Check that the code analysis cites the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code, which DLI lists as effective March 31, 2020, and the Minnesota Rules chapter for each discipline: 1305 for buildings, 1309 for houses within its scope, 1311 for existing buildings, 1341 for accessibility, 1323 for commercial energy, and 1315 for electrical. Commercial energy follows the 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code based on ASHRAE 90.1-2019, and electrical permits filed on or after August 17, 2026 follow the 2026 NEC. AI can flag conflicts; the design professional and the building official decide compliance.
What does the Minnesota State Building Code cover?
DLI’s overview describes the State Building Code as the minimum construction standard throughout Minnesota, enforceable by a municipality once it is adopted by local ordinance. Minnesota Rules 1300.0050 lists its chapters, including 1300 administration, 1305 the Minnesota Building Code, 1306 special fire protection systems, 1307 elevators, 1309 the Minnesota Residential Code, 1311 the Minnesota Conservation Code for Existing Buildings, 1315 electrical, 1335 floodproofing, 1341 the Minnesota Accessibility Code, 1346 mechanical, 4714 plumbing, and 1322 and 1323 energy. Part 1305.0011 incorporates the 2018 IBC with Minnesota amendments, deletes all IBC appendices, and deletes the IBC’s seismic and flood hazard provisions, sending floodproofing to chapter 1335. Chapter 1341 incorporates 2018 IBC Chapter 11, 2018 IEBC Section 305, and ICC A117.1-2009 with amendments. Part 1300.0040 sends dwellings classified IRC-1 to IRC-4 within its height and egress limits to chapter 1309 and other buildings to chapter 1305, and lets existing and historic buildings use chapter 1311.
DLI’s 2020 codes page states that the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code took effect March 31, 2020, except the Mechanical and Fuel Gas Code, effective April 6, 2020. It lists the 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code as effective January 5, 2024; part 1323.0010 incorporates ASHRAE 90.1-2019 with listed addenda. Residential energy remains chapter 1322, which incorporates the residential provisions of the 2012 IECC. The page also lists two supplements: adult changing stations under the Accessibility Code, effective August 15, 2025, and window cleaning safety features under the Building Code, effective November 7, 2025. DLI’s electrical codes page says the Board of Electricity adopted the 2026 NEC effective August 17, 2026, with permits filed earlier following the 2023 NEC. All checked October 27, 2026.
DLI’s rulemaking dockets show the next cycle in progress. The chapter 1305 docket requests comments on incorporating the 2024 IBC, with notices published January 21, 2025, and the 1341 and 1322 dockets cover the 2024 accessibility and residential energy provisions. Each docket lists the rule draft, hearing, and effective date as to be determined. Do not cite the 2024 IBC as Minnesota’s building code until DLI announces an effective date.
DLI has a separate page on public buildings and state-licensed facilities, such as school district and state-funded buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, where enforcement arrangements differ from an ordinary municipal permit. Chapter 1306 special fire protection systems and IBC Appendix J grading apply only where a municipality adopts them. State permit routing is on the Minnesota page, and the model codes have their own guides: IBC, IRC, IEBC, ASHRAE 90.1, and NFPA 70.
Gather the code analysis and each discipline’s Minnesota references
Collect the cover sheet and code analysis with the Minnesota chapters and years cited, the architectural plans, sections, life safety plans, and door schedules, the accessibility plans and details, the structural general notes with design criteria, the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical drawings, the energy compliance documentation (DLI points to a Minnesota version of COMcheck for the 2024 commercial code), the site plan, and the specifications.
Add the electrical permit filing date, the municipality’s adoption of the code and of any optional chapter such as 1306, and whether the project is a public building or state-licensed facility. For existing buildings, add the scope of work and whether the team uses chapter 1311.
Trace the Minnesota chapters through the set
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Code edition | Cover sheet, code analysis, general notes for every discipline | Confirm the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code is cited, not an unamended 2018, 2021, or 2024 I-Code. |
| Chapter for the building type | Code analysis, occupancy and height data, scope of work | Check that dwellings within part 1300.0040’s limits cite chapter 1309, other buildings chapter 1305, and existing buildings chapter 1311 where the team uses it. |
| Accessibility | Accessibility plans and details, code analysis, toilet room plans | Confirm accessible elements cite chapter 1341 and ICC A117.1-2009 as Minnesota amended them, and check whether the adult changing station supplement applies. |
| Commercial and residential energy | Energy documentation, envelope details, mechanical and lighting schedules | Match the energy path to chapter 1323 and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 for commercial buildings, or chapter 1322 for residential, and the forms to the drawings. |
| Electrical code year | Electrical general notes, specifications, permit filing date | Confirm the NEC edition matches the filing date: the 2026 NEC on or after August 17, 2026, the 2023 NEC before. |
| Deleted and optional provisions | Structural notes, site and grading plans, fire protection drawings, local ordinance | Ask the engineer to confirm the basis for any seismic or flood hazard notes, since part 1305.0011 deletes those IBC provisions, and whether chapter 1306 or Appendix J applies locally. |
Accessible details continue in the ICC A117.1 guide and the accessibility checklist, the energy envelope in the IECC guide, electrical sheets in the electrical drawing checklist, structural design criteria in the ASCE 7 guide. Plumbing follows chapter 4714, the Minnesota Plumbing Code, which DLI links on IAPMO’s site.
Example: a set that cites the next code cycle early
Hypothetical example. A two-story medical office building in a Minneapolis suburb is drawn in fall 2026. The code analysis cites the 2024 IBC, the accessibility sheets cite ICC A117.1-2017, the energy forms use the 2021 IECC commercial provisions, and the electrical notes cite the 2023 NEC on a permit to be filed in November 2026.
The code analysis cites the 2024 IBC and the accessibility sheets ICC A117.1-2017, while DLI lists the 2020 Minnesota Building Code and Accessibility Code as current. The energy forms use the 2021 IECC instead of the 2024 Minnesota Commercial Energy Code, and the electrical notes cite the 2023 NEC for a permit filed after August 17, 2026. Confirm the code basis for each discipline and coordinate the code analysis, accessibility sheets, energy forms, and electrical notes.
The architect and engineers confirm the code basis with the building official and update each discipline’s references. The finding is a citation conflict; the building official decides compliance.
Review a Minnesota set with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Minnesota Rules chapters 1300 to 1341 are free on the Revisor of Statutes website, and DLI links online views of the 2020 Minnesota codes on ICC Digital Codes. Upload the chapters you need as code files, with ASHRAE 90.1-2019 and the 2026 NEC from copies you are licensed to use where the license permits uploading them, and any local ordinance. See how Groundbook works with local and licensed codes.
Compare the cover sheet, code analysis, and every discipline’s general notes with the architectural, life safety, accessibility, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and energy documents. Flag citations to unamended or newer I-Codes instead of the 2020 Minnesota State Building Code, buildings cited to the wrong Minnesota chapter for their type, accessibility not cited to chapter 1341, energy documents that do not follow chapter 1323 or 1322, an NEC edition that does not match the electrical permit filing date, and seismic, flood, or optional-chapter notes whose basis is unclear. Use the supplied Minnesota Rules chapters and referenced standards and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the note or sheet and to the Minnesota rule part or standard you uploaded. It compares what the documents state; it does not decide which chapter or edition governs.
Document review does not certify compliance, approve a permit, or replace the design professional, the building official, or DLI.