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Duties of Special Inspector, Approved Material Testing Laboratory, and Special Inspection Agency

TECHNICAL BULLETIN
BLDG-17-2
October 2025

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IN THIS BULLETIN:

This technical bulletin outlines the duties and responsibilities of special inspectors registered by the City of San Diego (City) to perform special inspections as specified in Chapter 17 of the California Building Code (CBC).

Special inspections are in addition to and not a substitute for the inspections performed by the City inspector.

This bulletin also establishes the duties and responsibilities of materials testing laboratories and special inspection agencies approved by the City to provide testing of materials and special inspection services.

Special inspectors must be registered to perform inspections within the City of San Diego jurisdiction. Please refer to Technical Bulletin BLDG-17-1 for the requirements and the process for becoming a registered special inspector with the City of San Diego.

Material testing laboratories and special inspection agencies (agencies) must be approved by the City to provide material testing and special inspection services.

I. Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Special Inspectors

    The special inspector shall:

    1. Carry the special inspector identification card issued by the City while performing the inspections and present it to the City inspector or other authorized staff upon request.
    2. Verify that the project has a valid permit and that the approved plans are available to use. Verify that the tasks to be inspected are within the project's scope of work, as shown in the approved plans.
    3. Observe and inspect the type of work specified on the statement of special inspections for compliance with the details and specifications noted on the approved construction plans, as indicated for periodic or continuous inspections as required per Code provisions of Chapter 17 or as indicated on the approved plans. Physical presence is required during the required task. The contractor or the owner’s agent is responsible for scheduling and providing access to the special inspector to enable them to perform their duties. Perform only the special inspection tasks for which you are registered.
    4. Prepare and leave a daily written inspection report for the Contractor to be available on site. See section IV for the Special Inspection Reports requirements.
    5. Independent special inspectors, Testing Laboratories and Inspection Agencies shall work for the project’s owner or the designer of record, not for the Contractor. The special inspector should not be employed by another independent special inspector or supervise the work of another independent special inspector. Both should work for the owner or the owner’s representative.
    6. When the special inspector becomes aware of discrepancies from the Building Code and the city-approved permitted plans and specifications or the standard construction practices, the special inspector shall bring such discrepancies to the attention of the person responsible for doing the work immediately for corrective action. If no corrective action is taken within a reasonable time, the special inspector must report such discrepancies or non-compliance to the City inspector or Development Services Department (DSD). The report can be given to the City inspector or sent via email.
    7. For Welding inspectors, in addition to the duties mentioned above, examine and pre-qualify welders before the commencement of welding, when applicable. Welders are required to be AWS certified for the type and material thickness, welding process, etc., being performed. The welding inspector shall include in the report the welders’ names, certifications, weld types, and any discrepancy that has not been resolved, along with a detailed description of the task (structural elements, locations, details, etc.).
    8. For all special inspectors, prepare the controls/forms and review reports and tests as required for the specific task. For instance, PT logs, welding procedures, mill certs, wood stamps, ESR reports, quality of materials certs, etc.
    9. For independent inspectors, submit a final report summarizing the work performed and stating whether the work requiring special inspection/material testing was, to the best of the special inspector’s knowledge, in conformance with the approved plans and specifications and the applicable workmanship provisions of the CBC and other applicable Codes.
    10. Special inspectors working for a City-approved testing laboratory or special inspection agency do not need to submit a final report to the City. The Responsible Managing Engineer (RME) for the testing lab or special inspection agency will prepare, sign, and stamp the final report and submit it to the City after reviewing the daily reports and individual tests.
    11. Failing to comply with the duties and responsibilities may subject the registered special inspector to disciplinary action as deemed necessary by the Special Inspection Program Director, the Assistant Deputy Director or the Building Official.

