Project Inspector Certification

PROJECT INSPECTOR AVAILABILITY

The list of available project inspectors is based on a questionnaire completed by project inspectors. It is provided as a courtesy by DSA for school districts and project inspectors and is updated on a biweekly basis. DSA does not employ project inspectors, and the list accuracy is limited to the information provided by surveys voluntarily completed by project inspectors desiring to indicate their availability for work.

• Project Inspector Availability List (XLSX) Updated 01/05/26

If you have inquiries regarding a specific project or project inspector, please submit a public records act request to DSAHQArchives@dgs.ca.gov.

1. Eligibility

Project Inspector Classifications

DSA recognizes four distinct classifications for Project Inspectors (PIs), which are primarily differentiated by the size and structural materials of the buildings they often inspect. Below is a simplified summary of those classifications (for more detailed information, please refer to IR A-7: Inspector Certification and Approval on DSA's Publications webpage):

• Class 4 PIs (Legacy Classification): Historically limited to inspection of relocatable building siting only. Class 4 certification is no longer issued, and no examinations are offered for this classification.
• Class 3 PIs: Primarily limited to alterations and new small (usually less than 2,000 square feet) light-frame wood buildings. Class 3 PIs are also allowed to perform Class 4 inspections.
• Class 2 PIs: Can inspect wood construction buildings of any size. Class 2 PIs are also allowed to perform Class 3 and 4 inspections.
• Class 1 PIs: Have no limitations on building size nor structural material.

Minimum Qualifications

To be approved to take the Project Inspector Examination, applicants must demonstrate they meet the minimum qualifications in Title 24, Part 1, Section 4-361. and IR A-7: Inspector Certification and Approval. Qualifications vary by certification classification and are based on factors such as education, licenses, certifications, and work experience.

Before applying, review the Project Inspector Qualification Matrix to confirm which classification you qualify for and what documentation is required.

If an application or experience verification is incomplete, DSA may request additional information. Requested items must be submitted within 30 days of DSA’s email request or the application may be denied.

2. Apply Online

Applicants must submit an online DSA 175: Project Inspector Examination Application to establish eligibility to take the examination.

Application Fee

• $225 or
• $175 for California licensed architects and registered engineers

Application fees are nonrefundable and must be paid at the time of application submission.

When submitting your application, you must include:

• Required supporting documentation demonstrating minimum qualifications
• Experience records with reference information for verification

DSA will review and evaluate each application to verify that the applicant meets the minimum qualification requirements.

After review, DSA will notify applicants by email of one of the following outcomes:

• Application approved and instructions provided to register for an examination
• Request for additional information, which must be submitted within 30 days
• Application denied if qualifications are not met or required information cannot be verified

If an application is denied or withdrawn, any future application will be subject to the application procedures, fees, and qualification criteria in effect at the time of resubmittal.

Transition Notice

Effective February 1, 2026, DSA will no longer accept paper (physical) DSA Form 175 applications. Applicants who have already begun preparing a paper application should submit it prior to this date. After February 1, 2026, all Project Inspector Examination applications must be submitted online.

If you have questions, please contact the DSA Project Inspector Unit at inspector@dgs.ca.gov or (916) 443-9932.

3. Exam Registration and Fees

Once an application is approved, DSA will notify the applicant by email with instructions to register for an available Project Inspector Examination.

To complete registration, approved applicants must submit:

• Examination registration form (provided by DSA after approval)
• Payment of applicable examination fees
• DSA 650: Taxpayer ID / Social Security Number Disclosure

Registration is required for each examination session and is subject to seating availability.

Examination Fees

All examination fees are nonrefundable and subject to change.

Plan Reading

• Structural: $200
• Architectural: $100
• Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP): $100

Construction Knowledge

• Structural: $250
• Architectural: $100
• MEP: $150
• Administration: $100

Examination fees must be paid by check or money order payable to DSA. Credit and debit cards are not accepted.

Important Exam Registration Information:

DSA’s Project Inspector Examination measures an applicant’s ability to read and comprehend construction documents as well as knowledge of the construction, inspection and testing requirements of the California Building Standards Code.

