(a) The Mayor or the Mayor's designee is authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter, including provisions regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, and all regulations issued pursuant thereto. In regulating and enforcing building permits and certificates of occupancy, the Director shall require an employer, as that term is defined in § 32-1501(10), prior to the issuance of a construction permit to produce proof of Workers' Compensation insurance coverage. The Director shall seek to assure that all buildings and structures in the District of Columbia are in full compliance with the Construction Codes adopted pursuant to this chapter and all zoning provisions in subchapter IV of Chapter 6 of this title, and regulations issued and enforced under those provisions. The Director shall seek to administer all building permits, certificates of occupancy and other provisions of this chapter, and all regulations issued hereunder, in a manner that is fair, efficient, predictable, readily adaptable to new technologies, consumer-oriented, devoid of unnecessary time delays and other administrative burdens, cost-effective, and directed at enhancing the protection of the public health, welfare, safety and quality of life.

(b) The Director may enforce the regulations issued pursuant to this chapter by means of covenants or agreements between the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and an affected party. All such covenants or agreements shall have the prior approval of the Office of the Corporation Counsel for legal sufficiency and compliance with all District and other laws. Where the Office of the Corporation Counsel determines that, under District law, a covenant or agreement may require the review and approval of other District agencies, it shall so notify such agencies and establish an inter-agency process for review and, if required under District law, approval. The Director shall coordinate with the Office of the Corporation Counsel the time required for the review and recommendations by the Office of the Corporation Counsel of any covenant or agreement proposed pursuant to this chapter.

(c) The Building Code Official shall have authority over the approval, installation, design, modification, maintenance, testing, and inspection of all new and existing fire protection systems.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term “Director” means the Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

(e) To the extent not authorized by § 6-661.01, and notwithstanding § 6-1409(a), the Mayor, from time to time, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may establish and revise fees and additional charges regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, without submission of the proposed rules to the Council for its prior review and approval.

CREDIT(S)

(Mar. 21, 1987, D.C. Law 6-216, § 6a, as added Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-261, § 3002, 46 DCR 3142; Oct. 1, 2002, D.C. Law 14-190, § 302(b), 49 DCR 6968; Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-205, § 1103, 51 DCR 8441; Sept. 24, 2010, D.C. Law 18-223, § 2023, 57 DCR 6242.)

HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 5-1305.1.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-190 added subsecs. (c) and (d).
D.C. Law 15-205, in subsec. (a), substituted “occupancy, the Director shall require an employer, as that term is defined in § 32-1501(10), prior to the issuance of a construction permit to produce proof of Workers' Compensation insurance coverage. The Director”. for “occupancy, the Director”.
D.C. Law 18-223 added subsec. (e).
Temporary Amendments of Section
Section 203 of D.C. Law 18-222 added subsec. (e) to read as follows:
“(e) To the extent not authorized by paragraph 7 of the General Expenses titles of An Act making appropriations to provide for the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June thirteenth, nineteen hundred and ten, and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1909 (35 Stat. 689; D.C. Official Code § 6-661.01), and notwithstanding section 10(a), the Mayor, from time to time, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), may establish and revise fees and additional charges regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, without submission of the proposed rules to the Council for its prior review and approval.”.
Section 2002(b) of D.C. Law 18-222 provides that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 302(b) of Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-453, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 8026).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1103 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-486, August 2, 2004, 51 DCR 8236).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1103 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-594, October 26, 2004, 51 DCR 11725).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 203 of Fiscal Year 2010 Balanced Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-450, June 28, 2010, 57 DCR 5635).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 203 of Fiscal Year 2010 Balanced Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-531, August 6, 2010, 57 DCR 8109).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2023 of Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-463, July 2, 2010, 57 DCR 6542).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 12-261, the “Second Omnibus Regulatory Reform Amendment Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-845, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 1, 1998, and December 15, 1998, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 31, 1998, it was assigned Act No. 12-615 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-261 became effective April 20, 1999.
For Law 14-190, see notes following § 6-1401.
For Law 15-205, see notes following § 6-623.01.
Law 18-223, the “Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Act of 2010”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-731, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on May 26, 2010, and June 15, 2010, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 2, 2010, it was assigned Act No. 18-462 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-223 became effective on September 24, 2010.
Miscellaneous Notes
Land Use, Development, and Code Enforcement Amendment Act of 1998: Section 3001 of title III of D.C. Law 12-261 provided that this title may be cited as the “Land Use, Development, and Code Enforcement Amendment Act of 1998.”