  2. Materials Testing Laboratory 

    Materials Testing Laboratories (labs) shall:

    1. Employ only City-registered special inspectors for projects within City jurisdiction and supervise all the work requiring special inspection/testing directed in the plans or Code provisions in Chapter 17 for periodic and continuous inspections have been inspected and tested.
    2. Have the equipment used for testing of materials calibrated and have a valid calibration certification affixed to each piece of equipment. The certification must be issued by a recognized third-party calibration agency.
    3. Employ ACI-certified individuals responsible for taking samples of concrete at the job site for testing the compressive strength, slump test, temperature, etc., who shall have a current and valid certification as ACI, grade I technician.
    4. Provide NDT performed by qualified, certified, and approved technicians under the supervision of the Responsible Managing Engineer (RME).
    5. Issue final materials and special inspection reports, which shall be signed, dated, and stamped by their RME of record registered in the State of California as a Civil Engineer.
    6. Issue final reports for Soil testing and inspection, which shall be signed, dated, and stamped by a Civil, Soils, or Geo Engineer registered in the State of California.

  3. Special Inspection Agency

    Special inspection agency shall:

    1. Provide special inspections by City-registered special inspectors for projects within the City jurisdiction. Supervise all the work requiring special inspection and testing has been inspected/tested as directed by Code provisions of CBC Chapter 17 or in the approved plans, regarding periodic and continuous inspections.
    2. Use only City-approved materials testing laboratories for material testing.
    3. Provide a final report prepared, dated, signed, and stamped by the RME, who is registered in the State of California as a Civil Engineer.

II. Scope of Authority 

The special inspector’s authority is limited to inspecting work in the category in which the inspector is registered. The special inspector is not authorized to perform any of the following:

  1. To inspect or approve any work in substitution for the required inspections by the City inspector.
  2. To inspect or approve any work other than the work the special inspector is registered to perform.
  3. To accept alternate materials, specifications, or details not included in the approved permitted plans and
  4. To use the services of materials testing laboratories that are not registered by the City.

Field Non-destructive Testing Services

  1. Field or on-the-job site non-destructive testing (NDT) of materials or assemblies is considered testing and shall be performed by qualified/certified technicians employed by and under the supervision of materials testing laboratories approved by the City.
  2. Special inspectors are not permitted to perform non-destructive testing of construction materials or assemblies unless they are:
    1. Employed by a material testing laboratory approved by the City, working under the supervision of the RME, and
    2. Properly certified and qualified to perform such testing.

Daily Inspection Reports

The daily reports must be clear, legible, and complete.  The following information must be shown on daily special inspection reports:

  1. Address: Project street address, building number, suite number.
  2. City project number or permit number.
  3. Scope of work performed: The reports must clearly state the work inspected. They must also specify the physical location of the work inspected, such as grid lines, floor level, quadrant, etc., and the type of inspection performed at each location.
  4. Compliance: The report must clearly state whether the work inspected was in compliance with the city-approved permitted plans, details, and specifications.
  5. Date and Time: The reports must state the date of inspection, time of arrival, and departure from the job site. They must also state the date on which the material was sampled and the date and time it was delivered to an approved material testing laboratory (if known).
  6. Name, City ID number, and Signature: The report shall bear the special inspector’s name, the City’s assigned Inspector’s Registration Card number, and signature.
  7. Discrepancies: When the special inspector becomes aware of discrepancies from the Building Code and the City approved permitted plans and specifications, or the standard construction practices, the special inspector shall bring such discrepancies to the attention of the person responsible for doing the work immediately for corrective action. If no corrective action is taken within a reasonable time, the special inspector must report such discrepancies or non-compliance to the City by calling or emailing the City inspector and submitting a written report. The written report may be submitted by email or delivered in person (as available).

V. Final Report

  1. The construction materials testing laboratory must complete and submit Form DS-310, ‘Special Inspection Agency/Construction Materials Testing Laboratory Final Report’ after all work requiring special inspection and material testing has been satisfactorily completed.
  2. Independent special inspectors who are not employed by a special inspection agency or testing laboratory must complete and submit to the City a Final Report Form DS-3101 after all work requiring special inspection and material testing has been satisfactorily completed. A final report for the material testing from an Approved Material Testing Lab is also required. Such a report shall be prepared, dated, signed, and stamped by the lab RME.
  3. Special inspection agencies must complete and submit Form DS-3101, ‘Special Inspection Agency/Special Inspector Final Report’, after all work requiring special inspection and material testing has been satisfactorily completed. A final report for the material testing from an Approved Material Testing Lab is also required. Such a report shall be prepared, dated, signed, and stamped by the lab RME.
  4. Incomplete reports will not be accepted until they are corrected and comply with all the minimum information required and listed above.

References