(A) Inspections. The Inspections Division shall inspect all buildings and structures and work therein for which a permit of any kind has been issued as often as necessary in order to determine whether the work complies with this chapter and the appropriate codes.
(1) When deemed necessary by the appropriate inspector, they may require the permit holder to have materials and assemblies inspected at the point of manufacture or fabrication, or inspections or tests to be made by approved and recognized inspection organizations; provided, no approval shall be based upon reports of such organizations unless the same are in writing and certified by a responsible officer of such organization.
(2) All holders of permits, or their agents, shall notify the Inspections Division at each stage of construction and shall give inspectors free access to the premises for the purpose of making inspections. Approval shall be obtained from the Inspections Division before subsequent work can be continued. The inspections required shall conform to the provisions of the North Carolina Administration and Technical Codes.
(B) Calls for inspection.
(1) Requests. Requests for inspections may be made electronically or in-person to the office of the Inspections Division. The Inspections Division shall make inspections as soon as practicable after a request is made, provided the work is ready for inspection at the time the request is made.
(2) Certificate of occupancy.
(a) A local government may, upon completion of work or activity undertaken pursuant to a development approval, make final inspections and issue a certificate of compliance or occupancy if staff finds that the completed work complies with all applicable state and local laws and with the terms of the approval. No building, structure, or use of land that is subject to a building permit required by G.S. Article 11 shall be occupied or used until a certificate or occupancy or temporary certificate pursuant to G.S. 160D-1116 has been issued.
(3) Certificate of compliance; temporary certificates of occupancy.
(a) At the conclusion of all work done under a building permit, the appropriate inspector shall make a final inspection, and, if the completed work complies with all applicable state and local laws and with the terms of the permit, a certificate of compliance shall be issued. Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, no new building or part thereof may be occupied, no addition or enlargement of an existing building may be occupied, and no existing building that has been altered or moved may be occupied, until the Inspections Division has issued a certificate of compliance.
(b) A temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued permitting occupancy for a stated period of time of either the entire building or of specified portions of the building if the inspector finds that the building may safely be occupied prior to its final completion. A permit holder may request and be issued a temporary certificate of occupancy if the conditions and requirements of state and local laws are met.
(c) Any person who owns, leases, or controls a building and occupies or allows the occupancy of the building or a part of the building before a certificate of compliance or temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(Ord. No. 23-082, § 1, passed 12-14-2023)
Statutory reference:
Administrative development approvals and determinations G.S. 160D-403
Certificates of compliance; temporary certificates of occupancy G.S. 160D-1116