CASP – State of California

(Certified Accessibility Specialist Program)

This program is based on California SB 1608 that establishes procedures for accessibility specialists who are authorized by the State of California to inspect properties for accessibility compliance and issue a State of California issued certificate of compliance for display at the business. More complete details of the program are found on our “Links” page.

The intent of the legislation is to shield businesses from lawsuits and increase accessibility. A business that has been inspected for compliance with this program has two key advantages.

  1. If a lawsuit is filed a 90 day stay occurs for an evaluation conference to potentially limit the legal process and attorney fees.
  2. A lawsuit is limited to the actual barrier encountered. SB 1608 indicates only one violation per distinct facility for purposes of damages can be considered, not multiple visits or a large list of unrelated barriers.

Steps for obtaining CASP certification are:

  1. Hiring a CASP accessibility reviewer experienced with the issues relevant for your facility, such as Wood Architects. Consider working with an attorney for confidentiality and review of readily achievable issues. After the accessibility survey for ADA and California Building Code issues, a certificated can be posted at the building entrance indicating CASP certification.
  2. A report will be performed indicating accessibility compliance issues and a time frame for removing any remaining barriers. If not all barriers can be removed, documentation of what is readily achievable or feasible should be determined by the owner.
  3. The CASP survey should be retained in the event of a lawsuit. The business will be eligible for the legal benefits of CASP.