California · Elevators

The elevator code and inspection rules in force in California now.

Title 8 CCR Subchapter 6 Elevator Safety Orders; Group 4 incorporates ASME A17.1-2004 (contracts signed on/after May 1, 2008); Groups 2-3 cover earlier installations; A17.3 not adopted. Enforced by Cal/OSHA Elevator Unit (Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Industrial Relations); rules adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Checked on the primary source; the state record was last reviewed 2026-11-12.

Explore California by location and topic

Elevators in California

Checked on the source

In force

Title 8 CCR Subchapter 6 Elevator Safety Orders; Group 4 incorporates ASME A17.1-2004 (contracts signed on/after May 1, 2008); Groups 2-3 cover earlier installations; A17.3 not adopted

Section 3141 applies ASME A17.1-2004, with listed exceptions, to conveyances whose installation contracts were signed on or after May 1, 2008. Group V (A17.1-2019) was heard Jun 18, 2026; a Final Statement of Reasons is posted and the Oct 15, 2026 Standards Board agenda lists Elevator Safety Orders revisions for adoption. Outcome, OAL approval and effective date not yet read.

Source: primary document

Who enforces it

Cal/OSHA Elevator Unit (Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Industrial Relations); rules adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board

Statewide layer. County and city amendments sit on top; confirm the local office for the address.

What changes next

A17.1-2019 rulemaking pending

Group V Elevator Safety Orders (A17.1-2019): listed for adoption on the Oct 15, 2026 Standards Board agenda; as of Oct 21, 2026 the Group V page shows no adoption, OAL approval or effective date and no Oct 15 minutes are posted; next Board meeting Nov 19, 2026

The federal layer

There is no federal elevator inspection program; the state or city program below is the whole obligation, with ASME A17.1 and A17.3 as the referenced standards.

What a building has to do

2 recurring duties

These apply when the building has the equipment or fits the type named. The frequency is the standard one; your local official can set a stricter one, so confirm it for the address.

Annual

Elevator: periodic inspection and certificateState elevator law; ASME A17.1 Part 8 · State elevator authority · Not yet checked line by line against the source.

Monthly

Elevator: firefighters’ emergency operation (Phase I and II) testASME A17.1, 8.6.11 · Owner; log kept on site · Not yet checked line by line against the source.

Questions about the elevator code and inspection rules in California

Which elevator rules apply in California today?

Title 8 CCR Subchapter 6 Elevator Safety Orders; Group 4 incorporates ASME A17.1-2004 (contracts signed on/after May 1, 2008); Groups 2-3 cover earlier installations; A17.3 not adopted. Section 3141 applies ASME A17.1-2004, with listed exceptions, to conveyances whose installation contracts were signed on or after May 1, 2008. Group V (A17.1-2019) was heard Jun 18, 2026; a Final Statement of Reasons is posted and the Oct 15, 2026 Standards Board agenda lists Elevator Safety Orders revisions for adoption. Outcome, OAL approval and effective date not yet read.

Who enforces the elevator code and inspection rules in California?

Cal/OSHA Elevator Unit (Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Industrial Relations); rules adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

What changes next for the elevator code and inspection rules in California?

A17.1-2019 rulemaking pending. Group V Elevator Safety Orders (A17.1-2019): listed for adoption on the Oct 15, 2026 Standards Board agenda; as of Oct 21, 2026 the Group V page shows no adoption, OAL approval or effective date and no Oct 15 minutes are posted; next Board meeting Nov 19, 2026