How to Fill Out and Submit the SFDBI Special Inspection Form

The SFDBI special inspection form, formally the Special Inspection and Structural Observation Form, is the document San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection requires before it will issue a permit for any project involving high-risk structural work. The Engineer of Record prepares it, checking off every construction element that needs third-party inspection beyond DBI’s own site visits.¹ The completed form becomes part of the permanent permit record and sets the inspection roadmap from foundation work through final compliance.

When You Need to File the Form

Special inspections apply whenever a project uses structural techniques or materials that require continuous or periodic observation by a qualified expert. California Building Code Chapter 17 lists the categories, and they go well past routine electrical or plumbing checks. Common triggers on San Francisco projects include structural steel welding and high-strength bolting, concrete placement and reinforcing, structural masonry, compacted fill and shallow foundations, driven piles and drilled piers, and seismic-resisting systems under CBC Section 1705.13.²

The requirement usually surfaces during plan review. A DBI plan check engineer looks at the structural drawings, identifies which elements fall under Chapter 17, and verifies that the Engineer of Record has flagged them on the form. If the plan checker confirms special inspections are needed, they stamp “SPECIAL INSPECTION” on the back of the permit application.¹

What the Form Contains

The form is a single-page checklist with 26 numbered categories. The Engineer of Record checks every box that applies to the project. The categories cover:

Concrete placement and sampling, bolts installed in concrete, special moment-resisting concrete frames, and reinforcing steel and prestressing tendons
Structural welding (with separate boxes for periodic visual inspection on lighter work and continuous visual inspection with nondestructive testing on moment-resisting frames and other critical connections) and high-strength bolting
Structural masonry, reinforced gypsum concrete, insulating concrete fill, and sprayed-on fireproofing
Piling, drilled piers and caissons, shotcrete, and special grading, excavation, and filling
Smoke-control systems, demolition, exterior facing, and firestops in high-rise buildings
Retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings, with sub-options for mortar quality testing, repointing inspection, shear bolt installation, and pull/torque tests
Bolts installed in existing concrete or masonry, shear walls and floor systems used as shear diaphragms, and holdowns
Special cases such as shoring and underpinning, crane safety for tower cranes on high-rise buildings, glu-lam component certification, and structural observation of foundations, steel framing, concrete, masonry, and wood framing

A blank “Others” line lets the engineer add project-specific items outside the standard categories. Each checked item ties back to a San Francisco Building Code section referenced on the form itself. The form also requires the project address, permit application number, and identification of the property owner, design professional, and special inspection agency.

Who Fills It Out

The Engineer of Record carries the weight here. They analyze the structural design, decide which elements require special inspection under SFBC Sections 1704 and 1705, and check the corresponding boxes. The engineer must also show the required inspections on the construction drawings themselves, either by including a copy of the form on the plans or by noting the same information directly on the sheets.¹

Every item flagged in plan review should match a checked box. If the plan checker finds a mismatch between the drawings and the form, the application stalls until the engineer resolves it.

Choosing the Special Inspection Agency

You cannot complete the form without naming the agency, so pick one early. The firm must be recognized by the Special Inspection Joint Review Committee of participating Bay Area jurisdictions, which evaluates agencies against ASTM E329 and reviews individual inspector certifications. A list of recognized agencies is on the DBI website.⁴

Inspectors working under a recognized agency must operate under the general supervision of a registered civil engineer, and that engineer signs all reports and certifications of compliance. As an alternative, a registered civil engineer or licensed architect with the right experience and testing equipment may serve as a special inspector directly.¹

The owner pays for the special inspection services. That cost sits outside the building permit fees and varies with the scope and duration of inspections required.

Submitting the Form

The Engineer of Record submits the completed form as part of the permit application package. DBI runs plan review entirely through Bluebeam for in-house projects. Upload your documents when you apply for the permit or submit addenda, and DBI creates a Bluebeam project and session for the review.⁵ Download the current version of the form from DBI’s Inspection Services key documents page before you start so your submittal isn’t rejected for using an outdated revision.⁶

Once the plan checker approves the form, DBI’s Special Inspection Services staff opens a file and enters the required inspection types into the computer record for that permit application. For over-the-counter permits that require special inspection, DBI keeps the original with the approval date and gives the applicant a copy. The building official will hold final permit issuance until the form is filed and verified, so a late submission holds up the whole project.¹

What Happens Once Construction Starts

Before any inspectable work begins, the special inspector must be introduced to the district building inspector assigned to the site. Starting structural work without that introduction can trigger a stop-work order.¹

As work proceeds, the inspection agency files progress reports with DBI. If a report flags a problem, DBI forwards it to the district building inspector, who notifies the contractor, who alerts the Engineer of Record to resolve the issue. Resolution reports go back to DBI’s Plan Review Services for review and filing. District building inspectors also monitor special inspection activity independently, and they have authority to intervene if required inspections are not being performed or if work does not conform to the approved plans.

Final Compliance Reports and the Certificate of Occupancy

Before you can request a final building inspection, final compliance reports must be filed with DBI for every item that required special inspection and structural observation. These reports must be wet-signed and stamped by the responsible engineer of the special inspection agency, the geotechnical firm, or the engineer or architect of record, depending on the report.¹

Two separate final reports are required. The Special Inspection Final Compliance Report comes from the inspection agency and states that all items requiring special inspection and testing were built in conformance with the approved drawings, specifications, and applicable code provisions. The Engineer of Record then prepares an overall final compliance report confirming that all items requiring special inspection and structural observation were performed in accordance with the approved plans and the San Francisco Building Code.

DBI reviews these reports for completeness and contacts the Engineer of Record if documentation is missing. Once compliance is verified, DBI signs and dates the Special Inspection and Structural Observation Form and logs the approval for each inspected item. The Certificate of Occupancy will not issue until the final report has been received and approved by the Director of DBI. Missing or incomplete final compliance documentation is one of the most common reasons projects stall at the finish line, so gather reports from every inspection agency as construction progresses rather than waiting until the end.

1
San Francisco Codes. AB-046 Special Inspection and Structural Observation Procedures
2
UpCodes. Chapter 17 Special Inspections and Tests – California Building Code 2025
3
SF.gov. Special Inspection and Structural Observation Form
4
San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. SFDBI Special Inspections Process
5
SF.gov. Plan Review Process in Bluebeam
6
SF.gov. Inspection Services Key Documents