A101 Building Official Qualifications — 2025 California Building Code

[A] A101.1 Building official. The building official shall have not fewer than 10 years’ experience or equivalent as an architect, engineer, inspector, contractor or superintendent of construction, or any combination of these, 5 years of which shall have been supervisory experience. The building official should be certified as a building official through a recognized certification program. The building official shall be appointed or hired by the applicable governing authority.

[A] A101.2 Chief inspector. The building official can designate supervisors to administer the provisions of this code and the Califor- nia Mechanical Code, California Plumbing Code and International Fuel Gas Code. Each supervisor shall have not fewer than 10 years experience or equivalent as an architect, engineer, inspector, contractor or superintendent of construction, or any combination of these, 5 years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. They shall be certified through a recognized certification program for the appropriate trade.

[A] A101.3 Inspector and plans examiner. The building official shall appoint or hire such number of officers, inspectors, assistants and other employees as shall be authorized by the jurisdiction. A person who has fewer than 5 years of experience as a contractor, engineer, architect, or as a superintendent, foreman or competent mechanic in charge of construction shall not be appointed or hired as inspector of construction or plans examiner. The inspector or plans examiner shall be certified through a recognized certification program for the appropriate trade.

[A] A101.4 Termination of employment. Employees in the position of building official, chief inspector or inspector shall not be removed from office except for cause after full opportunity has been given to be heard on specific charges before such applicable governing authority.