New Legislation Accelerates Restaurant Renovation Permits 2/03/26

February 3, 2026

AB 671 is a new state law designed to streamline the approval process for restaurant tenant improvement permits by imposing stricter review deadlines on local building departments and providing the option to have plans approved by an experienced architect or engineer, known as a Qualified Professional Certifier. AB 671 took effect on January 1, 2026.  

Under the bill, local building departments must approve or deny restaurant tenant improvement permit applications within 20 business days. If they fail to respond within this timeframe, the application will be automatically approved for permitting purposes, provided that the required documents and fees have been submitted. If departments issue a denial or correction list, any resubmitted plans must be approved or denied within 10 business days.   

What types of restaurant projects can benefit from AB 671?

AB 671 only applies to restaurant “tenant improvements,” defined as interior changes to an existing building rather than exterior changes. Additionally, many projects will still need formal plan review under the California Retail Food Code and therefore cannot benefit from AB 671’s new rules. Typical tenant improvement projects that require review under the Retail Food Code include building a brand new food facility in a vacant or shell space and remodeling an existing restaurant to change the layout, equipment, plumbing, or structure.

AB 671 is also only relevant to food establishments that are not legally defined as “fast food restaurants” by the California Labor Code. Under the code, “fast food restaurants” are businesses that are part of a national fast food chain with more than 60 locations across the country. Therefore, the majority of restaurants on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County qualify as restaurant establishments that can use AB 671.

What is AB 671’s “Qualified Professional Certifier” option?

AB 671 creates an optional Qualified Professional Certifier (QPC) pathway that allows licensed architects and engineers to certify that a restaurant’s tenant improvement plans comply with building, health, and safety codes. QPCs must have at least five years of experience in commercial building design or plan review and at least $2 million in professional liability insurance per occurrence. 

If an architect or engineer decides to take on the role of a QPC, they should understand the following liabilities: 1) QPCs submit an affidavit under penalty of perjury that plans meet all necessary codes. 2) False statements in a certification submission made under AB 671 will lead to disciplinary action by the California Architects Board or the Board for Professional Engineers. 3) Local jurisdictions have the option to introduce further penalties for QPCs found guilty of willful noncompliance, such as license revocation and administrative fines.

As stated above, many real-world projects will still need formal plan review under the California Retail Food Code, and therefore cannot use the QPC shortcut. Because of these limits, architects and engineers should explore the QPC option at their own discretion and in coordination with clients and local jurisdictions. It is also highly recommended that QPCs ensure applications clearly state that a project is subject to AB 671 and therefore requires a 20-day turnaround for the initial submission and 10 days for resubmissions.

Working with cities, counties, and plan checkers:

Because AB 671 imposes stricter review deadlines on building departments, restaurants should engage early with their city and county building departments about how those agencies plan to meet the new timelines. Regular communication can help clarify submittal requirements, avoid incomplete applications, and reduce the risk of delays or disputes about when the 20‑day clock starts. 

Lastly, it is highly recommended that restaurants and architects play an important role in encouraging cities and counties to adopt an ordinance that allows trusted third‑party plan checkers to work alongside architects and engineers to submit complete plans, rather than relying on automatic approvals if departments struggle to meet the 20‑day and 10‑day deadlines. This collaborative approach would deliver faster, predictable permitting timelines while preserving rigorous health and safety reviews for restaurant construction and tenant improvements. Click to View the Official AB 671 Text