The DSA Project Inspector Examination is a computer-based examination administered by DSA. All reference materials are provided electronically by DSA. Personal reference materials are not permitted.

The examination is based on the 2022 California Code of Regulations, including Title 24 and Title 19.

Examination seating is limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Approved applicants who do not register for an available examination may register for a future examination, unless qualification criteria change.

After registration is processed, DSA will send a confirmation email with examination details and instructions.

Accommodation

Examination facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you require a testing accommodation, please download and read ADA Test Accommodation(s) Guidelines. Candidates requesting a test accommodation(s) must read form instructions and submit form DSA 602: Test Accommodation(s) Request to DSA.

All reasonable accommodation requests and required documentation must be mailed and postmarked by the examination registration deadline listed on the "Examination Dates and Deadlines" section of this webpage; however, DSA strongly recommends that you submit your reasonable accommodations request and all required documentation as early as possible to ensure adequate time for DSA to arrange necessary accommodations.

If you have questions regarding your status or requirements, please contact the DSA Project Inspector Unit at inspector@dgs.ca.gov or (916) 443-9932.

The Project Inspector Examination is administered over two days and consists of two parts. Each section of the examination has its own allotted time. Approximately one hour is allowed for a lunch break each day.

Day 1 – Plan Reading

This evaluates the ability to interpret construction documents and drawings.

• Check-in: Approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the first exam section
• Structural: 2.5 hours
• Break (lunch not provided): Approximately 1 hour
• Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP): 1.5 hours
• Architectural (includes Access and Fire and Life Safety): 1.5 hours

Day 2 – Construction Knowledge

This evaluates knowledge of construction requirements, inspection practices, and administrative responsibilities.

Check-in: Approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the first exam section

• Structural: 2.5 hours
• Architectural: 1 hour
• Break (lunch not provided): Approximately 1 hour
• Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP): 1.5 hours
• Administration (inspector duties and responsibilities): 1 hour

 Applicants who pass some sections and fail others are only required to retake the sections they did not pass, subject to applicable retest rules.

Candidates will be notified of their exam results approximately four to six weeks after the examination date.

Note: Please do not call for test results. Results will not be given over the phone.

You may sign up for one location only. Examination will dates and locations are shown below (subject to change). Please read all emails carefully that are provided after your application has been approved and you have registered for an exam date. The exam timeline section above indicates on which day the "Plan Reading Part" and "Construction Knowledge Part" occurs. An additional third day is available for those retaking two exam sections or fewer. 

Exam Site Information 

DSA Los Angeles Regional Office 
355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90071

Examinees will need to check in at the ground level security desk and present a valid government ID to access the DSA Los Angeles office (Suite 2100). Security will direct you to the correct elevator bank for the 21st floor. 

Additional travel information can be found in the DSA’s Visitor Guide for Wells Fargo Center – DSA Los Angeles Regional Office.   

DSA Sacramento Regional Office 
1102 Q Street, Suite 5200, Sacramento, CA 95811

DSA San Diego Regional Office 
10920 Via Frontera, Suite 300, San Diego, California 92127

Examinees will need to check in at the 3rd level, Suite 300 front desk and present a valid government ID to access the DSA San Diego Regional Office. Free parking is available at The Pinnacle Building.

Contact the DSA Project Inspector Unit at inspector@dgs.ca.gov or (916) 443-9932.

Applicants who passed one or more section(s) of the examination and failed other section(s) are only required to retake those sections of the examination that they failed. Retakes of the failed examination sections must be in the same examination classification as the sections passed.

To retake the examination, the applicant should contact the DSA Inspector Unit to express such interest. DSA will then provide instructions allowing the applicant to register for a future examination subject to seating availability and the applicable examination fees (see FEES above). If the applicant fails to pass all sections of the "Construction Knowledge Part" exam within two consecutive code testing cycles, a new application will be required to be completed and submitted, subject to all rules, procedures and fees in effect at the time of resubmittal. Examinees who have been unable to pass all sections of the “Construction Knowledge Part” since the 2016 code-based version are subject to this requirement.

