HCAI OSP Certification (Special Seismic Pre-Approval)
HCAI OSP Certification — formerly known as OSHPD OSP Certification before the agency was renamed in July 2021 — is the California Department of Health Care Access and Information's pre-approval program for nonstructural components installed in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities under the 2025 CBC.
Stamped by CA PE/SE
Every report PE/SE stamped.
4–6 Month Process
Faster with prior test history.
Listed in OSP Database
Browse our prior OSP work.
What is an HCAI OSP?
An HCAI OSP — historically called an OSHPD OSP — is a Special Seismic Certification Pre-approval issued by California's Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI, formerly OSHPD). It pre-certifies that a specific piece of nonstructural equipment meets the seismic requirements of the California Building Code (CBC) and ASCE 7-22 Chapter 13 for installation in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities under HCAI jurisdiction.
Once issued, an OSP carries a permanent OSP number that any project team can reference in lieu of submitting a full project-specific seismic certification package. The certification is obtained by tri-axial shake table testing per ICC-ES AC156 — analysis-only paths are not accepted for OSP listing. The program is voluntary, but seismic certification itself is mandatory: if the equipment is not OSP-listed, the project team must produce project-specific test data or analysis for plan review.
See the live HCAI OSP database for active listings, or the deep dive on the OSP program from a manufacturer's perspective.
HCAI OSP vs OPM vs project-specific certification
Three paths get nonstructural equipment approved for use in California hospitals. Pick the one that matches your equipment, jurisdiction, and reuse plans.
| Path | What it certifies | Required evidence | Reusable across projects? | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCAI OSP | Specific nonstructural equipment (chillers, generators, switchboards, racks, AHUs) | AC156 tri-axial shake table test + PE/SE stamped report | Yes — any CA hospital project | 4–6 months |
| HCAI OPM | Pre-engineered manufactured buildings / modular structures | Structural drawings + calcs reviewed by HCAI | Yes — any CA hospital project | 6–12 months |
| Project-specific certification | One project, one equipment install | AC156 test data OR analysis (rigid components) per ASCE 7-22 §13 | No — project-bound | 2–4 months |
Full breakdown: OSP vs OPM comparison · certification cost · certification timeline.
From OSHPD to HCAI: What Changed in 2021
On July 1, 2021, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) was reorganized and its facilities-development functions transferred to the new Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). The OSP program — Special Seismic Certification Pre-approval — moved to HCAI unchanged. The application process, technical requirements, AC156 shake-table protocols, and PIN bulletins are all the same.
OSHPD OSP and HCAI OSP refer to the same certification. Pre-2021 listings remain valid under their original OSP number. New submittals are issued under the HCAI name. Plan reviewers and AHJs accept both terms — most legacy drawings still reference OSHPD, while current submittals use HCAI.
Our HCAI OSP certification process
- 1
Kickoff & Test Plan
Equipment review, code identification (CBC, ASCE 7-22, AC156), and Required Response Spectrum development.
- 2
AC156 Shake Table Testing
Testing at Garwood Labs or partner facility — instrumentation, fixture, tri-axial protocol.
- 3
PE/SE Stamped Report
Engineering analysis of test data, anchorage calcs, full stamped report ready for HCAI.
- 4
OSP Submittal & Approval
HCAI submittal package, plan-check response, OSP number issuance for statewide use.
What's included in every OSP package
- Pre-approved listing on HCAI OSP database
- AC156 shake table testing program management
- PE/SE stamped engineering report
- Anchorage calculations per ACI 318-19 Ch.17
- HCAI submittal & plan-check response
- OSP number issuance support — kickoff to approval
Frequently asked questions
- Is HCAI OSP the same as OSHPD OSP?
- Yes. OSHPD was renamed HCAI in July 2021. The OSP program, requirements, and listing process are identical — only the agency name changed.
- Will an OSHPD OSP listing from before 2021 still be valid?
- Yes. Pre-2021 OSHPD OSP listings remain valid under their original OSP number, now administered by HCAI.
- Do plan reviewers still accept "OSHPD" on submittals?
- Yes — both terms refer to the same agency. Best practice today is to use HCAI on new submittals while acknowledging "formerly OSHPD" where helpful for clarity.
- How long does HCAI OSP certification take?
- Typically 4–6 months from kickoff to issued OSP number, faster with prior AC156 test history.
- Can you get an OSP by analysis, or only by shake table testing?
- The HCAI OSP program requires tri-axial shake table testing per ICC-ES AC156 — analysis-only certification is not accepted for OSP listing. Project-specific certification outside the OSP program can sometimes be done by analysis for rigid components.
- Do OSHPD OSP listings work outside California?
- OSPs are issued only for California hospitals, but engineers and AHJs outside California routinely accept them as evidence of AC156-tested compliance because the protocol meets or exceeds IBC §1705.13 and ASCE 7-22 Ch.13.
- What is the difference between an HCAI OSP and an OPM?
- OSP certifies nonstructural equipment (chillers, generators, switchboards). OPM certifies pre-engineered manufactured buildings and modular structures. See the full comparison.
Start your HCAI OSP submittal
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