California legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB1693: Accelerated retailer building plan approval: tenant improvements.
Status: Chaptered, September 30, 2026
What the bill says
An act to amend Sections 5586.5 and 6775 of the Business and Professions Code, and to add Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 66350) to Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, relating to retailers. retailers Accelerated retailer building plan approval: tenant improvements. Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission within the Department of General Services. Existing law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code…
From the chaptered text, September 30, 2026:
An act to amend Sections 5586.5 and 6775 of the Business and Professions Code, and to add Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 66350) to Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, relating to retailers. retailers Accelerated retailer building plan approval: tenant improvements. Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission within the Department of General Services. Existing law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code. Existing law authorizes local governments to enact ordinances or regulations that make building standards amendments to the California Building Standards Code, as specified. Existing law establishes a streamlined approval process for a local permit for a tenant improvement related to a restaurant, as defined. This bill would establish a similar streamlined approval process for a local permit for a tenant improvement relating to a retailer, as defined. In this regard, the bill would require a local building department, upon the request and at the expense of the permit applicant, to allow a qualified professional certifier, defined as a licensed architect or engineer who meets certain requirements, to certify that the plans and specifications of the tenant improvement comply with all applicable building, health, and safety codes, as specified, unless otherwise provided by specified provisions. The …