Building Code Compliance Checklist

Pull the prior year's compliance file from AppFolio or Buildium, including any open items the AHJ flagged. Carry forward unresolved deficiencies so they don't get re-inspected without a fix.

Verify which IBC, IFC, NEC, IPC, and IECC editions your jurisdiction has adopted — many cities lag the model code by 3-6 years and amend specific chapters. Don't inspect against the current ICC version if your AHJ enforces the 2018 edition.

Most state landlord-tenant acts require 24-48 hours written notice before non-emergency entry. Send the notice by the lease's required method (email, posted, or both) and log delivery — undocumented entry is a common tenant complaint that surfaces during code disputes.

Functional test every detector, replace 9V batteries, and replace any unit past its 10-year manufacture date stamp. Many states (MA, CA, NY) require a signed certification at turnover and on annual inspection — log the test date and tech initials per unit.

NFPA 10 requires annual service by a licensed contractor with a dated tag, plus a 6-year internal exam and 12-year hydrostatic test. Check the gauge is in the green, the pin and seal are intact, and the unit is mounted at the required height (max 5 ft to the top for units under 40 lb).

Egress paths must be unobstructed at the required width, exit signs illuminated, and emergency lighting batteries hold the 90-minute IBC discharge test. Tenant storage in stairwells is the most common citation — photograph and issue cure notices the same day.

Per NEC 210.8, GFCI is required within 6 ft of sinks, in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, and laundry. AFCI is required in bedroom and living-area circuits per NEC 210.12. Use the test button on each outlet and confirm the breaker trips — a non-tripping GFCI is a citation and a real shock-hazard liability.

NEC 110.26 requires 36 inches of working clearance in front of the panel. Confirm every breaker is labeled, no double-tapped breakers, no Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels in service (these are insurance-flag panels and frequently require replacement).

Check under every sink, around water heaters, and at washing machine hookups. A slow drip behind a vanity is the leading cause of mold claims that turn into habitability suits — photograph anything questionable and open a work order before moving on.

Set point should be 120°F to prevent scalding (per CPSC) while still controlling Legionella risk. Verify the T&P relief valve has a discharge pipe routed within 6 inches of the floor and the seismic straps are intact in seismic zones.

2010 ADA Standards require ramp slope no steeper than 1:12 with 36-inch clear width and handrails on both sides for runs over 6 inches rise. Thresholds at accessible entries cannot exceed 1/2 inch with a beveled edge. Use a digital level and document readings.

Permanent room signs (restrooms, stairwells, exits) require raised characters and Grade 2 braille mounted 48-60 inches above finished floor on the latch side per ADA 703. Tape-on paper signs do not satisfy this.

Look for differential settlement cracks wider than 1/4 inch, water staining at the foundation, missing or curled shingles, and deteriorated flashing at penetrations. Photograph any horizontal crack in a foundation wall — that's a structural-engineer referral, not a patch job.

IBC requires guards at 42 inches on commercial decks and 36 inches in residential, with balusters spaced so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass. Push-test every railing — wobbly guardrails on second-floor decks are a frequent serious-injury claim.

Use the MERV rating specified by the equipment manufacturer — going too high (e.g., MERV 16 in a residential air handler) chokes airflow and burns out blower motors. Log the date and rating per unit so the next turnover knows what's installed.

Lint-clogged dryer vents are a leading cause of multifamily fires per NFPA. Confirm runs terminate to the outside (not the attic), backdraft dampers operate, and bathroom fans actually move air — tape a tissue to the grille and verify suction.

Send photos and inspection notes to a PE licensed in your state. Do not attempt remediation before the engineering letter — patching a structural crack without a sealed report can void insurance and constitutes unpermitted structural work in most jurisdictions.

Every flagged item gets a work order in AppFolio or Buildium with the code citation, the unit, the assigned vendor, and a target date. A finding without a corresponding work order is the single most common gap an AHJ re-inspection catches.

Bundle the inspection report, photos, fire and elevator certificates, backflow test report, and any engineer letters into one PDF kept in the property file. This is what the AHJ asks for first if a complaint surfaces mid-year.