TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 7: BUILDING AND ZONING CODES
§ 7132. Required Fees. (a) Permit Fees. (1) The building safety official may charge and collect reasonable fees for building permit applications, plan review inspections, and other procedures authorized under the provisions of this code. The fees shall be established by the building safety official with the approval of the Director of the Department of Public Works and shall be set forth in the regulations. The fee for a building permit may vary based on the proposed use or occupancy and value. (2) The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this code shall be made by the building safety official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued as well as the value of all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire extinguishing systems, and any other permitted equipment. (3) The building safety official shall provide for a system of fee credits for structures or equipment designed to produce energy from renewable sources, conserve energy, or collect or store rainwater. (b) Plan Review Fees. When a plan or other data is required to be submitted, a reasonable plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting plans and specifications for review; except, applicants for owner-builder permits and persons employing the predesigned residential house plans described in 2 CMC § 7151 shall not be required to pay such a fee with respect to such owner-built or predesigned dwelling. The building safety official shall establish by regulation a time frame in which plan reviews shall be accomplished. (c) Owner-Builder Permits. The building safety official shall issue permits for owner-built, owner-occupied dwellings free of charge and on an expedited basis. No more than one building permit for initial construction of an owner-built, owner-occupied dwelling shall be issued to the same person or for the same family in any 10-year period. Permits for structures appurtenant to the ownerbuilt, owner-occupied dwelling, such as outdoor kitchens, carports, and housing for domestic livestock, are exempted from payment of any fee for a building permit. The building safety official shall use the permit process as an opportunity to educate owner-builders concerning the plan review services of the Building Safety Division and the availability of safe, energy efficient, environmentally appropriate house plans from the division. The building safety official shall examine owner-builder’s plans for compliance with all applicable electrical standards of the Commonwealth Utility Corporation (CUC) and shall certify those plans which meet those standards. The CUC shall accept such certification in lieu of any other certification or sealing required by the CUC with respect to residential electrical systems. Such certification shall not exempt an owner-built residence from any inspection of the residence required by the CUC as a precondition for connection of the residence to the public electrical system. Source: PL 6-45, § 1 (§ 7132); amended by PL 8-8, § 4. Commission Comment: With respect to the reference to the “Director of the Department of Public Works,” see Executive Order 94-3 (effective August 23, 1994), reorganizing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and effecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001.