Cal/OSHA proposes higher boiler and pressure-vessel inspection and permit fees
Oct 18, 2026 edition · GC-2026-0417 · Published 2026-10-18 · Version 1 · Proposed
The October 15 emergency proposal would raise specified inspection charges from $150 to $180 per hour and permit-processing fees from $45 to $55. Covered equipment, services and public-entity exemptions matter. The operative package makes effectiveness conditional on Secretary of State filing.
What happened
Cal/OSHA issued an October 15, 2026 notice proposing emergency amendments to title 8 sections 344, 344.1 and 344.2. Specified shop, field and resale inspection services under section 344(a), and permit inspections and qualifying follow-up inspections under section 344.1(a) and (b), would increase from $150 to $180 per hour. Processing each permit to operate under section 344.2(b) would increase from $45 to $55. The proposed text retains billing for travel time and upward rounding to quarter-hour increments.
The notice concerns covered tanks and boilers and distinguishes equipment exemptions from the Government Code section 6103 prohibition on charging these inspection and permit fees for equipment owned or operated by public entities. The proposed text retains the follow-up fee exception when safety-order requirements are met, and the Division notified, within 15 days of the compliance date on the preliminary order. Its existing penalty provisions concern fees unpaid within 60 days of the invoice date and equal 100 percent of the unpaid fee; these are not newly proposed penalty increases. Labor Code section 7721(e), quoted in the notice, exempts these emergency fee regulations from OAL review and approval and makes them effective immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State. The notice supplies no completed filing date or public-comment closing date, so these documents establish a proposal without establishing that the higher charges were already effective.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Proposed
- Applicability
- Operationally relevant
- Audience
- Health systems, Provider networks
- Jurisdiction
- California
- Responsible owner
- Compliance
Why it matters
Private healthcare facilities with covered equipment and services may face higher inspection and permit costs. Equipment-specific exceptions and public-entity fee exemptions require an applicability check before budgeting or changing payment instructions.
Recommended action
Have Facilities and Finance identify covered equipment, inspection arrangements and applicable exemptions. Check actual filing and effective status before applying higher charges. Treat an October 23 status and budget check as an internal planning target, rather than an agency deadline.
Implementation playbook
- Recommended internal target: inventory potentially covered equipment and identify equipment or public-entity fee exemptions. Clinical Operations · Due 2026-10-23
- Recommended internal target: confirm actual Secretary of State filing and effective status before updating inspection budgets or payment instructions. Finance · Due 2026-10-23
Sources
- October 15 notice of proposed emergency action: boiler and pressure-vessel feesOfficial · California Department of Industrial Relations · 2026-10-15
- Proposed text: boiler and pressure-vessel inspection and permit feesOfficial · California Department of Industrial Relations · 2026-10-15
Complete edition and supplemental material
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