(a) The Mayor or the Mayor's designee is authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter, including provisions regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, and all regulations issued pursuant thereto. In regulating and enforcing building permits and certificates of occupancy, the Director shall require an employer, as that term is defined in § 32-1501(10), prior to the issuance of a construction permit to produce proof of Workers' Compensation insurance coverage. The Director shall seek to assure that all buildings and structures in the District of Columbia are in full compliance with the Construction Codes adopted pursuant to this chapter and all zoning provisions in subchapter IV of Chapter 6 of this title, and regulations issued and enforced under those provisions. The Director shall seek to administer all building permits, certificates of occupancy and other provisions of this chapter, and all regulations issued hereunder, in a manner that is fair, efficient, predictable, readily adaptable to new technologies, consumer-oriented, devoid of unnecessary time delays and other administrative burdens, cost-effective, and directed at enhancing the protection of the public health, welfare, safety and quality of life.

(b) The Director may enforce the regulations issued pursuant to this chapter by means of covenants or agreements between the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and an affected party. All such covenants or agreements shall have the prior approval of the Office of the Corporation Counsel for legal sufficiency and compliance with all District and other laws. Where the Office of the Corporation Counsel determines that, under District law, a covenant or agreement may require the review and approval of other District agencies, it shall so notify such agencies and establish an inter-agency process for review and, if required under District law, approval. The Director shall coordinate with the Office of the Corporation Counsel the time required for the review and recommendations by the Office of the Corporation Counsel of any covenant or agreement proposed pursuant to this chapter.

(c) The Building Code Official shall have authority over the approval, installation, design, modification, maintenance, testing, and inspection of all new and existing fire protection systems.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term “Director” means the Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

(e) To the extent not authorized by § 6-661.01, and notwithstanding § 6-1409(a), the Mayor, from time to time, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may establish and revise fees and additional charges regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, without submission of the proposed rules to the Council for its prior review and approval.

CREDIT(S)

(Mar. 21, 1987, D.C. Law 6-216, § 6a, as added Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-261, § 3002, 46 DCR 3142; Oct. 1, 2002, D.C. Law 14-190, § 302(b), 49 DCR 6968; Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-205, § 1103, 51 DCR 8441; Sept. 24, 2010, D.C. Law 18-223, § 2023, 57 DCR 6242.)

HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 5-1305.1.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-190 added subsecs. (c) and (d).
D.C. Law 15-205, in subsec. (a), substituted “occupancy, the Director shall require an employer, as that term is defined in § 32-1501(10), prior to the issuance of a construction permit to produce proof of Workers' Compensation insurance coverage. The Director”. for “occupancy, the Director”.
D.C. Law 18-223 added subsec. (e).
Temporary Amendments of Section
Section 203 of D.C. Law 18-222 added subsec. (e) to read as follows:
“(e) To the extent not authorized by paragraph 7 of the General Expenses titles of An Act making appropriations to provide for the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June thirteenth, nineteen hundred and ten, and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1909 (35 Stat. 689; D.C. Official Code § 6-661.01), and notwithstanding section 10(a), the Mayor, from time to time, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), may establish and revise fees and additional charges regarding the Construction Codes, building permits, and certificates of occupancy, without submission of the proposed rules to the Council for its prior review and approval.”.
Section 2002(b) of D.C. Law 18-222 provides that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 302(b) of Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-453, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 8026).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1103 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-486, August 2, 2004, 51 DCR 8236).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1103 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-594, October 26, 2004, 51 DCR 11725).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 203 of Fiscal Year 2010 Balanced Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-450, June 28, 2010, 57 DCR 5635).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 203 of Fiscal Year 2010 Balanced Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-531, August 6, 2010, 57 DCR 8109).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2023 of Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-463, July 2, 2010, 57 DCR 6542).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 12-261, the “Second Omnibus Regulatory Reform Amendment Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-845, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 1, 1998, and December 15, 1998, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 31, 1998, it was assigned Act No. 12-615 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-261 became effective April 20, 1999.
For Law 14-190, see notes following § 6-1401.
For Law 15-205, see notes following § 6-623.01.
Law 18-223, the “Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Act of 2010”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-731, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on May 26, 2010, and June 15, 2010, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 2, 2010, it was assigned Act No. 18-462 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-223 became effective on September 24, 2010.
Miscellaneous Notes
Land Use, Development, and Code Enforcement Amendment Act of 1998: Section 3001 of title III of D.C. Law 12-261 provided that this title may be cited as the “Land Use, Development, and Code Enforcement Amendment Act of 1998.”