CALGREEN Plan Check and Inspection Procedure

Revised 08/13/2026

CALGreen Special Inspector

Applicants or owners are responsible for contracting with an approved CALGreen Special Inspection Agency to verify CALGreen compliance in plans and supporting documents and also verify compliance with CALGreen mandatory measures during construction. Permit applicants submitting plans requiring compliance to CALGreen mandatory measures shall use the currently applicable checklist for Residential New Construction, Residential Additions and Alterations, Nonresidential New Construction, or Nonresidential Additions and Alterations. Projects with both residential and nonresidential elements shall complete and adhere to requirements of both applicable checklists accordingly.

View CALGreen Checklists

County CALGreen Agency Recognition List

View a list of CALGreen Special Inspection Agencies approved to perform services in Sonoma County.
CALGreen Inspectors who would like to perform services as a Sonoma County CALGreen Special Inspector will need to apply by using the Application Form.

Application Submittal and Plan check

• All projects subject to the requirements of the California Green Building Standards Code(CALGreen) will be required to have the completed applicable Permit Sonoma CALGreen construction checklist attached to or incorporated into the plans prior to initializing the application.
• The applicable design requirements for compliance with all applicable residential or nonresidential mandatory measures shall be adequately identified and detailed within the project plans and supporting documents.
• The completed CALGREEN Checklist shall clearly identify where each mandatory measure is shown in the plans or supporting documents .
• Prior to submittal, a Permit Sonoma Approved CALGreen Special Inspector shall verify each applicable mandatory measure is adequately identified in the project plans and supporting documentation. The CALGreen Special Inspector shall sign and date the applicable checklist prior to application of a Building Permit.
• Support documentation required to verify compliance shall be uploaded as supporting documents. 

Plan Check Process and Approval

• Permit Sonoma staff will verify all applicable mandatory measures have been verified by the CALGreen Special Inspector and all required submittal documents have been submitted during the plan check process.
• The design verification of the CALGreen Building Acknowledgements in the applicable checklist shall be signed by owner, designer, and CALGreen Special Inspector prior to issuance of the associated building permit.
• The Permit sonoma approved CALGreen Special Inspector shall be retained to perform appropriate CALGreen field verifications during the construction process after permit approval and issuance.  

The Inspection Process

• All CALGreen measures that are to be verified by CALGreen Special Inspector shall be scheduled directly with the Approved CALGreen Inspector by the applicant or contractor.
• During construction of the permitted project, all measures shall be marked as approved in third column of CHECKLIST by the CALGreen Special Inspector. Permit Sonoma building inspector is to verify the appropriate CALGreen inspections have been completed at the Close-In inspection and at Final. 
• Any modification to the established checklist items must be revised and submitted through the client portal.
• The Permit Sonoma Building Inspector may request additional verification or actions if any CALGreen checklist item or its documentation is unclear 

Authorization to Occupancy and Final Permit Approval

• The Permit Sonoma approved CALGreen Special Inspector shall confirm in writing compliance with all required CALGreen building measures prior to final inspection by Permit Sonoma staff.
• A fully signed copy of the final page of the approved CALGreen checklist along with the completed BPC-071 Waste Management Plan (PDF) shall be uploaded to the permit documents prior to scheduling the final inspection..