Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development: Notice on Implementation of the Measures for the Administration of Construction Engineering Quality Inspection and the Standards for Qualification of I

All provincial, autonomous regional, and municipal housing and urban-rural construction departments; direct-controlled municipalities' housing and urban-rural construction (management) commissions and relevant departments; Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Bureau:

The "Measures for the Administration of Construction Engineering Quality Inspection" (Order No. 57 of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development) (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") and the "Standards for Qualification of Inspection Institutions" (Jianzhi [2023] No. 1) (hereinafter referred to as the "Standards") have been issued. Some localities have raised specific questions regarding implementation. After research, the following clarifications are provided:

I. Strengthen Qualification Management

(1) Regarding joint venture applications for inspection qualifications. For legally established joint ventures applying for inspection qualifications, provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments may optimize application materials and approval procedures through notification and commitment. In professional qualification certification, enterprises or institutions with independent legal person status may apply for up to 2 professional qualifications under the same registered personnel and technical staff. ; For legally established joint ventures, the number of professional qualifications that the same registered personnel and technical staff can certify shall not exceed 3. (2) Regarding additional qualifications. Additional qualifications refer to an inspection institution applying for other professional qualifications after obtaining a specific qualification. Provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments may appropriately optimize the application materials for additional qualifications and promptly organize expert reviews. The validity period of newly approved additional qualifications shall be consistent with that of the original qualification certificate. (3) Regarding inspection items and parameters. Provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments may, based on local realities and within the framework of the "Standards", add optional inspection items and parameters, and clearly define processing procedures.

(4) Regarding inspection institution mergers and splits. Merged or restructured inspection institutions may continue to hold their original qualifications but must apply for re-certification. Split or reorganized institutions that inherit original qualifications must apply for re-certification; other inspection institutions shall follow initial qualification application procedures.

(5) Regarding inspection experience certification. Inspection experience is calculated from the date of first obtaining the inspection qualification. For inspection institutions that have obtained professional qualifications under the original standards, when applying for re-certification of such qualifications, inspection experience shall not be considered. (6) Regarding electronic certificates for inspection qualifications. Inspection qualification certificates shall be issued in electronic form. Provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments should apply for electronic certificate codes via the National Engineering Quality and Safety Supervision Information Platform, forming a unified national electronic certificate format. County-level and above housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall issue electronic certificates to stakeholders including enterprises, public services, and industry regulators, accelerating the promotion of cross-regional mutual recognition and interoperability. (7) Regarding changes to inspection personnel. Any change to inspection personnel affecting compliance with qualification standards must be reported to the provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal department within 30 working days after the change. County-level and above departments shall dynamically verify employment contracts, social insurance, registration relationships, and other information through electronic certificates.

II. Strengthen Activity Management

(1) Regarding parent-subsidiary or other interest relationships. Parent-subsidiary or other interest relationships refer to direct hierarchical relationships between inspection institutions and related entities such as construction, contracting, supervision units, as well as suppliers of building materials, components, and equipment, or potential economic or other interests that could affect the impartiality of inspection institutions, such as shareholding, joint operations, or indirect control by third parties.

(2) Regarding subcontracting and illegal splitting. Subcontracting refers to an inspection institution transferring all its inspection tasks within the scope of its qualification certificate to individuals or other inspection institutions. Illegal splitting refers to an inspection institution violating laws and regulations by transferring partial inspection projects or parameters within its qualification scope to individuals or other inspection institutions. However, inspection tasks involving low-utilization equipment or optional parameters may be subcontracted to other qualified inspection institutions with mutual agreement.

(3) Regarding cross-provincial, autonomous region, or direct-controlled municipality activities. Inspection institutions operating across provinces, autonomous regions, or direct-controlled municipalities must file with the provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal department where the inspection activity takes place and ensure their inspection capabilities meet requirements. They may conduct inspections through lawful means compliant with local needs. Provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall formulate detailed management rules, make them public, and upload filing information to the National Engineering Quality and Safety Supervision Information Platform. Local housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall strengthen collaboration, intensify supervision over cross-regional inspection activities, and impose administrative penalties in accordance with the law for violations. Within 20 working days from the issuance of penalty decisions, notifications shall be sent via the National Engineering Quality and Safety Supervision Information Platform to inform the provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments of the inspection institution's license and any violations.

III. Strengthen Personnel Management

(1) Regarding technical and quality responsible persons. The technical responsible person refers to the individual fully responsible for technical work within the inspection institution, undertaking responsibilities such as managing technical documents and reviewing reports. The quality responsible person refers to the individual responsible for the overall operation of the quality management system within the inspection institution, overseeing the entire quality management system. The technical and quality responsible persons shall not be the same individual.

(2) Regarding report approvers. Legal representatives, executive partners, or authorized signatories of inspection institutions serve as report approvers. Authorized signatories must hold a mid-level or higher engineering professional title and file with the provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal department.

Reports signed by unapproved approvers are invalid.

IV. Strengthen Supervision Management

(1) Regarding dynamic inspections. County-level and above housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall strengthen qualification supervision through electronic certificates, "random checks and public disclosure," and other methods, conducting regular inspections of personnel, equipment, testing sites, and quality assurance systems. If non-compliance is found, the provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal department shall urge timely rectification. Violations shall be penalized in accordance with the law. (2) Regarding fake inspection activities. During on-site supervision inspections, county-level and above housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall conduct spot checks on inspection data and reports. If falsified data or reports violating Article 31 of the "Measures" are discovered, corrective actions shall be ordered immediately. Penalties shall be imposed in accordance with the law. The validity period of qualification certificates cannot be extended after expiration. For serious cases constituting fraud, legal liability shall be pursued. For inspectors found to have falsified data or made false conclusions, corrective actions shall be required, and penalties enforced. Departments shall strengthen integrity infrastructure, strictly manage credibility, and resolutely exclude inspection institutions and personnel involved in fraudulent activities. For institutions or individuals who fail to correct issues or cause major losses, market exclusion measures shall be implemented within a specified time frame, ultimately leading to permanent market exit. (3) Regarding expert review management. Provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall establish an expert review database, develop management rules, organize expert reviews, and strengthen oversight throughout the review process. Experts must remain objective and impartial, adhere to conflict-of-interest avoidance principles, and take responsibility for their review opinions.

To ensure a smooth transition between old and new qualifications, the validity period of old and new qualifications has been extended to October 31, 2024. All provincial-level housing and urban-rural construction principal departments shall formulate local implementation rules based on actual conditions. This notice shall take effect from the date of issuance. The "Notice on Implementation of Relevant Issues Regarding the Measures for the Administration of Construction Engineering Quality Inspection and the Standards for Qualification of Inspection Institutions" (Jianzhi [2006] No. 25) is simultaneously abolished.

Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Office

July 26, 2024

　　为保障建设工程质量检测新旧资质平稳过渡，新旧资质过渡期延长至2024年10月31日。各省级住房城乡建设主管部门要结合地方实际，制定本地区实施细则。

　　本通知自印发之日起施行，《关于实施<建设工程质量检测管理办法>有关问题的通知》（建质〔2006〕25号）同时废止。

住房城乡建设部办公厅
2024年7月26日