Source: https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/us-state-boiler-code.8141/page-2
Timestamp: 2019-07-17 17:42:24
Document Index: 628461907

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 20', '§ 174', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 7', '§ 6', '§ 2', '§ 31', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 6']

US State Boiler Code | Page 2 | Home Model Engine Machinist
The exemptions for Missouri are not in the code rules they are in a separate location of Missouri revised statues.
Anyone reading this can help by checking to see if the information for your State is accurate. Simply post with any new information or corrections and I will update the first post.
Dan Rowe, Apr 5, 2011
Its a Pass, Fail, or Not Applicable methodology, boiler with 9 sq ft heating area might pass one case but would fail the other if 20kw were applied.
Foozer, Apr 5, 2011
Here am I thinking state governments area PITA and we only have 6 plus 2 territories.
I certainly don't envy you guys with 50 plus a federal district.
Maryak, Apr 5, 2011
To make matters worse there are boilers regulated by the Federal Government.
Locomotive boiler law is in CFR Chapter 49. (Code of Federal Regulations)
Merchant ship boilers are in CFR Chapter 46 these are the ones I worked on.
I have never located the regulation for Navy ships or other government installations.
I mean who repairs the boilers at Fort Knox or Area 51?
The whole point of this thread is to locate any exemptions for model boilers in the state codes.
Notice the similarity between the language from the Texas code and the Missouri code.
Texas exemption:
3) manually fired miniature boilers that:
Missouri exemption:
How many other states are using the same rules? This thread has not located exemptions for even half of the US States yet.
The head in the sand approach has never worked well for me... :big: your milage may vary.
Any help reading this code stuff is very welcome.
Dan Rowe said:
Gee it was 1966 but the term USN Buships publications comes to mind.
For UK/Oz BR 3000 and BR 3001 (BR=Book of Reference).
BR 3000 is the what when book. BR 3001 is the how book.
Strangely they are 12":1' models.
Maryak, Apr 6, 2011
70.79.080 Exemptions from chapter. This chapter
shall not apply to the following boilers, unfired pressure ves-
sels and domestic hot water tanks:
(1) Boilers and unfired pressure vessels under federal
regulation or operated by any railroad subject to the provi-
sions of the interstate commerce act;
(2) Unfired pressure vessels meeting the requirements of
the interstate commerce commission for shipment of liquids
or gases under pressure;
(3) Air tanks located on vehicles operating under the
rules of other state authorities and used for carrying passen-
gers, or freight;
(4) Air tanks installed on the right-of-way of railroads
and used directly in the operation of trains;
(5) Unfired pressure vessels having a volume of five
cubic feet or less when not located in places of public assem-
(6) Unfired pressure vessels designed for a pressure not
exceeding fifteen pounds per square inch gauge;
(7) Tanks used in connection with heating water for
domestic and/or residential purposes;
(8) Boilers and unfired pressure vessels in cities having
ordinances which are enforced and which have requirements
equal to or higher than those provided for under this chapter,
covering the installation, operation, maintenance and inspec-
tion of boilers and unfired pressure vessels;
(9) Tanks containing water with no air cushion and no
direct source of energy that operate at ambient temperature;
(10) Electric boilers:
(a) Having a tank volume of not more than one and one-
half cubic feet;
(b) Having a maximum allowable working pressure of
one hundred pounds per square inch or less, with a pressure
relief system to prevent excess pressure; and
(c) If constructed after June 10, 1994, constructed to
American society of mechanical engineers code, or approved
or otherwise certified by a nationally recognized or recog-
nized foreign testing laboratory or construction code, includ-
ing but not limited to Underwriters Laboratories, Edison
Testing Laboratory, or Instituto Superiore Per La Prevenzi-
one E La Sicurezza Del Lavoro;
(11) Electrical switchgear and control apparatus that
have no external source of energy to maintain pressure and
are located in restricted access areas under the control of an
(12) Regardless of location, unfired pressure vessels less
than one and one-half cubic feet (11.25 gallons) in volume
or less than six inches in diameter with no limitation on the
length of the vessel or pressure;
(13) Domestic hot water heaters less than one and
one-half cubic feet (11.25 gallons) in volume with a safety
valve setting of one hundred fifty pounds per square inch
gauge or less. [2009 c 90 § 3; 2005 c 22 § 1; 1999 c 183 § 3;
1996 c 72 § 1; 1994 c 64 § 2; 1986 c 97 § 1; 1951 c 32 § 8.]
