SB 721 · San Diego County
SB 721 balcony inspections for San Diego County apartment buildings.
The statutory deadline passed on January 1, 2026. If your San Diego apartment building hasn't had its exterior elevated elements inspected, the exposure is running daily. We inspect, document, and deliver the stamped report.
Who this applies to in San Diego
Every apartment building in San Diego County with three or more units and wood-framed balconies, decks, exterior stairways, or elevated walkways falls under SB 721. The first-inspection deadline — January 1, 2026 — has passed, so buildings without a compliant inspection on file are exposed now.
Coastal exposure is the real finding
Marine air accelerates exactly the failure mode SB 721 targets: moisture intrusion into concealed wood framing. Buildings in Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Oceanside, and along the Coronado and Point Loma waterfronts tend to show waterproofing degradation earlier than inland stock in Escondido or El Cajon — which is why the statute focuses on load-bearing wood elements and their waterproofing systems.
Enforcement is local
SB 721 penalties — $100 to $500 per day — are assessed by local code enforcement, and each jurisdiction in the county sets its own posture. What is uniform is the owner's obligation: an inspection by a qualified licensed professional and a report on file, repeated every six years.
What we deliver
On-site inspection of every in-scope element type at the statutory sampling rate, led by a licensed engineer under our Class A + B CSLB license, with aerial photogrammetry documentation of the envelope and a stamped report you can hand to any San Diego jurisdiction.
Inspections are led by a licensed engineer under the firm's Class A + B CSLB license #1044379, with a stamped report as the deliverable. Full statute details, FAQ, and re-inspection cycles are on the SB 721 / SB 326 balcony inspection hub, and you can estimate your penalty exposure before you book.
Scheduling
Book an inspection
Tell us about the property and we'll come back within one business day with scope, schedule, and a fixed quote.