Confirm the drawings follow the 2018 North Carolina State Building Code, which the Office of State Fire Marshal lists as currently effective, unless the owner has approval to use the 2024 code as an alternate method, since OSFM says the 2024 codes take effect 12 months after a certification it has not yet made. Then check that the Appendix B Building Code Summary is on sheet 1 or 2 for commercial projects and that every discipline cites the same NC volumes and electrical code. AI can flag conflicts; the design professional, OSFM, and the local code enforcement office decide compliance.
What does the North Carolina State Building Code cover?
The 2018 North Carolina State Building Code, effective January 1, 2019, has volumes for administration, building, residential, energy conservation, existing buildings, fire, fuel gas, mechanical, and plumbing, based on the 2015 International Codes with North Carolina amendments. OSFM lists the 2020 North Carolina Electrical Code as effective since November 1, 2021. The 2024 set approved for future use is based on the 2021 International Codes and includes a 2023 North Carolina Electrical Code based on the 2023 NEC.
OSFM’s current and past codes page marks the 2018 codes as currently effective. Its March 31, 2025 letter says the 2024 code becomes effective 12 months after OSFM certifies that it has been published and offered for sale and that the Residential Code Council is fully constituted, that the 2018 code remains in full force until then, and that an owner may ask to use the 2024 code as an alternate method. OSFM’s March 2026 engineering newsletter says the letter is still current. Checked October 19, 2026; recheck before relying on the date.
For state review, OSFM’s commercial plan review page explains which buildings it reviews, that buildings in approved local plan review jurisdictions are reviewed locally, that approvals can be staged, and that its approval is a life-safety review rather than a full compliance check, with permits issued by the local code enforcement office. The 2018 Appendix B Building Code Summary goes on the plans for commercial projects. Model code checks are in the IBC guide, and the North Carolina page covers permitting.
Gather the NC code summary and the discipline sets
Collect the cover sheet and the Appendix B Building Code Summary, the code analysis, life safety plans, architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and fire protection drawings, the energy compliance documentation, and the specifications. Add the OSFM or local plan review comments from any earlier submission and, if the team intends to use the 2024 code, the approval of that alternate method.
Record which jurisdiction reviews the plans, OSFM or an approved local department, because comment format and staging differ.
Trace NC code decisions through the set
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Code edition | Cover sheet, Appendix B summary, general notes for every discipline | Confirm the 2018 NC codes are cited, or that an approved 2024 alternate method is documented, and that no discipline cites the other edition. |
| Appendix B Building Code Summary | Sheet 1 or 2, code analysis | Check the summary is on the plans for commercial projects and agrees with the code analysis on occupancy, construction type, and area. |
| Electrical code | Electrical general notes, specifications | Confirm the electrical sheets cite the NC electrical code in effect rather than an unamended NEC or the pending 2023 edition. |
| Reviewing jurisdiction | Cover sheet, permit application, review comments | Record whether OSFM or an approved local department reviews the plans and whether a staged approval is planned. |
| Life safety | Life safety plans, Appendix B, fire protection drawings | Match occupant loads, exits, ratings, and sprinkler coverage across the summary and the drawings. |
| Energy compliance | Energy documentation, envelope details, mechanical and lighting schedules | Check the energy documents use the NC energy code in effect and agree with the drawings. |
Code summaries continue in the IBC Chapter 3 guide, existing buildings in the IEBC guide, and electrical checks in the NFPA 70 guide.
Example: a set drawn to the pending 2024 codes
Hypothetical example. An office building in Charlotte was designed by a team that assumed the 2024 codes were in effect. The Appendix B summary on sheet G001 cites the 2024 NC Building Code, the structural notes cite the 2018 code, the electrical notes cite the 2023 NC Electrical Code, and no approval to use the 2024 code as an alternate method is in the submittal.
The Appendix B summary cites the 2024 NC Building Code and the electrical notes cite the 2023 NC Electrical Code, but the structural notes cite the 2018 code and no alternate method approval for the 2024 code is included. Confirm the governing edition and coordinate the summary and discipline notes.
The architect confirms the edition with the reviewing jurisdiction and aligns the notes. The finding is a document conflict; the authority decides which edition applies.
Review North Carolina drawings with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Add the NC code volumes the project uses, which ICC offers free to view for the 2018 edition, the Appendix B summary, and any approval to use the 2024 code. See how Groundbook works with local and licensed codes.
Compare the cover sheet, Appendix B Building Code Summary, code analysis, life safety plans, discipline general notes, fire protection drawings, energy documentation, and specifications. Flag a 2024 NC code citation without a documented alternate method approval, disciplines that cite different editions, a missing or inconsistent Appendix B summary, an electrical code citation other than the NC electrical code in effect, and occupant loads, exits, ratings, or energy data that differ between the summary and drawings. Use the supplied NC codes and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets and documents involved. It compares what the documents state; it does not decide which edition governs.
Document review does not certify compliance or approve a permit. Those remain with the design professional, OSFM, and the local code enforcement office.