(a)        A local government may create an inspection department and may appoint inspectors who may be given appropriate titles, such as building inspector, electrical inspector, plumbing inspector, housing inspector, zoning inspector, heating and air-conditioning inspector, fire prevention inspector, or deputy or assistant inspector, or another title generally descriptive of the duties assigned. Every local government shall perform the duties and responsibilities set forth in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-1104 either by (i) creating its own inspection department, (ii) creating a joint inspection department in cooperation with one or more other units of local government, pursuant to Part 1 of Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the N.C. Gen. Stat., (iii) contracting with another unit of local government for the provision of inspection services pursuant to Part 1 of Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the N.C. Gen. Stat., or (iv) arranging for the county in which a city is located to perform inspection services within the city’s jurisdiction as authorized by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-1104 and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-202 Every local government shall designate a person responsible for the daily oversight of the local government’s duties and responsibilities under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-1104

(b)        In the event that any local government fails to provide inspection services or ceases to provide inspection services, the Commissioner of Insurance shall arrange for the provision of inspection services, either through personnel employed by the department or through an arrangement with other units of government. In either event, the Commissioner has and may exercise within the local government’s planning and development regulation jurisdiction all powers made available to the governing board with respect to building inspection under this Article and Part 1 of Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. Whenever the Commissioner has intervened in this manner, the local government may assume provision of inspection services only after giving the Commissioner two years’ written notice of its intention to do so; however, the Commissioner may waive this requirement or permit assumption at an earlier date upon finding that an earlier assumption will not unduly interfere with arrangements made for the provision of those services.

(c)        No later than October 1 of 2023, 2024, and 2025, every local government shall publish an annual financial report on how it used fees from the prior fiscal year for the support, administration, and implementation of its building code enforcement program as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-402(d). This report is in addition to any other financial report required by law. ?(2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d); 2021-88, s. 1(f); 2022-11, s. 9(a).)