Certain construction has to be inspected by a qualified special inspector, independent of the contractor, and IBC Chapter 17 governs it. The registered design professional prepares a Statement of Special Inspections listing the materials and systems requiring inspection — commonly cast-in-place concrete, structural steel and welding, masonry, soils and foundations, and seismic- and wind-force-resisting systems — and the frequency (continuous or periodic) for each.
This statement is typically required as part of the permit submittal, not something added later.
The common mistake is omitting the Statement of Special Inspections from the permit set, or a statement that doesn't cover all the systems the code requires for the project's seismic and wind design categories. Reviewers confirm the statement is present, matches the structural systems on the drawings, and addresses the required inspections. Missing or incomplete special-inspection documentation is a frequent completeness rejection, and it's easy to include if the design professional builds it in from the start.
This guide describes the model code for general understanding and is not a substitute for the adopted code and amendments enforced by your local authority having jurisdiction. Verify all figures against your jurisdiction's codes of record.