House Bill 291
By: Tim Hiltbrunner & Landis Barber
North Carolina House Bill 291 aims to provide owners and contractors with set timelines for plan review and approval. Specifically, for permitting offices that are understaffed, overworked, or slow-to-process permits, HB 291 offers an alternative to the traditional process.
For projects requiring a design professional seal, including commercial and multifamily projects, HB 291 requires local permitting offices to complete initial plan reviews within 21 days of submission. If a local permitting office requests additional information or requires plan resubmitting, the permitting office must issue a building within 15 days of receiving the additional information or resubmission.
If the permitting office is unable to comply with the 21-day timeframe (or 15-day timeframe if additional information is requested or resubmission is required), HB 291 allows the permit applicant to utilize a third-party architect or engineer to review and approve the plans so long as the third-party architect or engineer is qualified by the State Code Officials Qualification Board. Once approved, the local permitting office must issue the permit within 72 hours.
With supply chain issues growing in the contracting sector leading to increased costs for contractors, expediting the permit process has become necessary to keep up with soaring demand. Additionally, HB 291 alleviates stress on permitting departments by utilizing third-party design professionals. Thus, the acts authorized by this bill could be a helpful tool for project stakeholders eager to see the project buyout completed and the construction budget confirmed.
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