Building & Safety’s certified team of inspectors work throughout the City completing building inspections to ensure safe, occupiable structures are in place. We work together with our customers to effectively facilitate construction that adds to the vitality of our dynamic City. Riverside’s building inspectors are helpful, knowledgeable, professional, and very interested in aiding your project. We inspect new buildings, alterations to existing buildings, and validate code compliance related to architectural, structural, life-safety, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, energy efficiency and green building standards. We also help assure new buildings and altered existing facilities are accessible in accordance with state disabled access standards and other pertinent laws.
RMC 7.35.010 – Permissible Construction Hours in the City of Riverside:
Monday – Friday: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturdays: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
No Sundays or Federal Holidays
Building inspections may be requested to service your projects permit by calling (951)-826-5361. Online access to schedule inspections is coming soon through the implementation of our new “Public Permit Portal.” Please visit our online services and see below for further information.
We are ready to help you BUILD Riverside!
FAQs and Tips
Building inspections are scheduled visits by a building inspector to your project site which are performed periodically during the different phases of construction. Inspections make certain that the work is properly constructed to the various applicable building codes and the approved plans.
Inspections are required at various times during construction. Building inspectors are state certified professionals trained and authorized to perform building and trades inspections. Inspections are conducted during regular business hours, daily between the hours of 8:00a.m. through 4:00p.m.
It shall be the duty of the holder of the building permit or their duly authorized agent to notify Building & Safety when work is ready for inspection. It shall be the duty of the permit holder to provide access to and means for inspections of such work that a required by this code.
Request an inspection by calling the Building & Safety Division’s Automated Inspection Request Line (951) 826-5361. Before you call, be sure to have the following information available:
- The Permit Number (this number is printed on your permit in the upper left corner).
- The 3-digit inspection code for the type of inspection you are scheduling. These codes are printed on your inspection job card.
- The date you would like the inspection performed (example: 02/20...there is no need for the year).
In most cases, inspection requests received before 5:00 pm will be scheduled on the following business day. If you need to coordinate with the Building Inspector, please call between 7:30 am and 8:00 am the morning of the inspection date to arrange an approximate inspection time. The Building Inspectors will do their best to accommodate your needs, but please keep in mind that they will be inspecting between 12 to 17 different project sites on any given day and may not be able to be in your area during the time you request.
You will need to have your Permit Inspection Card as well as the approved plans on site to perform the requested inspection(s). The approved plans are the construction plans that the Division has stamped "APPROVED".
On small residential projects (patios, decks, pools and re-roofs, etc.) where the work can be inspected without entering the occupied portion of the house or garage, inspections can be performed without the owner or contractor present. Be sure to allow access to the area to be inspected and make sure that dogs or other animals are secured. If a ladder is required to access the area where the work was performed, have one available and set up for the Inspector to use. Also, be sure to leave the Permit Inspection Card and the approved plans on site for the Inspector.
On larger, more complex projects or projects where the Building Inspector will need to inspect inside an occupied home or space, an adult will need to be present during the inspection. If a contractor was hired and oversees the work, we always recommend that they be present during the inspection to consult with the Inspector if any corrections are identified or clarifications are needed.
There are a few ways that you can find out if an inspection was approved by the Building Inspector:
- Visit the job site and check Permit Inspection Card. If the inspection was approved, the Inspector will sign and date that specific inspection entry on the card. If corrections are required, the Inspector will typically write a correction notice and leave it with the Permit Inspection Card or with whomever is in responsible charge of the work on site.
- Call the automated inspection line (951)826-5361, enter the permit number and follow the prompts to find out the status of the requested inspection. Please be aware that the inspection results may be entered into the computer the next business day, so the automated system may not have the updated results of an inspection until the following day.
Contact your area Inspector during their morning or evening office hours at City Hall (7:30 - 8:00 am and 4:00 - 4:30 pm). The best way is to be present during the inspection. That way you can ask the Inspector specific questions about any corrections that are identified.
Generally, the building inspector will inspect all aspects of the work before it can be covered or concealed from view. These inspections are completed to assure that the work has been properly completed and approved to minimum standards and that it complies with the approved plans for the project.
The following is a list of the typical inspections that may be required on a project:
- Foundation
- Framing
- Slab
- Insulation
- Grout Lift
- Drywall
- Roof Sheathing
- T-bar ceiling grid
- Underground plumbing and/or electrical
- Plumbing, mechanical and electrical (rough and final)
- And many others, depending on the type of work being done
If you are an owner/builder: knowing When to Call for Inspections will follow the sequence of construction and will provide a useful guideline for clarifying what needs to be ready for inspection for typical residential construction inspections.
