The Fort Worth Building Administrative Code was adopted by the City Council on December 6, 2016, Ordinance 22523-12-2016. The Fort Worth Building Administrative Code serves as the administrative, organizational, and enforcement regulations for the Fort Worth Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical, Sign and Existing Building codes. During the recent legislative session House Bill (HB) 3329 was approved and will be effective September 1, 2017. HB 3329 states that a municipality may not collect a permit fee, registration fee, administrative fee, or any other fee from an electrician who holds a license issued by the State for work performed in the municipality or region. It goes on to say that it does not prohibit a municipality from collecting a building permit fee. This amendment to the Fort Worth Building Administrative Code clarifies that all permits related to the construction, alteration, relocation, enlargement, replacement, repair, demolition, or use and occupancy of a building are building permits.
The amendment also reflects the adoption of the 2017 National Electrical Code and clarifies when a change of occupancy permit is required by providing a definition of a change of occupancy as 1) any change of occupancy classification (e.g., B to M), 2) any change from one group to another group within an occupancy classification (e.g., A-2 to A-3), or 3) any change in use within a group for a specific occupancy classification (e.g., B bank to B nail salon) for a building or a portion of a building. The ordinance will have an effective date of September 1, 2017. This action impacts ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS. This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. |
