California’s New Elevator Code Could Expose Costly Problems in Older Buildings
By Aaron Bailey, Sales Director, Star Elevator
If your building has a traction elevator that was installed before October 25, 1998, a significant regulatory change is on the way that deserves your attention now.
California is in the process of adopting Group 5 elevator code under Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations. When it takes effect, it will introduce periodic testing requirements for older elevators that have never had them before. For many building owners, this will be the first time their elevator systems face formal, structured testing of safety-critical components. The results may be surprising, and in some cases, expensive.
Understanding California’s Elevator Code Structure
California’s elevator regulations are organized into groups. Here is the relevant breakdown:
Group 2 covers existing elevator installations installed prior to October 25, 1998. These elevators have historically operated under a different set of requirements than newer systems, and until now, the only periodic testing required for Group 2 conveyances has been the five-year hydraulic load test. Electric traction elevators in this group have had no periodic testing requirements at all.
Group 5 is the newest set of regulations for new conveyance installations. It references ASME A17.1-2019 and A18.1-2020, the current national safety standards. Once Group 5 is formally adopted, its periodic testing requirements will apply retroactively to Group 2 equipment.
The language is specific: once Group 5 code is adopted, periodic testing of Group 2 conveyances shall commence within three years from the OAL effective date.
That three-year window is the planning horizon every building owner with a pre-1998 elevator should be working within.
What Category 1 and Category 5 Testing Actually Involve
Two test categories will apply to Group 2 electric traction elevators under the new code.
Category 1 tests are performed on a 12-month interval. For electric traction elevators, this is a low-speed, no-load test of the oil buffers, safeties, governors, and earthquake operation. It also covers firefighter emergency operation, standby emergency power, and emergency communications where those systems are equipped.
Category 5 tests are performed on a 60-month (five-year) interval. This is where the stakes are considerably higher. Category 5 tests for electric traction elevators must be performed at rated load and rated speed. They test car and counterweight safeties, governors, oil buffers, and the driving machine brake at 125 percent of rated load. These are not routine inspections. They place the elevator system under significant mechanical stress.
The Problem with Testing Elevators That Have Never Been Tested
Here is what concerns us most about the Group 5 implementation for our region: the majority of Group 2 electric traction elevators in the Bay Area have never undergone this type of periodic testing. Many have not had these tests performed since original installation. Some may never have had them performed at all.
According to the state database, there are approximately 1,100 Group 2 conveyances in the greater Bay Area alone.
Our assessment, based on years of working on these systems, is straightforward. We anticipate that a considerable number of Group 2 electric traction elevators will not pass even the Category 1 tests. We anticipate very few will pass Category 5 testing without prior work.
Any conveyance that does not pass testing must be taken out of service until it can be brought into compliance. If it cannot be made to pass, it remains out of service until it is modernized or replaced. That is not our interpretation. That is the regulatory outcome.
What Building Owners Should Do Now
The three-year window after Group 5 adoption is not as long as it sounds when you factor in the scope of work that may be required. Building owners who wait for their preliminary order from the state before taking action are taking on unnecessary risk.
There are two practical paths to consider.
The first is a proactive assessment. A qualified elevator service provider can evaluate your system against Category 1 and Category 5 testing criteria before the compliance clock starts. This gives you a clear picture of where your elevator stands, what repairs or upgrades are needed, and what a realistic budget looks like.
The second is modernization. For elevators that have operated for decades without significant upgrades to brakes, safeties, governors, or related mechanical systems, selective modernization before testing begins is often more cost-effective than addressing failures after the fact. An elevator that fails during a Category 5 test at full load and rated speed can sustain damage that significantly exceeds the cost of the upgrade that would have prevented it.
What Star Elevator Is Doing for Our Customers
We have been following the Group 5 code development closely. Vern Anderson, our Operations Manager for Service, presented this technical briefing to help building owners and property managers understand what is coming and what it means for their specific equipment.
We are actively working with our maintenance customers to evaluate Group 2 elevator systems in their portfolios and plan appropriately for the compliance window ahead. If you are not a current Star Elevator customer and you have a pre-1998 traction elevator in your building, this is a good time to start that conversation.
The Group 5 code changes are coming. The question is whether your elevator is ready for what they require, and the best time to find out is before the state sends you a preliminary order.
Contact Star Elevator to schedule an assessment of your Group 2 elevator system.