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AB-818 • 2026

Permit Streamlining Act: local emergencies.

Permit Streamlining Act: local emergencies.

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Ávila Farías
Last action
2025-10-10
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 534, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the consequences of non-compliance or definitions for temporary structures.

Streamlining Building Permits During Local Emergencies

AB-818 requires local governments to decide within 10 business days whether to approve or deny building permits for temporary structures during emergencies.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires cities, counties, and city and county governments to decide within 10 business days whether to approve or deny a complete application for a building permit for temporary structures intended to be used until rebuilding or repairs of an affected property are completed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments (cities, counties, and city and county governments).
  • People applying for building permits during local emergencies.

Terms To Know

State-mandated local program
A program that requires local agencies to follow state rules or perform tasks mandated by the state.
Charter cities
Cities in California with special charters that give them more autonomy over their governance compared to other cities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if a local government fails to meet the 10-day deadline.
  • The bill does not provide details on how temporary structures are defined or classified.
  • It is unclear from the summary whether there will be any penalties for non-compliance with this new requirement.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 534, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-10 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3228.).

  5. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2672.).

  7. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-09-04 California Legislative Information

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-08-19 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  11. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. 2025-07-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 15).

  13. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HOUSING. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.

  14. 2025-06-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

  15. 2025-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and HOUSING.

  16. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  17. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1662.)

  18. 2025-05-15 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

  19. 2025-05-14 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

  20. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  21. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    Coauthors revised.

  22. 2025-04-28 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.

  23. 2025-04-24 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  24. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 23).

  25. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    (Pending re-refer to Com. on H. & C. D.)

  26. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1163.)

  27. 2025-03-10 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and H. & C.D.

  28. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  29. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 818, Ávila Farías.
Permit Streamlining Act: local emergencies.
Existing law, the Permit Streamlining Act, requires a public agency to determine whether an application for a development project is complete within specified time periods, as specified. The act requires a public agency that is the lead agency for a development project to approve or disapprove that project within specified time periods. Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, among other things, authorizes the governing body of a city, county, or city and county to proclaim a local emergency under certain circumstances, as specified, and grants political subdivisions various powers and authorities in periods of local emergency.
This
bill would require a city, county, or city and county to approve or deny a complete application, within 10 business days of receipt of the application, for a building permit or an equivalent permit for any of the specified structures intended to be used by a person until the rebuilding or repair of an affected property is complete. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF