Special Inspector Program

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Welcome to the City of Simi Valley, Building and Safety Division. As a Special Inspector working in this City, you will be expected to maintain an exceptional level of professionalism. Part of this professionalism are your duties and responsibilities to the Building Official, Building Inspector(s), project owner, engineer, architect and yourself.

Where application is made for construction as described in this section, the owner or the registered design professional in charge, acting as the owner’s agent, shall employ one or more Special Inspectors to provide inspections during construction on the types of work listed under Section 1704 of the 2022 California Building Code. The Special Inspector shall be a qualified person who shall demonstrate competence, to the satisfaction of the Building Official, for inspection of the particular type of construction or operation requiring special inspection. These inspections are in addition to the inspections specified in Section 110.3 of the California Building Code, Section 8-09.10 of the Simi Valley Building Code and Section 1704.1 of the California Building Code.

Purpose of Special Inspection

Special inspection is the monitoring of the materials and workmanship that are critical to the integrity of the building structure. It involves the reviewing of all work performed by contractors and their employees, to assure that the approved plans, specifications, and ordinances are being observed.

The special inspection process is in addition to the regular inspections conducted by the City Building Inspector, site engineer, and architect as part of the periodic structural observations. The Special Inspector shall furnish continuous inspections at all times, or as the construction requires their presence.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Project Owner

The project owner, or the engineer or architect acting as the owner's agent, is responsible for the funding of required special inspection services.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Engineer and Architect

The architect and/or engineer's duties and responsibilities related to special inspection activities include the following:

Identify the need for special inspection services;
Develop the structural tests, inspection schedule, and acknowledge the testing and inspection agreement;
Recommend and assist in the selection of special inspectors; and,
Respond to field discrepancies.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Contractor

The contractor's duties and responsibilities are as follows:

Notify the Special Inspector when inspections are needed or required;
Ensure the approved plans are accessible to the Special Inspector at all times; and,
Maintain all special inspection records at the job site for review by the building inspector, architect, and engineer.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Building Official

The Building Official, or designated representative, are the only individuals with the legal authority to approve, change, or alter any of the provisions of special inspection process.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Special Inspector

The duties and responsibilities of the Special Inspector are as follows:

Acknowledge the testing and inspection agreement, structural test, and inspection schedule, as required;
Notify the contractor and Building and Safety when present at jobsite;
Observe all work as stated on the approved plans;
Separately identify all nonconforming work and notify the engineer/architect and Building Official;
Provide daily field reports on approved form; and,
Submit the final report of compliance on approved form.

Notification of Scheduled Inspection

Special Inspectors must notify the Building and Safety Division of the date and time of a scheduled special inspection. Notification must be made no later than the last working day preceding the inspection.

The Special Inspector shall provide the following information:

The project address
Your name and phone number (cell phone preferred)
Registration number
Type of work to be inspected
The date and time you will be on the project site

Note: It is also the Special Inspector's responsibility to speak to the City Building Inspector the morning of the scheduled special inspection.

Yearly Registration

The Building Official must approve and certify special inspectors working in the City of Simi Valley. Applications for certification are available at the Building and Safety Division’s Service Counter.

All applicants must provide proof that they meet the minimum qualifications established by the Building and Safety Division:

Accreditation certification from an approved agency or organization
Minimum of two years experience as a Special Inspector

The City of Simi Valley accepts certifications from the following to qualify:

International Code Council
The City of Los Angeles
The County of Los Angeles
Pre-approved testing laboratory
AWS
HERS Rater Certification

Project Site Conduct

During the execution of the work requiring special inspection, the Special Inspector shall not undertake or engage in any task or occupation that will interfere with the proper performance of the duties of such inspection.

The provision of the code that requires the presence of a Special Inspector states that the inspector shall provide continuous inspection. In order to do this, the Special Inspector should not allow himself/herself to be otherwise engaged, employed or to act in a manner that would not allow full concentration of the task at hand.