Title 23
Health and Safety

Chapter 27.3
State Building Code

Article 1
Administration and Enforcement

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-27.3-107.1.1

§ 23-27.3-107.1.1. State and local inspector — Qualifications — Powers and duties.

(a) The appropriate state or local authority may appoint one or more full-time or part-time inspectors to assist the building official in the performance of his or her duties and in the enforcement of this code.

(b)(1) Building Inspectors-1 shall have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in residential construction and shall possess an International Code Council (ICC) certification as a Residential Building Inspector or any combination of education and experience that the building code standards committee deems to be substantially equivalent. The Building Inspector-1 shall complete the state certification program within one year of employment and shall enforce the provisions of the state residential code SBC-2.

Building Inspectors-2 shall have a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in both residential and commercial construction; and shall possess ICC certifications as a Residential Building Inspector and Commercial Building Inspector or any combination of education and experience that the building code standards committee deems to be substantially equivalent. The Building Inspector-2 shall complete the state certification program within one year of employment and shall enforce the provisions of both the state building code SBC-1 and the state residential code SBC-2.

(2) Electrical inspectors shall have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience and a Rhode Island Class A or Class B electrician’s license.

(3) Mechanical inspectors shall have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience and a valid Rhode Island master pipe fitters I or journeyperson contractor’s license.

(4) Plumbing inspectors shall have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience and a Rhode Island master or journeyperson plumber’s license.

(5) Mechanical and plumbing inspectors who have been enforcing either code prior to January 1, 1986, may continue to do so.

(c) Inspectors listed in this section shall have the authority to affix their signature to permits that pertain to the work they inspect.

History of Section.
P.L. 1976, ch. 256, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 162, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 179, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 190, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 303, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 223, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 270, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 2, § 14; P.L. 2022, ch. 105, § 1, effective June 20, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 106, § 1, effective June 20, 2022.