Government Code section 65952
(a)
Except as provided in subdivision (b), a public agency that is a responsible agency for a development project that has been approved by the lead agency shall approve or disapprove the development project within whichever of the following periods of time is longer:(1)
Within 180 days from the date on which the lead agency has approved the project.(2)
Within 180 days of the date on which the completed application for the development project has been received and accepted as complete by that responsible agency.(b)
Except as provided in subdivision (c), a public agency that is a responsible agency for a development project described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65950 that has been approved by the lead agency shall approve or disapprove the development project within whichever of the following periods of time is longer:(1)
Within 45 days from the date on which the lead agency has approved the project.(2)
Within 45 days of the date on which the completed application for the development project has been received and accepted as complete by that responsible agency.(c)
(1)Where a responsible agency is either the California Coastal Commission or the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission for a development project described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65950 that has been approved by the lead agency, that responsible agency shall approve or disapprove the development project within whichever of the following periods of time is longer:(A)
Within 90 days from the date on which the lead agency has approved the project.(B)
Within 90 days of the date on which the completed application for the development project has been received and accepted as complete by that responsible agency.(2)
Where the responsible agency is the State Water Resources Control Board or a California Regional Water Quality Control Board for a development project described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65950 that has been approved by the lead agency, and the approval being sought from the responsible agency is either an individual waste discharge requirement or any certificate or statement required by any federal agency pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.) or any other federal water quality control law, that responsible agency shall approve or disapprove the development project within whichever of the following periods of time is longer:(A)
Within 90 days from the date on which the lead agency has approved the project.(B)
Within 90 days of the date on which the completed application for the development project has been received and accepted as complete by that responsible agency.(d)
At the time a decision by a lead agency to disapprove a development project becomes final, applications for that project which are filed with responsible agencies shall be deemed withdrawn.
Source:
Section 65952, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=65952. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 15, 2025).
