that was designed to meet the public's need for experienced, trained, and tested individuals who can perform inspections for construction-related accessibility.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Accessibility

Locate resources on accessibility standards for electric vehicle charging stations.

Fire & Life Safety

Learn more about DSA's fire and life safety reviews of K–12 public schools, community colleges and state essential services buildings.

News

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Valuation Threshold Update for 2025
Fourth Quarterly Document Summary 2024
DSA's Project Inspector Webpage and Exam Updates
Project Inspector Exam Sample Questions

Events

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05 Feb 2025

SHBSB February 2025 Meeting

Meetings
10 Feb 2025

CASp Examination

Education
14 Feb 2025

CASp Examination

Education
09 Jun 2025

CASp Examination

Education

Featured Project Services

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Start Construction Project by Submitting Plans for Review

California public K–12 schools, community colleges,essential services buildings and various other state-owned and leased facilities must submit plans to the Division of the State Architect to ensure they comply with code requirements and obtain DSA approval before construction begins.
Track Plan Review Process for School, Essential Services Construction Projects

California public K–12 schools, community colleges, essential services buildings and various other state-owned and leased facilities can track every step of the Division of the State Architect's review and oversight of their construction project leading up to certification.
Certify Construction Projects for School, Essential Services Facilities

California public K–12 schools, community colleges, and state-owned and leased essential services buildings must obtain certification of construction from the Division of the State Architect (DSA).

Project Tracking Through eTracker

Locate project information through DSA's online tracking system.

Open eTracker

Featured Resources

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California Sustainable Schools Showcase

The goal is to create awareness of strategies that can be implemented in the development of a path to zero net energy, zero carbon, and an overall healthy sustainable schools from which other districts can learn.
DSA Academy Classes, Training

The DSA Academy offers classes that promote consistent knowledge and application of the California Building Codes (CBC) as well as regulations needed for successful plan review, and construction of projects under DSA’s jurisdiction.
DSAbox File Sharing for School Construction Projects

Use DSAbox, a secure cloud-based collaborative solution initiated by the Division of the State Architect (DSA), to allow for greater transparency and communication between DSA field engineers and designated stakeholders.
Project Inspector Listing

All school projects under the jurisdiction of DSA must have a Certified Project Inspector on site. A list is available on the Tracker website.
Plan and Field Review Fee Calculator

DSA’s Access Compliance, Fire and Life Safety and Structural Safety plan review fees for public K–12 schools, community colleges, and essential services buildings can be calculated online.
Valuation Threshold for Alterations, Repairs or Additions to Existing Buildings

The annually-updated figure that triggers the requirement for construction-related accessibility measures on the project. Applies to all commercial construction in California.

Featured Initiatives

Electronic Plan Review (EPR)

As of August 2018, all plan review appointments must be done electronically. We conservatively estimate that moving to EPR will result in an annual reduction of over 113 metric tons of carbon dioxide due to energy and fossil fuel savings, save over 18 tons of paper, and reduce water usage by over 400,000 gallons.
Plan Review Appointment Process

The Plan Review Appointment process provides a school district’s project design team additional time to complete its submittal documents. This replaces the previous process where the design professional submitted the project for plan review and the project was placed in a queue until a plan reviewer could be assigned to the project.
Achieving Net Zero Energy, Net Zero Carbon and Sustainable School Facilities

Increase school facility energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions with each new construction and modernization, leading to a net zero energy and net zero carbon future for school buildings. California Governors have set goals for sustainability and the Division of the State Architect (DSA) is supporting schools in their efforts to achieve these goals.

Division of the State Architect