FindingIntent1994 c 64: See note following RCW 70.79.095.
70.79.090 Exemptions from certain provisions. The
following boilers and unfired pressure vessels shall be
exempt from the requirements of RCW 70.79.220 and
70.79.240 through 70.79.330:
(1) Boilers or unfired pressure vessels located on farms
and used solely for agricultural purposes;
(2) Unfired pressure vessels that are part of fertilizer
applicator rigs designed and used exclusively for fertilization
in the conduct of agricultural operations;
(3) Steam boilers used exclusively for heating purposes
carrying a pressure of not more than fifteen pounds per
square inch gauge and which are located in private residences
or in apartment houses of less than six families;
(4) Hot water heating boilers carrying a pressure of not
more than thirty pounds per square inch and which are
located in private residences or in apartment houses of less
than six families;
(5) Approved pressure vessels (hot water heaters, hot
water storage tanks, hot water supply boilers, and hot water
heating boilers listed by a nationally recognized testing
agency), with approved safety devices including a pressure
relief valve, with a nominal water containing capacity of one
hundred twenty gallons or less having a heat input of two
hundred thousand b.t.u.’s per hour or less, at pressure of one
hundred sixty pounds per square inch or less, and at tempera-
tures of two hundred ten degrees Fahrenheit or less: PRO-
VIDED, HOWEVER, That such pressure vessels are not
installed in schools, child care centers, public and private
hospitals, nursing and boarding homes, churches, public
buildings owned or leased and maintained by the state or any
political subdivision thereof, and assembly halls;
(6) Unfired pressure vessels containing only water under
pressure for domestic supply purposes, including those con-
taining air, the compression of which serves only as a cushion
or airlift pumping systems, when located in private resi-
dences or in apartment houses of less than six families, or in
public water systems as defined in RCW 70.119.020;
(7) Unfired pressure vessels containing liquified petro-
leum gases. [2009 c 90 § 4; 2005 c 22 § 2; 1999 c 183 § 4;
1988 c 254 § 20; 1983 c 3 § 174; 1972 ex.s. c 86 § 2; 1951 c
Main that seems to cover all hobby use
79.070 Existing installationsConformance
requiredMiniature hobby boilers. (1) All boilers and
unfired pressure vessels which were in use, or installed ready
for use in this state prior to the date upon which the first rules
and regulations under this chapter pertaining to existing
installations became effective, or during the twelve months
period immediately thereafter, shall be made to conform to
the rules and regulations of the board governing existing
installations, and the formulae prescribed therein shall be
used in determining the maximum allowable working pres-
sure for such boilers and unfired pressure vessels.
(2) This chapter shall not be construed as in any way pre-
venting the use or sale of boilers or unfired vessels as referred
to in subsection (1) of this section, provided they have been
made to conform to the rules and regulations of the board
governing existing installations, and provided, further, they
have not been found upon inspection to be in an unsafe con-
(3) An inspection certificate may also be granted for
miniature hobby boilers that do not comply with the code
requirements of the American society of mechanical engi-
neers adopted under this chapter and do not exceed any of the
(a) Sixteen inches inside diameter of the shell;
(b) Twenty square feet of total heating surface;
(c) Five cubic feet of gross volume of vessel; and
(d) One hundred fifty p.s.i.g. maximum allowable work-
ing pressure, and if the boiler is to be operated exclusively not
for commercial or industrial use and the department of labor
and industries finds, upon inspection, that operation of the
boiler for such purposes is not unsafe. [2009 c 90 § 2; 1995 c
41 § 1; 1993 c 193 § 1; 1951 c 32 § 7.]
So for this State a certificate/inspection is required with the key word MAY be granted
70.79.320 Operating without inspection certificate
prohibitedPenalty. (1) It shall be unlawful for any per-
son, firm, partnership, or corporation to operate under pres-
sure in this state a boiler or unfired pressure vessel, to which
this chapter applies, without a valid inspection certificate as
provided for in this chapter.
(2) The department may assess a penalty against a person
violating a provision of this chapter. The penalty shall be not
more than five hundred dollars. Each day that the violation
continues is a separate violation and is subject to a separate
(3) The department may not assess a penalty until it
adopts rules describing the method it will use to calculate
penalties for various violations.
(4) The department shall notify the violator of its action,
and the reasons for its action, in writing. The department
shall send the notice by certified mail to the violator that a
hearing may be requested under RCW 70.79.361. The hear-
ing shall not stay the effect of the penalty. [2005 c 22 § 6;
1986 c 97 § 2; 1951 c 32 § 31.]
