California Governor Newsom Signs AB 1693 to Speed Storefront Permit Approvals
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1693 this week, granting retailers quicker access to permits for storefront improvements. Under the law, local building departments must review and approve or deny applications in 20 days or less.
Retailers making upgrades to existing buildings may hire qualified architects and engineers to certify that their plans meet structural and safety standards. The measure, sponsored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, the California Retailers Association and WC3 Chambers of Commerce, a coalition of chambers in West Los Angeles, is part of a package that will take effect on January 1, 2027. Other legislation passed alongside AB 1693 includes the COMPETE Act, which provides novel protections against statewide monopolies, and AB 1679, which allows small businesses to open temporary pop-ups in empty retail locations and forego onerous permitting processes, as part of a broader set of small‑business bills. Newsom said the provision will make it easier and more attractive to do business statewide in California, according to the governor’s office.
“Retail is constantly changing, and brick-and-mortar businesses need to be able to change with it,” Rick Chavez Zbur, Assemblymember said.
“Retailers throughout California are vital contributors to their local economies, yet they continue to face lengthy local permitting processes across the state,” Rachel Michelin, President and CEO of the California Retailers Association said.
The measure also represents a feather in Newsom’s cap as he looks to entice California businesses to deepen their roots in the state.
What we know
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1693 this week.
Local building departments must review and approve or deny applications in 20 days or less.
The law will take effect on January 1, 2027 as part of a package of small‑business bills.
The bill was sponsored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, the California Retailers Association and WC3 Chambers of Commerce.
Retailers can hire qualified architects and engineers to certify plans meeting structural and safety standards.