Self-Certification Pilot Aims to Shorten Santa Monica TI Timelines

The Santa Monica City Council has approved a new self-certification permitting program that will allow certain commercial tenant improvement projects to receive building permits in as little as one day.

For commercial real estate professionals, where construction timelines often determine when a tenant can open and start paying full rent, this change could directly affect leasing activity, vacancy periods, and project planning.

What You Need to Know

Santa Monica unanimously approved a Self-Certification Pilot Program designed to dramatically speed up building permits for non-structural commercial tenant improvements.

Key details:

• Beginning in April 2026, licensed architects will be allowed to certify that plans meet applicable codes, allowing projects to bypass the traditional city review process that can take weeks.
• Unlike many similar programs, Santa Monica’s pilot removes most upfront staff review for qualifying projects — including building, planning, fire, mobility, and public works reviews — and instead places responsibility on the architect.
• The licensed professional must attest that the plans comply with all applicable codes and assumes full liability for compliance.
• The program applies to interior renovations of existing commercial spaces that do not alter the building’s structure or exterior.
• These projects make up roughly one-third of Santa Monica’s building permits.
• To maintain accountability, the City adopted a “three-strikes” rule: licensed professionals who repeatedly violate requirements can be permanently removed from the program.

City officials say the goal is twofold — to reduce staff workload on routine projects and to help businesses open faster, supporting economic recovery in commercial areas.

How It Impacts You

For property managers, owners, and service providers, the biggest effect is speed.

Tenant improvement permits often dictate how quickly a lease becomes operational, and delays in plan check can add months to a tenant’s move-in schedule.

A permit issued within days instead of weeks can shorten vacancy periods, reduce rent concessions, and help deals close with greater certainty.

This could be particularly important in Santa Monica’s retail and restaurant corridors, where tenant openings drive foot traffic and property performance.

Faster approvals may improve leasing competitiveness and allow spaces to be marketed with more predictable occupancy timelines.

However, the program also shifts risk from the City to the project team. Because the architect now certifies compliance, building owners and managers will need to carefully vet design professionals, confirm professional liability insurance, and maintain clear construction documentation.

Stay Connected

Overall, the pilot offers a potential tool to accelerate tenant occupancy and reduce downtime in commercial buildings, but it also increases the importance of selecting experienced professionals and managing projects closely.

If successful, programs like this could influence how other Southern California jurisdictions handle permitting in the future.

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