North Carolina HB 831: Commercial Inspections Efficiency Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 831
Committee Substitute Favorable 6/12/25

Short Title: Comm. Inspect. Efficiency Act. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 10, 2025
*H831-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE INSPECTIONS BY PRIVATE INSPECTORS OF COMMERCIAL 2
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE NORTH 3
CAROLINA STATE BUILDING CODE, EXPEDITE LOCAL GOVERNMENT 4
APPROVAL OF SEALED COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY BUILDING PLANS, 5
AND REPEAL THE MARKETPLACE POOL OF CODE-ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS 6
WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL. 7
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 8
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 143-151.8(a) reads as rewritten: 9
"§ 143-151.8. Definitions. 10
(a) As used in this Article, unless the context otherwise requires: 11
... 12
(4a) Private commercial inspection. – An inspection by a private commercial 13
inspector of the manner of construction, workmanship, and materials for the 14
construction of commercial buildings and structures, including their 15
components and elements, for compliance with the North Carolina State 16
Building Code, except those sections of the Code which pertain to boilers and 17
elevators enforced by the North Carolina Department of Labor. 18
(4b) Private commercial inspection firm. – A corporation, partnership, limited 19
liability company, sole proprietorship, or other legal business entity registered 20
pursuant to this Article that employs or contracts with one or more licensed 21
private commercial inspectors to engage in the practice of private commercial 22
inspection. 23
(4c) Private commercial inspector. – An individual qualified through certification 24
and registration pursuant to this Article to engage in the practice of private 25
commercial inspections. A private commercial inspector may be 26
self-employed or employed by a registered private commercial inspection 27
firm. 28
...." 29
SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 143-151.12 reads as rewritten: 30
"§ 143-151.12. Powers. 31
In addition to powers conferred upon the Board elsewhere in this Article, the Board has the 32
power to do the following: 33
(1) Adopt rules necessary to administer this Article. 34

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 831-Second Edition
(1a) Require State agencies, local inspection departments, and local governing 1
bodies to submit reports and information about the employment, education, 2
and training of Code-enforcement officials. 3
(2) Establish minimum standards for employment as a Code-enforcement official: 4
(i) in probationary or temporary status, and (ii) in permanent positions. 5
(3) Certify persons individuals as being qualified under the provisions of this 6
Article to be Code-enforcement officials, including persons individuals 7
employed by a federally recognized Indian Tribe to perform inspections on 8
tribal lands. 9
(3a) Certify persons individuals as being qualified under the provisions of this 10
Article to be North Carolina State Building Code Permit Technicians. 11
(3b) Certify individuals as being qualified under the provisions of this Article to 12
be private commercial inspectors for the purposes of conducting private 13
commercial inspections and register private commercial inspectors and 14
private commercial inspection firms pursuant to this Article. 15
(4) Consult and cooperate with counties, municipalities, agencies of this State, 16
other governmental agencies, and with universities, colleges, junior colleges, 17
community colleges and other institutions concerning the development of 18
Code-enforcement training or private commercial inspector schools and 19
programs or courses of instruction. 20
(5) Establish minimum standards and levels of education or equivalent experience 21
for all Code-enforcement or private commercial inspector instructors, teachers 22
or professors. 23
(5a) Ensure that the minimum standards for and education of private commercial 24
inspectors include specific instruction on the duties and responsibilities 25
imposed by law on a private commercial inspector. 26
(6) Conduct and encourage research by public and private agencies that shall be 27
designed to improve education and training in the administration of Code 28
enforcement.enforcement or private commercial inspection. 29
(7) Adopt and amend bylaws, consistent with law, for its internal management 30
and control; appoint advisory committees as necessary; and enter into 31
contracts and do other things as necessary and incidental to the exercise of its 32
authority pursuant to this Article. 33
(8) Make recommendations concerning any matters within its purview pursuant 34
to this Article. 35
(9) Establish within the Office of the State Fire Marshal a marketplace pool of 36
qualified Code-enforcement officials available for the following purposes: 37
a. When requested by the State Fire Marshal, to assist in the discharge of 38
the State Fire Marshal's duty under G.S. 143-139 to supervise, 39
administer, and e