Contra Costa County, CA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspection notice
- At least 14 days ahead
- Self-certification
- Available to owners of 4+ units
- Self-cert audit sample
- 20% of units, random
- Refused entry
- County must get a court warrant
- Appeal path
- Chapter 14-4, per § 720-8.620
Summary
Rental dwelling units in unincorporated Contra Costa County are subject to periodic inspection by the county building official under Section 720-8.602, on a schedule the building official sets. Owners get at least fourteen days' notice before an interior inspection, must notify tenants of the date, and owners of four or more units can apply to self-certify compliance instead.
(a)Unless otherwise exempt under this chapter, every rental dwelling unit is subject to inspection by the county building official to determine whether any substandard condition exists at a rental dwelling unit or its premises.(b)Inspections under this chapter will occur on a periodic basis. The county building official will establish procedures specifying the frequency of inspections of rental dwelling units... Before an interior inspection occurs under this chapter, a notice of intent to inspect a rental dwelling unit will be mailed by first class mail to the property owner... The inspection will be scheduled at least fourteen days after the date the notice of inspection is mailed... a property owner of four or more units may request to self-certify that the property meets the standards and requirements of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Ordinance Code: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
602(a) makes every rental dwelling unit in the unincorporated county subject to inspection by the county building official to check for substandard conditions, with subsection (b) leaving the actual inspection frequency to procedures the building official establishes. 606 then puts the burden on the owner to tell tenants the inspection date and time. 608 doesn't let the county force its way in: the building official has to seek an inspection warrant from a court instead. 616 by self-certifying: they complete a self-certification application and pay a fee, self-inspect against a county checklist, and submit it; the county then inspects twenty percent of the units at random, and if none of those show a substandard condition, no further inspections happen until the next cycle. 616(e) requires the county to inspect every unit in the building and issue notices and order to correct for whatever it finds.
Violations & Fines
An owner who doesn't correct conditions found during a program inspection faces reinspection fees under Section 720-8.614, charged again for every subsequent scheduled reinspection if access is denied, plus the standard Section 720-8.618 remedies of infraction prosecution, administrative penalties, and abatement if the substandard conditions aren't fixed within the time in the notice and order to correct. Determinations can be appealed under Section 720-8.620.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much warning do I get before a rental inspection?
Can I refuse to let the inspector in?
Can I avoid a county inspection if I own several rental units?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Contra Costa County to another location·View the California rental inspections overview
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