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Professional Certification for Office Tenant Improvements

INFORMATION BULLETIN
150
January 2025

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IN THIS BULLETIN:

I. Qualifying Projects

The following list describes the types of projects that can be submitted per the Professional Certification program for office tenant improvement projects.

  1. Must be a Group B interior office tenant improvements less than 20,000 square feet in area with no change of use or occupancy.
  2. Must be designed by a licensed California Architect or Engineer.
  3. Cannot be a first-generation tenant improvement; the space must have already been entirely built out.
  4. Must not alter, remove, or add plumbing fixtures.
  5. No deferred submittals. All items must be submitted at the time of the building permit. Projects with fire alarms and/or sprinkler systems will have expedited reviews for those permits, as these system reviews cannot be professionally certified.
  6. No changes to the exterior portions of the building, including window modifications or replacements or any changes to the exterior facade.
  7. Must not alter or change stairways or stair vestibules.
  8. Must not include new floor openings.
  9. Can only include structural calculations for equipment anchorage if designed and stamped by a licensed engineer.
  10. No new hazardous materials can be added to the building, including Energy Storage Systems (Batteries) or Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS).
  11. Must not reduce accessibility in any way.
  12. No special inspections are required as a part of this scope of work except for the anchorage of equipment.
  13. Must comply with all Federal, State, and local Codes and Standards.

II. Submittal Requirements

The following documents will be required to be submitted for Professional Certification for Office Tenant Improvement projects.

  1. Forms
  2. Plans and Calculations
    • All requirements in Section 2 of the Project Submittal Manual.
    • Plans must be stamped and signed by a licensed California Architect or Engineer.
    • All portions of the project must be submitted at the time of building permit, including fire alarm and sprinkler plans/affidavits.
    • Structural calculations should be limited to equipment anchorage and must be stamped by a licensed engineer.
    • The scope of work on plans must include that this project is applying for the Professional Certification for Office Tenant Improvements program.
       
  3. Online Permit Application
    The online permit application must specify that the project requests Professional Certification for Office Tenant Improvements by selecting this option.

III. Designated Historic Properties or Parcels Located in an Adopted Historic District

A historic review is required if the project involves any parcel with a designated historical resource or is located within the boundaries of a designated historic district. Please refer to Information Bulletin 581, Designated Historical Resource Review for additional information.

IV. Submittal Process

All Office Tenant Improvement projects requesting professional certification must schedule a virtual set-up appointment on our website by selecting: Project Setup: Building Permit – With Plans.

V. Fees

For your convenience, DSD offers online payments. Payments may also be made in person by cash, check, debit card, Visa or MasterCard credit cards. Checks shall be in the exact amount, drawn on US banks, and made payable to the “City Treasurer.”

  1. Project Set-Up Fees
    • Administrative Fee: $146.60
    • Mapping Fee: $10.10
  2. Inspection Fees
    Refer to Information Bulletin 501, Fee Schedule, Construction Permits - Structures for applicable building permit fees. Refer to Information Bulletin 103, Fee Schedule for Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing permit fees.

VI. Inspections

A pre-construction inspection is required to be scheduled before starting work. All work will be verified at the time of inspection. If the inspector determines that the scope of work is not consistent with the limits of this program, the Professional Certification permit will be canceled, and the applicant will be required to submit a new permit with a plan review.

If the inspector determines that the work does not comply with the adopted codes and standards, they will prepare a correction notice, DS-13. Depending upon the severity of the issue, the inspector can require a new permit to be applied for or can require a construction change. For all inspection requirements, refer to Information Bulletin 120.

References 

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