Santa Barbara County, CA Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Section 14-18(a) makes all work under a grading permit subject to periodic or continuous inspection by the building and safety division, with continuous supervision by a civil engineer, geotechnical engineer, or engineering geologist required where the building official finds it necessary for public safety. Section 14-18(e) lists the required inspections: a pre-construction inspection before grading or brushing starts; a toe/bench/keyway inspection before fill is placed; an excavation inspection before vertical depth exceeds ten feet; a fill inspection before vertical height exceeds ten feet; a drainage device inspection before concrete or pipe is buried; a rough grade inspection when rough grading is complete; and a final inspection once all drainage structures, protective devices, and planting are complete and the as-graded plan is accepted.

The permittee must notify the planning and development department at least twenty-four hours before each required inspection, and work cannot continue until the building official approves that stage. During the rainy season, defined as November 1 through April 15, Section 14-18(e) requires a minimum of two county inspections per month on active projects disturbing one acre or more. Section 14-18(b) requires an inspection record card posted on site for the building official's entries, and Section 14-18(l) requires the final inspection be made by a planning and development department employee.

Section 14-21 lets the building official order any covered or concealed work exposed for examination at the property's expense if it was not inspected before being covered.