SB 721 Inspection · CSLB #1060736
SB 721 Deck & Balcony Inspection — California Multifamily
The mandatory inspection for California multifamily rental properties with three or more units. The first SB 721 deadline passed January 1, 2026, with inspections required every six years — inspect, certify, and repair under one CSLB-licensed roof.
- CSLB #1060736 Licensed California contractor
- 9+ yrs Building commercial balconies & decks
- SB 721 / 326 Trained — inspect & certify
- Commercial Multifamily, HOA & mixed-use only
01 Why it matters
The SB 721 deadline has passed — and the exposure is already running
SB 721 is California law: every multifamily rental property with three or more units must have its exterior elevated elements — balconies, decks, stairways, walkways, and their railings — inspected by a qualified professional. The first deadline passed on January 1, 2026, and inspections are required every six years after that. A property that hasn’t complied isn’t waiting on a deadline anymore; it’s past one.
The exposure for non-compliant properties is real and stacking. Code-enforcement penalties can run $100 to $500 per day. Insurance carriers are adding surcharges — or declining to renew — on buildings without a current SB 721 report. Refinancing gets complicated when a lender asks for compliance documentation that doesn’t exist. And if someone is injured on an uninspected exterior elevated element, the owner faces personal liability of the exact kind the law was written to prevent.
The way off that exposure is straightforward: a certified SB 721 inspection on file, with any deficiencies identified and addressed. The faster that report exists, the faster the daily penalty risk, the carrier problem, and the liability gap all close.
The first SB 721 deadline passed January 1, 2026. Every day a property stays uninspected is a day of penalty, carrier, and liability exposure.
02 The D&B difference
We inspect, certify, and repair — under one CSLB license
D&B is CSLB-licensed (#1060736) and SB 721 / SB 326 trained. We inspect to the standard the law requires, deliver the certified report, and bundle any required repairs under one contractor.
Trained to the statute
We inspect all exterior elevated elements per Health & Safety Code §17973 — the actual standard SB 721 is built on — and classify every finding clearly: pass, repair-needed, or immediate-hazard. No vague language a carrier or city will push back on.
One contractor through repair
If the inspection finds deficiencies, you already have the licensed contractor who can fix them — a direct repair quote, same vendor, no separate bidding cycle. Inspection and remediation under one CSLB license closes the finding instead of just documenting it.
A file that holds up
You receive a certified written report with a photo and measurement record for your compliance file — the documentation your city, your insurance carrier, and your lender will actually accept, plus a six-year recurrence reminder so you’re never caught past due again.
03 How a project runs
From scheduling to a certified report
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01
Scope & scheduling
We confirm the property’s unit count, identify every exterior elevated element subject to SB 721, and schedule the inspection with minimal disruption to tenants.
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02
Visual + probe inspection
Our trained inspectors perform a visual and probe inspection of the EEE per HSC §17973, working a random sample of 15% of balconies (minimum one, when the ratio applies).
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Documented findings
We classify every inspected element — pass, repair-needed, or immediate-hazard — with a photo and measurement record.
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Certified report
You receive a certified written report within 14 days, formatted for your city, carrier, and lender, with the documentation for your compliance file.
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Repair path & recurrence
For any deficiencies, we provide a direct repair quote under the same license, and add a six-year recurrence reminder to your maintenance schedule.
04 Scope
What a full SB 721 inspection includes
A complete SB 721 inspection service — every exterior elevated element inspected to the statute, documented, certified, and ready for repair under one contractor.
- Visual + probe inspection of all EEE per HSC §17973
- Random sample of 15% of balconies (minimum 1, when the ratio applies)
- Documented findings — pass / repair-needed / immediate-hazard
- Certified written report delivered within 14 days
- Photo + measurement record for the owner’s compliance file
- Direct repair quote for any deficiencies found (optional, same contractor)
- Six-year recurrence reminder added to your maintenance schedule
Inspected to the standard SB 721 requires — exterior elevated elements per Health & Safety Code §17973, certified written report within 14 days
05 Investment
What an SB 721 inspection typically costs
SB 721 inspections are priced fixed by unit count — so you know the number before we schedule, with no per-visit surprises. On-site work is typically 1–2 days, with the certified report in 14 days.
