AB 1738 is a California bill that would require every city, county, and charter city to offer homeowners and contractors the option of a remote inspection for certain building permits on one- and two-family homes by July 1, 2027, rather than leaving virtual inspection purely optional as it is today.

Authored by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, AB 1738 amends California's State Housing Law so local building departments must offer remote inspection as an alternative to an in-person visit for a specified list of permitted work on single- and two-family homes.

The bill doesn't remove any required inspections or lower safety standards; it simply forces departments to make a video-based option, using tools like FaceTime, Zoom, or a dedicated remote inspection software like Virtual Inspection Pro available alongside the traditional site visit.

AB 1738 also extends the same legal liability protections that already apply to in-person inspections to cover remote inspections, so inspectors and agencies aren't exposed to added risk by offering the virtual format.

Local agencies keep the ability to audit remote inspections after the fact to confirm the work shown matched reality, and they can temporarily suspend a homeowner's or contractor's access to remote inspection if that person is caught misrepresenting completed work.

Timeline And Reporting

Local agencies must begin offering remote inspections for the covered project types by July 1, 2027. Starting with the annual report due April 1, 2028, cities and counties must also confirm within their standard planning reports that they've complied with the law, creating a new state-mandated local reporting duty.calmatters.digitaldemocracy+1

Because this adds administrative work for cities and counties, the bill counts as a state-mandated local program, though the state has decided the associated costs won't be reimbursed.

As of spring 2026, the bill was moving through committee, having passed the Housing and Community Development Committee before being re-referred to the Assembly Committee on Local Government.

The bill is co-sponsored by SPUR, the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, and Permit Power, a group focused on speeding up clean energy equipment installation. Supporters argue it would reduce delays for housing and clean energy projects by letting lower-risk inspections, like those for water heaters, solar panels, and accessory dwelling units, happen virtually.

Backers describe AB 1738 as a way to cut costs, save time, and free up limited inspector capacity while keeping existing safety standards intact.

They point to cities like Los Angeles and San Bernardino, where remote inspection already works well, as proof it's time to make the option available statewide instead of leaving it up to each city's discretion.

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