Building Inspection
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We are accepting applications for Development Permits (Building and Grading). Learn how to make digital submittals.
Requesting Building Inspections
Information on scheduling and preparing for Building Inspection
For Building Department inquiries and questions, call (408) 299-5700
The Office of Building Inspection ensures that buildings are compliant with current code in order to maintain a safe community standard. This is accomplished with professional plan checking, building inspection and investigation of substandard structures.
Inspection Information:
South/East County
Warren Krause
Senior Building Inspector
North/Central County
Rick Gomes
Senior Building Inspector
Principal Inspector
For Plan Check Information:
General
Behrooz Ghorbani
Senior Plan Check Engineer
Supriya Sargunaraj
Senior Plan Check Engineer
Special Projects
Brad Vedula
Principal Development Services Engineer
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Elevation Certificate Update! 2015 EC Form is now available on FEMA's website. Please read the following carefully:
- The form is not a fillable PDF version, but one that CAN be downloaded and used.
- FEMA has not released a date for when the new form MUST be used by.
- To be perfectly clear, for CRS purposes, you may use EITHER the old or the new form until we hear otherwise from FEMA.
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- Apply for a Development Permit or Planning Application
Apply for a Development (Building & Grading) Permit or a Planning (Land Use) Application. - Develop or Improve a Property
Rules and guidelines for developing or improving a property. - Make a Virtual Appointment or Inquiry
Make an appointment for virtual consultation with a planner or development engineer. - Report a Possible Violation
How to report a possible violation in the Unincorporated area of Santa Clara County. - Research Ordinance and Plans
Information regarding ordinances, plans, and policies that may impact a property. - Research a Property
Zoning & other information about a parcel. - Schedule an Inspection
Schedule an Inspection via the Mobile Inspection App, online, or by phone. - Search for an active Development (Building & Grading) Permit
Search for a permit application submitted to Development Services. - Search for an active Planning (Land Use) Permit
Search for a permit application submitted to the Planning Department. - Appeal a Decision
Appeal a decision made by a committee, commission, or findings by staff.
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Program consists of HERS Providers and HERS Raters. All HERS Providers are approved by the California Energy Commission to provide training, certification, and oversight of HERS Raters. HERS raters conduct Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing (FV and DT) services to confirm compliance with the Building Energy Efficiency Standards. This process ensures correct installation and proper function of specific building features and equipment, which have been prone to incorrect installation in the past.
There are currently two approved HERS providers recognized by the CA Energy Commission, CalCerts and CHEERS. Approved by the CEC, HERS providers are companies who train, certify, and oversee the performance and behavior of HERS raters. They are also approved to operate data registries. A registry is where project compliance forms (the forms hosting the data on the particular energy efficiency feature) are completed and stored for review by the builder or contractor, building department officials, CEC staff, and the building owner. These registries may be found on the provider’s website and may be accessible to the homeowner.
An individual who is certified by an accredited Rating Provider to inspect and test a home in order to evaluate each of the minimum rated features and complete a Home Energy Rating
If the project requires HERS rater verification the compliance forms are required to be registered with a HERS provider. For projects that do not require HERS rater verification they are not required to be registered with a HERS provider.
CF2R forms should be completed after a required element has been installed and available for the building inspector at the related inspection. For example, at the rough frame inspection the CF2R-ENV-01-E (Fenestration(windows) Installation) should be completed to verify the windows match what is listed in the CF1R certificate of compliance form. There will likely be other elements that require CF2R forms such as the CF2R-ENV-04-E (Roofing Ventilation and Radiant Barrier). For a complete list of residential project CF2R forms visit https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-efficiency-standards/2022-building-energy-efficiency-2.
The CF1R form identifies the minimum energy performance specifications selected by the building designer or building owner for compliance and may include the results of the heating and cooling load calculations.
The Energy Standards require the certificate of compliance to be incorporated into the plans for the building and submitted to the enforcement agency (building department). The CF1Rs will be checked during the plan review process prior to permit issuance.
- Incorrect enforcement agency or building department (Should be County of Santa Clara regardless of what city is listed in the address)
- Incorrect address (ADUs will always receive a unique property address)
- Incorrect or lack of permit number
5537 and 6737.1 of California Business and Professions Code states,
The designer is the person responsible for the overall building design. As such, the designer is responsible for specifying the building features that determine compliance with the Energy Standards and other applicable building codes. The designer is required to provide a signature on the certificate of compliance (CF1R) to certify that the building has been designed to comply with the Energy Standards.
The designer may personally prepare the certificate of compliance documents or may delegate preparation of the energy analysis and certificate of compliance documents to an energy documentation author or energy consultant. If preparation of the building energy certificate of compliance documentation is delegated, the designer must remain in charge of the building design specifications, energy calculations, and all building feature information represented on the certificate of compliance. The designer's signature on the certificate of compliance affirms his or her responsibility for the information submitted on the certificate of compliance.