What drives the number
- Total unit count and number of exterior elevated elements
- Number of buildings and stories on the property
- Access conditions and whether lifts are required
- Whether any elements require additional invasive (open-up) inspection
- The 15% sample size for the property’s balcony count
- Turnaround speed required on the certified report
Pricing is fixed per unit count and confirmed once the property’s exterior-elevated-element count is verified — no obligation.
06 Project example
A recent SB 721 inspection in San Jose
A property manager in San Jose came to us past the January 1, 2026 deadline, exposed to daily penalties and a carrier asking for a current SB 721 report before renewal. We confirmed the unit count, identified every exterior elevated element across the three buildings, and performed the visual and probe inspection per HSC §17973 — working the required 15% balcony sample in a single day with minimal tenant disruption. The certified written report came back in nine days, well inside the 14-day window: most elements passed, several were flagged repair-needed, and one balcony was classified immediate-hazard. Because D&B is the licensed contractor, the manager didn’t have to find a separate crew — we issued a direct repair quote, addressed the immediate-hazard balcony that same week, and added a six-year recurrence reminder.
We were past the deadline and our carrier wanted a report before renewal. D&B inspected the whole property in a day, certified it in nine, and fixed the one hazard balcony the same week. One contractor, exposure closed. Property Manager · San Jose apartment community
07 Client feedback
What property managers say
The certified report was detailed enough that our insurer accepted it without a single follow-up — every element classified pass, repair-needed, or hazard, with photos and measurements. Exactly what the carrier wanted.
They inspected per the statute, flagged the deficiencies, and repaired them under one license. We never had to coordinate between an inspector and a separate contractor — and it closed inside two weeks.
Past due and worried about the daily penalties, we needed it done right and fast. Fixed price by unit count, certified report in under two weeks, and a six-year reminder so we’re not caught again.
08 FAQ
SB 721 inspection questions
What is SB 721 and does it apply to my building?
SB 721 is California law requiring multifamily rental properties with three or more units to have their exterior elevated elements — balconies, decks, stairways, walkways, and railings — inspected by a qualified professional. If your building meets that threshold and has wood-supported EEE, it applies. Condominiums governed by an HOA fall under SB 326 instead; if you’re unsure which applies, we’ll tell you.
The first deadline already passed. What does that mean for me?
The first SB 721 deadline was January 1, 2026. Properties that haven’t complied are now past due and exposed to code-enforcement penalties of $100 to $500 per day, insurance carrier surcharges or non-renewal, refinancing complications, and personal liability if an injury occurs on an uninspected element. The fastest way to close that exposure is to get a certified inspection on file now.
What does a full SB 721 inspection include?
A visual and probe inspection of all exterior elevated elements per Health & Safety Code §17973, working a random sample of 15% of balconies (minimum one, when the ratio applies), with every finding classified pass, repair-needed, or immediate-hazard. You receive a certified written report within 14 days plus a photo and measurement record for your compliance file.
How fast do I get the report, and is it certified?
Yes — it’s a certified written report, delivered within 14 days of the on-site inspection. Most properties are inspected in one to two days, and the report is formatted for your city, carrier, and lender.
Can you also repair anything that fails?
Yes, and that’s the advantage of using a licensed contractor for the inspection. For any deficiency found, we provide a direct repair quote under the same CSLB license and can perform the work — so the finding gets closed, not just documented. No separate bidding cycle.
How often does SB 721 require re-inspection?
Every six years after the initial inspection. We add a six-year recurrence reminder to your maintenance schedule so the next one never catches you past due.
What’s an “immediate-hazard” finding?
It’s our most serious classification — an element that presents a present safety risk and needs to be addressed right away, not deferred. We flag these clearly in the report and, because we’re a licensed contractor, can move on them quickly under the same engagement.
09 Start here
Schedule your SB 721 inspection today
The January 1, 2026 deadline has passed and the exposure — daily penalties, carrier surcharges, refinancing and liability risk — is already running. Tell us your property’s unit count and we’ll schedule a full SB 721 inspection, deliver a certified report within 14 days, and bundle any required repairs under one CSLB license. No obligation.
CSLB #1060736 · 9+ years · Insured & Bonded · Serving the Bay Area, Central Valley & Sacramento