In addition to the regular periodic inspections provided by the City Building Inspectors, the building code mandates that the owner, engineer or architect acting on behalf of the owner employ one or more special inspectors who must provide continuous or periodic inspections during construction on certain structural elements that are critical to the safety of the building. It is very important to note that these “Special Inspectors” are not on the project in lieu of the regular City Building Inspector, but rather they are on the project in addition to the City Building Inspector and they should work closely with one another to ensure all aspects of work are properly inspected.
See Special Inspector Program for additional information.
Alternative Inspection Programs
Building & Safety offers helpful alternatives that can facilitate the expediency of simple residential projects in the City. Our Self Certification Re-Roof Program allows certain licensed roofing contractors the ability to self-inspect and certify compliance of roofing projects when they are appropriately registered and approved by the Building & Safety Division.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
To participate in this program, the applicant must meet the following minimum criteria:
- Must be a California Licensed C-39 Roofing Contractor
- Must demonstrate an experienced working knowledge of the applicable code requirements and City policies and procedures for the Reroof Inspection and Self-Certification Program
- Must be registered and approved as a Deputy Reroof Inspector with the City of Riverside
How to Become a Registered Deputy Reroof Inspector
To become a registered City of Riverside Deputy Reroof Inspector, make contact with a member of the Building & Safety Division plan checker at the public counter. We will review your C-39 California Contractor’s License wallet card to assure that it is current and active. Additionally, we will discuss the limitation of the program to assure that you are familiar with all aspects. Lastly, we will collect a $63 Deputy Re-roof Inspector registration fee and present you with a City of Riverside Deputy Reroof Inspector registration wallet card and identification number.
For more information, please refer to the following program forms and guidelines:
Approved Fabricator Program
Construction using welded steel components must satisfy very specific structural requirements.
The California Building Code establishes that structural steel components may be welded together by qualified welders who are performing their welding operations under the observation of a City approved special Inspector or performing welding operations within a facility that has been evaluated and approved by the City to perform such operations without a special inspector present. Such facilities are known as Approved Steel Fabricators./p>
For Building & Safety to certify that a facility may operate as an approved steel fabricator, the facility must provide evidence to the City Building Official that their operations and procedures comply with minimum industry standards and are documented in a procedures manual which reflects their quality control procedures. Typically, a third party will verify the facilities quality control capabilities as well as the plant and personnel as outlined in the procedures manual.
Building & Safety requires steel fabrication facility operators to complete the Approved Steel Fabricator Application Form and pay the steel fabricator application fee in order to be considered for the approved Fabricator Certification. (See City Approved Steel Fabricators.)
Special Inspectors Program
In addition to the regular periodic inspections provided by the City Building Inspectors, the building code mandates that the owner, engineer or architect acting on behalf of the owner employ one or more special inspectors who must provide continuous or periodic inspections during construction on certain structural elements that are critical to the safety of the building. It is very important to note that these “Special Inspectors” are not on the project in lieu of the regular City Building Inspector, but rather they are on the project in addition to the City Building Inspector and they should work closely with one another to ensure all aspects of work are properly inspected.
(See Duties and Responsibilities of the Special Inspector for additional information.)
The California Building Code further stipulates that these special inspectors shall be qualified and shall demonstrate their competence to the satisfaction of the Building Official. For this reason, the City of Riverside requires that all special inspectors working on projects located within the City be interviewed by one of the Plan Check or Inspection staff and show proof of competence.
Generally, proof of competency is demonstrated by nationally recognized certifications held by the individual as well as the individuals’ duration of experience. In most cases the City will require that the special inspector have a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a special inspector as well as a valid nationally recognized certification, such as an ICC certification specific to the individual’s area of inspection expertise, or certification from the City or County of Los Angeles.
Building & Safety charges a fee to cover the cost to administer the Special Inspector Program and all special inspectors working within the City must carry their City issued Special Inspector License Card and present it upon request.
The following are some of the types of work that require the observation of a City approved special inspector:
- Spray-applied Fire Proofing
- Structural Welding
- Concrete (generally high strength)
- High Strength Bolting
- Epoxy secured anchor bolts
- Structural Masonry
- Other critical features as specified by the architect or engineer of record
Special Inspectors are required to document, in written form, the results of their inspections. These reports are to be reviewed by the contractor, the design professional, the owner and the regular City building inspector. The reports are to contain specific information; therefore, the City has developed a series of Special Inspector Report forms. Special inspectors may use their own report forms if all the required information is provided therein.
Duties of the Special Inspector
Special Inspector Certification of Compliance
Special Inspector Progress Report