What version of NEC is the minimum standard with no AHJ

As of 1/1/18, my County is now requiring phase inspections outside of the city but within the county. The county is asking my client what version of NEC I am using. While I am recommending everything be current, I am trying to find out what the general acceptable minimum version is where there is not an Authority Having Jurisdiction.

You are not a code inspector…
The NEC has *very little *to do with a visual home inspection…OK?

Call the Building Department and ask what version of the NEC they are using to approve new permits.

when you complete your profile
someone could properly answer

Yes, I am not a code inspector but during a framing inspection where I am inspecting the electrical and plumbing rough in as well as the framing, much of what I have to point out is code based. My original question is simply based on a specific request from the county. “What version of IRC and NEC is your inspector using?” For instance, the phase inspection training courses I have taken were based on 2009 NEC. I am comfortable with this as a response to the county but during my class the instructor indicated that when there is no AHJ we were not required to use the most recent standards. I was hoping that there was a generally accepted standard in cases where there is not an AHJ. Thanks.

Tony, why don’t you simply ask one of your many more experienced co-workers. I bet Billy knows the answer to your question.

Who’s Billy?

Perhaps Paul Abernathy will see this & we all will know. :slight_smile:

Or…

Wayne Woodall has been a Professional Inspector for over 13 years. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and several other states.

Are you talking about new construction inspections? Is there some type of adopted code in your jurisdiction?

All electricians (in Texas) are licensed by the TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) and they require that all licensed electricians follow the “current” release of the NEC.

If the electrician does not follow that version then their license is in jeopardy.

Ergo, in my view, you should be inspecting the property to the most current release of the NEC.

That’s correct. Since you are doing a phase inspection then the home was likely started in 2017 but even if it were started in 2018 you should be inspecting to the 2017 NEC.

Are you a code inspector or a home inspector? This is not the place to post your question. You should contact the local inspection authority to ask which code to use. If you are a home inspector, you shouldn’t be doing code inspections unless you are qualified. If you are a code inspector, you should know that this is not the appropriate place to ask your question.

Yep.

If it was permitted after September 1, 2017 it would be the 2017 NEC, If it was permitted before that it might be the 2014 NEC.

What standard did the builder say he built to?

Greetings,

I do not visit much anymore so forgive me for the late response.

  1. In areas where their is no building inspections what ever edition the state is on would be the edition to use. While an HI should not be quoting the NEC they should at least know which edition the state is observing regardless.

  2. There is an AHJ everywhere regardless of not being a local municipality. The AHJ could be quite frankly anyone with authority over the installation and technically be held accountable in the court of law (and public opinion).

Take Texas for example, many counties do not have inspections but the State of Texas observes the 2017 NEC (at the time of this post) and so no matter where the installation takes place the NEC would be the 2017 NEC and the AHJ would be the individual liable for the job should it end up in court.

Moral of the story - Know your state and reach out to the licensing body for the given state when in doubt.

**Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). **An organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure. (CMP-1)
[FONT=NewBaskervilleStd-Roman][size=1]
[FONT=Arial Narrow][size=3]Informational Note: The phrase “authority having jurisdiction,” or its acronym AHJ, is used in NFPA documents in a broad
manner, since jurisdictions and approval agencies vary, as do their responsibilities. Where public safety is primary, the authority having jurisdiction may be a federal, state, local,or other regional department or individual such as a fire chief; fire marshal; chief of a fire prevention bureau, labor department, or health department; building official; electrical inspector; or others having statutory authority. For insurance purposes, an insurance inspection department, rating bureau, or other insurance company representative may be the authority having jurisdiction.

[FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Arial Narrow]In many circumstances, the property owner or his orher designated agent assumes the role of the authority having jurisdiction; at government installations, the commanding officer or departmental official may be the authority having jurisdiction.[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

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