Virginia Administrative Code › Title 13 - HOUSING › Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT › Chapter 63 - VIRGINIA UNIFORM STATEWIDE BUILDING CODE › Part I - Construction › Section 13VAC5-63-50 - Section 105 Local building department

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Section 105.1 Appointment of building
				  official. Every local building department shall have a building official as the
				  executive official in charge of the department. The building official shall be
				  appointed in a manner selected by the local governing body. After permanent
				  appointment, the building official shall not be removed from office except for
				  cause after having been afforded a full opportunity to be heard on specific and
				  relevant charges by and before the appointing authority. DHCD shall be notified
				  by the appointing authority within 30 days of the appointment or release of a
				  permanent or acting building official.
Note: Building officials are subject to sanctions in
					 accordance with the VCS.
B.
				  Section 105.1.1 Qualifications of building official. The building official
				  shall have at least five years of building experience as a licensed
				  professional engineer or architect, building, fire or trade inspector,
				  contractor, housing inspector or superintendent of building, fire or trade
				  construction or at least five years of building experience after obtaining a
				  degree in architecture or engineering, with at least three years in responsible
				  charge of work. Any combination of education and experience that would confer
				  equivalent knowledge and ability shall be deemed to satisfy this requirement.
				  The building official shall have general knowledge of sound engineering
				  practice in respect to the design and construction of structures, the basic
				  principles of fire prevention, the accepted requirements for means of egress
				  and the installation of elevators and other service equipment necessary for the
				  health, safety and general welfare of the occupants and the public. The local
				  governing body may establish additional qualification requirements.
C. Section 105.1.2 Certification of building
				  official. An acting or permanent building official shall be certified as a
				  building official in accordance with the VCS within one year after being
				  appointed as acting or permanent building official.
Exception: A building official in place prior to April 1,
					 1983, shall not be required to meet the certification requirements in this
					 section while continuing to serve in the same capacity in the same
					 locality.
D. Section 105.1.3
				  Noncertified building official. Except for a building official exempt from
				  certification under the exception to Section 105.1.2, any acting or permanent
				  building official who is not certified as a building official in accordance
				  with the VCS shall attend the core module of the Virginia Building Code Academy
				  or an equivalent course in an individual or regional code academy accredited by
				  DHCD within 180 days of appointment. This requirement is in addition to meeting
				  the certification requirement in Section 105.1.2.
Note: Continuing education and periodic training
					 requirements for DHCD certifications are set out in the VCS.
E. Section 105.2 Technical assistants. The
				  building official, subject to any limitations imposed by the locality, shall be
				  permitted to utilize technical assistants to assist the building official in
				  the enforcement of the USBC. DHCD shall be notified by the building official
				  within 60 days of the employment of, contracting with or termination of all
				  technical assistants.
Note: Technical assistants are subject to sanctions in
					 accordance with the VCS.
F.
				  Section 105.2.1 Qualifications of technical assistants. A technical assistant
				  shall have at least three years of experience and general knowledge in at least
				  one of the following areas: building construction; building construction
				  conceptual and administrative processes; building, fire or housing inspections;
				  plumbing, electrical or mechanical trades; or fire protection, elevator or
				  property maintenance work. Any combination of education and experience that
				  would confer equivalent knowledge and ability, including high school technical
				  training programs or college engineering, architecture, or construction degree
				  programs, shall be deemed to satisfy this requirement. The locality may
				  establish additional qualification requirements.
G. Section 105.2.2 Certification of technical
				  assistants. A technical assistant shall be certified in the appropriate subject
				  area within 18 months after becoming a technical assistant. When required by
				  local policy to have two or more certifications, a technical assistant shall
				  obtain the additional certifications within three years from the date of such
				  requirement.
Exceptions:
1. A
				  technical assistant in place prior to March 1, 1988, shall not be required to
				  meet the certification requirements in this section while continuing to serve
				  in the same capacity in the same locality.
2. A permit technician in place prior to the
				  effective date of the 2015 edition of the code shall not be required to meet
				  the certification requirements in this section while continuing to serve in the
				  same capacity in the same locality.
Note: Continuing education and periodic training
					 requirements for DHCD certifications are set out in the VCS.