An Act To Restore Uniformity to the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0977
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: GRAHAM, JOHNSON, BOLAND, GILBERT, HAMANN, HERBIG
Amends: 10 MRSA §9724, 25 MRSA §2373

Legislative Document 
No. 977 
H.P. 691 
House of Representatives, March 12, 2013 
An Act To Restore Uniformity to the Maine Uniform Building and 
Energy Code 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative GRAHAM of North Yarmouth. 
Cosponsored by Senator JOHNSON of Lincoln and 
Representatives: BOLAND of Sanford, GILBERT of Jay, HAMANN of South Portland, 
HERBIG of Belfast. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  10 MRSA §9724, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 408, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
1.  Limitations on home rule authority.  This chapter provides express limitations 
on municipal home rule authority.  The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code must 
be enforced in a municipality that has more than 4,000 2,000 residents and that has 
adopted any building code by August 1, 2008.  Beginning July 1, 2012, the Maine 
Uniform Building and Energy Code must be enforced in a municipality that has more 
than 4,000 residents and that has not adopted any building code by August 1, 2008.  
Beginning July 1, 2014, the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code must be enforced 
in a municipality that has more than 2,000 residents and that has not adopted any building 
code by August 1, 2008.  The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code must be 
enforced through inspections that comply with Title 25, section 2373. 
Sec. 2.  10 MRSA §9724, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 408, §5, is 
amended to read: 
1-A.  Municipalities up to 2,000 residents.  A municipality of up to 4,000 2,000 
residents may not adopt or enforce a building code other than the Maine Uniform 
Building Code, the Maine Uniform Energy Code or the Maine Uniform Building and 
Energy Code.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or Title 25, chapter 
314, the provisions of the Maine Uniform Building Code, the Maine Uniform Energy 
Code or the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code do not apply in a municipality 
that has 4,000 2,000 or fewer residents except to the extent the municipality has adopted 
that code pursuant to this subsection. 
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §2373, first ¶, as amended by PL 2011, c. 408, §6, is further 
amended to read: 
 The code must be enforced in a municipality that has more than 4,000 2,000 
residents and that has adopted any building code by August 1, 2008.  Beginning July 1, 
2012, the code must be enforced in a municipality that has more than 4,000 residents and 
that has not adopted any building code by August 1, 2008.  Beginning July 1, 2014, the 
code must be enforced in a municipality that has more than 2,000 residents and that has 
not adopted any building code by August 1, 2008.  The code must be enforced through 
inspections that comply with the code through any of the following means: 
SUMMARY 
Current law requires the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code to be enforced in 
a municipality that has more than 4,000 residents; a municipality with 4,000 or fewer 
residents that has not adopted a building code is exempt.  This bill requires the Maine 
Uniform Building and Energy Code to be enforced in all municipalities with more than 
2,000 residents, beginning July 1, 2014.  A municipality with 2,000 or fewer residents is 
exempt, but, if a building code is adopted in such a municipality, it must be the Maine 
Uniform Building and Energy Code.