2005 California Health and Safety Code Sections 18949.25-18949.31 AND BUILDING OFFICIALS

18949.25.  For purposes of this chapter, "construction inspector"
means any person who is hired or contracted by a local agency in a
temporary or permanent capacity for the purpose of inspecting
construction for structural, seismic safety, fire and life safety, or
building system requirements of adopted uniform codes or standards,
as applied to residential, commercial, or industrial buildings.
18949.26.  For purposes of this chapter, "plans examiner" means any
person who is hired or contracted by a local agency in a temporary or
permanent capacity for the purpose of performing construction plan
review for structural, seismic safety, fire and life safety, or
building system requirements of adopted uniform codes or standards,
as applied to residential, commercial, or industrial buildings.
18949.27.  For purposes of this chapter, "building official" means
the individual invested with the responsibility for overseeing local
code enforcement activities, including administration of the building
department, interpretation of code requirements, and direction of
the code adoption process.
18949.28.  (a) All construction inspectors, plans examiners and
building officials who are not exempt from the requirements of this
chapter pursuant to subdivision (b), or previously certified, shall
complete one year of verifiable experience in the appropriate field,
and shall, within one year thereafter, obtain certification from a
recognized state, national, or international association, as
determined by the local agency.  The area of certification shall be
closely related to the primary job function, as determined by the
local agency.
   (b) Any person who is currently and has continuously been employed
as a construction inspector, plans examiner, or building official
for not less than two years prior to the effective date of this
section shall be exempt from the certification provisions of this
section, unless and until that person obtains employment as a
construction inspector, plans examiner, or building official with a
different employer.
   (c) Nothing in this article is intended to prohibit a local agency
from prescribing additional criteria for the certification of
construction inspectors, plans examiners, or building officials.
   (d) Nothing in this chapter, as it relates to construction
inspectors, plans examiners, or building officials, shall be
construed to alter the requirements for licensure, or the
jurisdiction, authority, or scope of practice, of architects pursuant
to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5500) of Division 3 of the
Business and Professions Code, professional engineers pursuant to
Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the
Business and Professions Code, or land surveyors pursuant to Chapter
15 (commencing with Section 8700) of Division 3 of the Business and
Professions Code.
18949.29.  All construction inspectors, plans examiners, and
building officials shall complete a minimum of 45 hours of continuing
education for every three-year period.
   (a) Providers of continuing education may include any
organizations affiliated with the code enforcement profession,
community colleges, or other providers of similar quality, as
determined by the local agency.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "continuing education" is
defined as that education relating to the enforcement of Title 24 of
the California Code of Regulations, and any other locally enforced
building and construction standards, including, but not limited to,
the model uniform codes adopted by the state.  When a local agency
selects a model code organization as a provider of continuing
education or certification programs regarding the enforcement of a
model code adopted by the state, the local agency shall give
preference to the organization responsible for promulgating or
drafting that model code.
18949.30.  This chapter does not apply to a registered professional
engineer, licensed land surveyor, or licensed architect rendering
construction inspection services, plan examination services, or
building official services within the scope of his or her
registration or licensure, except that this chapter applies to a
registered professional engineer, licensed land surveyor, or licensed
architect who is an employee of a local agency.  This chapter does
not apply to a construction inspector or plans examiner employed by
any city or county fire department or district providing fire
protection services.
18949.31.  The local agency shall bear the costs of certification,
certification renewal, and continuing education, as mandated by this
chapter.  The local agency may impose fees, including, but not
limited to, fees for construction inspection and plan checks, which
may be used to cover the costs of compliance with this chapter.  A
local agency's actual costs of compliance with this chapter may
include, but are not limited to, training and certification courses,
certification exam and renewal fees, employee salary during training
and certification courses, and mileage and other reimbursable costs
incurred by the employee.  The fees imposed to cover the costs of
compliance with this chapter shall reflect these actual costs, and
are not limited by Chapter 5 of Division 1 of Title 7.