California will soon require most cities and counties to offer remote inspections for common home upgrades, after Governor Newsom signed AB 1738 in September 2026. Beginning in 2028, homeowners and their contractors can request an inspection by live video or recorded photos and video for heat pump HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters, reroofs, smaller rooftop solar and battery systems, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. For landlords, it's a change that could shave days off routine property maintenance and replacement jobs.
The law, authored by Assembly member Juan Carrillo, applies to one and two family dwellings. It passed the Senate 29 to 6 and cleared final Assembly concurrence with no votes against. Supporters, including co sponsor SPUR, argued that in person inspections often leave contractors waiting for hours, which adds cost to simple jobs.
How AB 1738 Remote Inspections Will Work
Under AB 1738, the homeowner or contractor asks for a remote inspection instead of scheduling a site visit. The inspection can happen over live video or through photos and video submitted to the building department. The inspector keeps full discretion over the method and can still require an in person visit whenever they decide it's needed, which was a key point for building officials who worried a camera can't catch everything.
Remote inspections aren't new in California. Some building departments already make routine use of them, most often for smaller jobs like water heaters, solar and battery systems and minor electrical and plumbing work. AB 1738 makes the option available statewide rather than leaving it to each jurisdiction, so a landlord with rentals in several cities will eventually be able to count on the same basic option everywhere.
What It Means for Property Maintenance on California Rentals
For rental owners, inspection timing is often the slowest part of a replacement. A reroof or a new heat pump can be finished quickly, only to sit waiting for final sign off, and that wait is harder to manage when a tenant is living in the unit. A remote option can make it easier to close out a permit without coordinating another visit, especially for smaller jobs like replacing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Remote inspections also raise the bar on documentation. When the inspector is relying on video or photos, clear images of the work, the equipment labels and the finished installation become part of the approval itself. Property managers who already photograph every job will find the shift easy. Those who don't should start now, because good job photos also help with warranty claims, insurance questions and move out disputes.
The law doesn't change what's required for the work itself. A reroof still has to meet code, and smoke and CO detectors still have to be installed and working in every place California requires them. What changes is how the sign off happens. Owners planning roof replacements or equipment upgrades in the next couple of years should keep AB 1738 in mind, since the remote option will become available as local departments roll out their programs.
