In California, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with building codes?

In California, the contractor is ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with building codes. This responsibility is grounded in the contractor's role as the party that executes construction work and therefore must adhere to local, state, and federal regulations, including building codes.

The contractor is expected to have knowledge of the relevant codes and standards that apply to their work and to implement them throughout the construction process. This includes ensuring that materials, construction techniques, and overall project execution meet safety, accessibility, and quality requirements set forth by law.

While other stakeholders, such as property owners and architects or engineers, play important roles in the construction process, they do not bear the primary responsibility for compliance with building codes. The property owner may be focused on project funding and expectations, and the architect or engineer typically provides designs and may ensure those designs comply with codes, but the contractor is the one managing and applying those designs in the field.

The local building department does have a role in enforcing compliance by reviewing plans, issuing permits, and conducting inspections. However, the responsibility for adhering to the building codes during the actual construction rests with the contractor. Thus, the contractor is held accountable for any violations or failures to comply with the relevant codes during the construction process.