Senate Bill 378 Summary

• Creates a new 13-member Residential Code Council appointed by the General Assembly and Governor to oversee revisions to the North Carolina Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, separate from the existing Building Code Council.

• Increases permit exemption thresholds from $20,000 to $40,000 for minor construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration work in single-family residences, farm buildings, and commercial buildings.

• Prohibits local governments from requiring routine exterior sheathing inspections and routine inspections beyond those required by the Building Code without state approval.

• Restricts Building Code Council from amending mechanical and fuel gas provisions of the Residential Code and prohibits energy conservation amendments until January 1, 2031.

• Directs the Council to expand the Residential Code to include three- and four-family dwellings (triplexes and quadplexes) with no greater than 2-hour fire resistance ratings and no automatic sprinkler system requirements.