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San Bernardino, CA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Adopted code
2022 CALGreen, Title 24 Part 11
Governing section
SBMC § 15.04.020(B)(9)
Applies via
standard building permit review
Unamended sections
adopted by reference (§15.04.020(D))
Enforcing office
Building Official
Chapter effective
Ord. MC-1433, 12-21-2016; refreshed 10-2-2024

Summary

New construction and many alterations in San Bernardino must meet the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11, adopted at San Bernardino Municipal Code § 15.04.020(B)(9). Builders comply through the same Building Official permit and inspection process that governs the rest of the adopted state code family.

(B) The city does formally adopt the state model building codes into local law as listed below: ...

(9) 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11; ...

§ 15.04.030 APPLICABILITY.

(A) It shall be unlawful to erect, construct, change the occupancy, alter, repair, rehabilitate, remove, move or maintain any building or structure, or grade or alter any land, in the city in violation of, or without complying with, the appropriate provisions of this chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).

Full Breakdown

020 folds CALGreen into local law alongside the Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes, listing the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11, as item (9) of the thirteen codes the city formally adopts under division (B). Division (A) explains that these adopted codes 'shall become the administrative provisions of the city for regulating the construction, erection, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy, equipment, use and occupancy and maintenance of all buildings and/or structures in the city,' so CALGreen's mandatory measures apply through the same permit review as the structural code.

020(D) confirms that any CALGreen sections not separately amended by the state Building Standards Commission are 'hereby adopted by reference' in full. 020(C), and are also referenced as available through the International Code Council's website. The adoption chapter was enacted by Ord. MC-1433 on December 21, 2016, and refreshed for the current 2022 edition by Ord. MC-1643, passed October 2, 2024.

Violations & Fines

Constructing or altering a building without meeting the adopted CALGreen measures violates § 15.04.030 the same as any other adopted-code deficiency, and the Building Official can withhold permit sign-off or issue a stop-work order under § 15.04.260. A sustained misdemeanor violation carries up to $1,000 in fines, six months in jail, or both, under § 1.12.010(A).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does San Bernardino have its own green building ordinance?
No separate local ordinance; instead § 15.04.020(B)(9) adopts the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11, directly into the municipal code, so the statewide CALGreen mandatory measures apply to construction and alteration permits inside the city the same as anywhere else in California.
Who enforces green building compliance on a San Bernardino permit?
The Building Official reviews CALGreen compliance as part of the same plan-check and inspection process used for the rest of the adopted Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes under § 15.04.020, and can issue a stop-work order under § 15.04.260 for noncompliant work.
Where can I see the exact CALGreen text San Bernardino enforces?
Section 15.04.020(C) requires the city to keep copies of every adopted code, including the Green Building Standards Code, on file in the Community and Economic Development Department for public inspection and reference, and the code is also referenced as available through the International Code Council's website.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in San Bernardino

All San Bernardino rules

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