Unlike the "Construction Knowledge Part," all sections within the "Plan Reading Part" need only be passed once for the lifetime of the specific classification (approved applications may span consecutive code testing cycles) unless methods for displaying information in construction documents dramatically change in the future compared to current methods.

In addition to examination certification requirements, Project Inspectors are required to complete specific training before they start work on their first project.

Project Inspector Overview (PIO)

The Project Inspector Overview (PIO) is required for newly certified Project Inspectors who do not have prior DSA project inspection experience.

About the course

• On-demand training offered through the DSA Academy LMS
• Provides an overview of DSA rules, regulations, procedures, standards, and inspection practices related to public school construction
• Includes approximately 30 hours of video content and quizzes
• Course completion is recorded in the inspector’s DSA Academy LMS transcript
• Course fee is $500

Important

• The PIO is not a recertification requirement
• DSA provides the PIO videos and reference material for free as a courtesy to the public, separate from the DSA Academy LMS. Newly certified inspectors must still pay for and complete the PIO through the DSA Academy LMS prior to inspecting their first project.

Title 24 Mechanical Acceptance (T24MA) Training

• This is a free on-demand course for DSA-certified Project Inspectors (PIs) through NEMIC's LMS.
• The 2019/2022 T24MA course requires approximately four to five hours of time and is required if you have not previously completed the 2016/2019 course. Details about the 2019/2022 course can be found on the NEMI webpage. (Google Chrome is the preferred browser for this webpage.)
• If you have completed the 2016/2019 version of the course, you are only required to take the 2022 update course. You do not need to complete the 2019/2022 version of the course. To access the 2022 update course, follow these steps:
  • Click on NEMI training webpage.
  • Enter your Username and Password.
  • Once logged in, enter the Enrollment Code n8zbks.
• Upon completion of the course(s), the PI and DSA will receive digital copies of the Certification of Completion.

NOTE: PI's do not need to forward a copy to DSA.

For questions regarding NEMI's T24MA training courses, please contact Joel Dema, jdema@icbcertified.org. For questions on the requirements, contact the CEC Energy Hotline at 1(800) 772-3300.

PI approval for 2019 or later code-based projects commencing in 2022 or later may be contingent upon completion of the T24MA training. The California Energy Code requires acceptance testing to be performed by a certified technician. Understanding the role of the certified technician and review of the required documentation for project closeout is integral to Energy Code compliance. In early April 2021, all PIs with valid certifications at that time were notified of this requirement.

PI approval on applicable projects is contingent upon completing the project applicable code year T24MA training prior to acceptance testing commencement based on the California Administrative Code Section 4-333(b)5. B:

• Prior to January 1, 2024: The PI must complete the 2016/2019 T24MA training. (NOTE: Because the 2016/2019 T24MA training is no longer available, PIs lacking such training must complete the 2019/2022 T24MA training.)
• Effective January 1, 2024: The PI must complete the 2019/2022 T24MA training. (NOTE: PIs who have previously completed 2016/2019 T24MA training may opt to complete either the 2019/2022 T24MA training or the 2022 update training.)

 DSA Project Inspector certification is valid for four years. Inspectors must complete the recertification requirements prior to their certification expiration date to maintain active certification status.

The expiration date of a renewed certification is four years from the previous expiration date.

If a certified inspector obtains a higher certification classification (for example, a Class 2 inspector passes the Class 1 examination), the previous certification expires immediately. The new certification period begins on the date the most recent examination is successfully completed.

Recertification Requirements

The Project Inspector Recertification Program consists of the following required components:

1. Recertification Seminar

2. Recertification Examination

Recertification Seminar

• Based on the 2022 California Building Standards Codes
• Administered on-demand through the DSA Academy LMS
• Free of charge

Inspectors must complete the required Recertification Seminar before registering for the Recertification Examination.

Recertification Examination

• Based on the 2022 California Building Standards Codes
• Administered online through the DSA Academy LMS and Microsoft Teams
• Offered weekly
• Subject to an examination fee of $400

Successfully passing the Recertification Examination is only recognized once per code-year edition toward renewal requirements.

If you have questions regarding your status or requirements, please contact the DSA Project Inspector Unit at inspector@dgs.ca.gov or (916) 443-9932.