The designer may be an architect, engineer or other California-licensed professional; however, a licensed design professional may not always be required for low-rise residential buildings. The California Business and Professions Code allows unlicensed designers to prepare design documentation for wood-framed single-family residential building as long as the dwellings are no more than two stories high, not counting a possible basement. Two-story, wood-framed multifamily buildings may also be designed by unlicensed designers as long as the building has four or fewer dwelling units. For homes that do not require a licensed design professional, the builder may sign the certificate of compliance (CF1R) in the “Responsible Building Designer’s” signature block. When the designer is a licensed professional, the signature block on the certificate of compliance must include the designer's license number.
When certificate of compliance document registration is required, the certificate of compliance must be submitted to an approved HERS Provider data registry. All submittals to the HERS Provider data registry must be made electronically.
The certificate(s) of installation (CF2R) are separated into Envelope (CF2R-ENV), Lighting (CF2R-LTG), Mechanical (CF2R-MCH), Plumbing (CF2R-PLB), and Solar (CF2R-SPV and CF2R-STH) categories, and most compliance measures have a separate CF2R form that is specific to a particular installation. The CF2R forms must be completed during the construction or installation phase of the compliance and enforcement process. The CF2R documents must be completed by the applicable contractors who are responsible for installing regulated energy features such as windows (fenestration), the air distribution ducts and the HVAC equipment, the exhaust fans/ventilation system, the measures that affect building envelope tightness, the lighting system, and the insulation. The CF2R must be posted at the job site in a conspicuous location (for example, in the garage) or kept with the building permit and made available to the enforcement agency upon request.
When field verification and/or diagnostic testing of a feature is required for compliance (as shown in the HERS Required Verification section of the CF1R), the builder or the builder’s subcontractor must perform the initial field verification or diagnostic testing of the installation to confirm and document on the applicable CF2R compliance with the standards using the applicable procedures specified in Reference Residential Appendix RA3. The builder, the builder’s subcontractor, or authorized representative must submit the CF2R information to an approved HERS Provider data registry. All CF2R information submittals must be done electronically (registration) when HERS verification/testing is required.
A CF2R (certificate of installation) is not submitted with compliance documentation at the time of permit application. It is posted or made available for field inspection after installation of an applicable feature. A field inspector should review the “Required Special Features” on the CF1R, then check for the equipment and characteristics that are actually installed against what is reported on the CF2Rs. The field inspector should do this for all installed building components indicated on a CF2R (HVAC, fenestration, insulation, water heating, and so forth). When HERS verification is required for compliance, the field inspector should review the “HERS Features Summary” on the CF1R to identify the required installer tests and confirm that these tests were performed and documented on the applicable CF2Rs. Any required forms will be indicated on the HERS registry in the project status report (PSR) for the residence. The enforcement agency may request additional information to verify that the installed efficiency requirements are consistent with the approved plans and specifications. When material properties or equipment efficiencies greater than the minimum requirements are shown on the CF1R, the enforcement agency may have procedures for verifying the actual material or equipment specifications. For example, the enforcement agency may require the installer to provide a copy of the applicable page(s) from a directory of certified equipment.
§10-103(b) requires the builder to leave a copy of the CF2R in the building for the building owner at occupancy.
Section 10-103(b) requires that at final inspection the enforcement agency shall require the builder to leave compliance, operating, maintenance, and ventilation information in the building for the “building owner at occupancy,” which includes the:
- Certificate of compliance (CF1R).
- Certificate(s) of installation (CF2R).
- Certificate(s) of verification (CF3R) if applicable.
- Operating information for all applicable features, materials, components, and mechanical devices installed in the building.
- Maintenance information for all applicable features, materials, components, and manufactured devices that require routine maintenance for efficient operation.
When field verification and/or diagnostic testing is required, the HERS Rater must complete, register, and sign/certify by the certificate of verification (CF3R). The CF3R documents include information about the measurements, tests, and field verification results that were required to be performed. The HERS Rater must verify that the requirements for compliance have been met.
Raters shall provide a separate registered CF3R form for each house that the Rater determines has met the verification or diagnostic requirements for compliance. The HERS Rater shall not sign a CF3R for a house that does not have a registered CF2R that has been signed/certified by the installer. If the building was approved as part of a sample group, the CF3R will include additional information that identifies whether the building was a tested or a "not tested" building from the sample group. The CF3R form for the “tested” home of a sample group will include the test/verification results, but the “not tested” homes will not. CF3R forms for “not tested” homes in a sample group will still have a registration number, date, time, and so forth and a watermark of the HERS Provider’s seal. Refer to Reference Residential Appendix RA2 for more details on HERS verification and CF3R documentation procedures.
Please visit the CA Energy Commission website at https://www.energy.ca.gov/filebrowser/download/5124 or Energy Code Ace at https://energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2022/Documents/2complianceandenforcement.htm.