Operate a home built without paying the fees and the SHALL notify which without a consequence for failure makes it meaningless, WILL become a fine to transfer coin from your pocket to the States
Foozer, Apr 6, 2011
I had spotted the exemption but missed the penalty which is considerable at $500 per day.
I added the references to the first post.
Here is another section of the Washington code that states construction must conform to the rules.
70.79.060 Construction, installation must conform to
rulesInspection certificate. (1) Except as provided in
subsection (2) of this section, no power boiler, low pressure
boiler, or unfired pressure vessel which does not conform to
the rules and regulations formulated by the board governing
new construction and installation shall be installed and operated
in this state after twelve months from the date upon
which the first rules and regulations under this chapter pertaining
to new construction and installation shall have
become effective, unless the boiler or unfired pressure vessel
is of special design or construction, and is not covered by the
rules and regulations, nor is in any way inconsistent with
such rules and regulations, in which case an inspection certificate
may at its discretion be granted by the board.
(2) An inspection certificate may also be granted for
boilers and pressure vessels manufactured before 1951 which
do not comply with the code requirements of the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers adopted under this chapter,
if the boiler or pressure vessel is operated exclusively for the
purposes of public exhibition, and the board finds, upon
inspection, that operation of the boiler or pressure vessel for
such purposes is not unsafe. [2009 c 90 § 1; 1984 c 93 § 1;
1951 c 32 § 6.]
Dan Rowe, Apr 6, 2011
The latest model boiler exemption statute for Minnesota was published in 2010, and is available at the following link:
terrywerm, Apr 10, 2011
Apr 10, 2011 #29
rulesInspection certificate.
Thanks for the fill in, I must of lost it during the cut and paste. This State sure loves its verbiage.
Foozer, Apr 10, 2011
Apr 10, 2011 #30
That exemption is very similar to TX only we do not need an ASME stamp on the safety valve. I added the info to the first post.
Dan Rowe, Apr 10, 2011
The current official Pennsylvania stance is there will be NO exemption based on size. They're saying all boilers operation in public (over 15psi) need a state inspection.
In Ohio, they seem not inclined to bother those with barrels less than 16"
Allen, Sep 2, 2012
What is the source of this information? Is that from a Pennsylvania boiler inspector?
This might cause some of the model shows to rethink their policy. Cabin Fever has always had a Gauge 1 live steam track in operation and G1 boilers have been mostly ignored by state officials.
Dan Rowe, Sep 2, 2012
It came direct from the guy who supervises the inspectors here in Western, Pa. Our local inspector inquired the end of July to see if my roller actually needed inspection, since it doesn't in Ohio.
Cabin Fever, and the various ride on live steamer groups, have pretty much been "flying under the radar". Something which is not really an option at an antique machinery show when the inspector is already there anyway.
The gauge 1 guys can always try to argue they are "toys", but larger stuff might not fare so lucky if they ever come to the communewealth's attention.
The ghost of John Payton is very much still with us....
I think every hobby machinist has at one time wanted to use live steam. It's all good until that creeping feeling of knowing you are next to a potential bomb makes you appreciate a good old air pump. Personally, I'd rather be trained by someone that really knows how to operate a boiler!
robcas631, Jul 11, 2013
Jul 13, 2013 #35
I still haven't heard of any incident where someone has actually blown a model up. With reasonable precautions, correct safety components, decent construction, and a responsible operator its likely to be statistically safer than driving with a cell phone or gasing up your car.
chrsbrbnk, Jul 13, 2013
Don't forget that while your boiler may fit an exemption in your home state it may not in the state where you are showing it. As an example, some rules seem to exempt boilers with an operating pressure of under 150 psi but others seem to exempt at under 100 psi. :wall:
AlanHaisley, Sep 2, 2013
Nov 29, 2015 #37
I can not figure out how to modify the first post of this thread to add the exemption. Could someone with ADMIN privileges add the exemption and definition to the state of Indiana in the first post.
Dan Rowe, Nov 29, 2015
Info for Indiana added to first post. Please check to see if that what you needed Dan.
GailInNM, Nov 30, 2015
That was exactly what I tried to do but I could not edit the post.
Dan Rowe, Nov 30, 2015
kaolsen1728
I have uploaded to our website two documents on miniature hobby boilers in the State of Washington on our website http://www.kitsaplivesteamers.org Click on "Links" to find the documents. My contact information is also noted.
kaolsen1728, Nov 16, 2017