Building official
In the United States, building officials are the jurisdictional administrators of building codes and other construction regulations, permits, licences, and so on. The term may also be used to refer to municipal or county government employees who are responsible for regulatory administration, supervision, enforcement, and inspection with regard to building code compliance.
Generally, there are two levels of municipal building official – the inspector of buildings (also known as the building commissioner) is the head of the building department, whilst other officials are typically known as local inspectors. The primary function of the inspectors is to ensure that uniform codes and standards are applied correctly during all phases and for all aspects of construction projects.
The UK equivalent are building control bodies (BCBs), who are responsible for checking building work to verify that it complies with regulations. For more information, see Building control bodies.
NB In 1994, three building code organisations merged to form the International Code Council (ICC) which publishes International Building Codes which cover health, safety, welfare, zoning ordinances, and so on.
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