New Jersey to allow private firms to conduct construction inspections

New Jersey recently passed a law that will allow towns to supplement construction code enforcement with help from the private sector.

The legislation, which received bipartisan support, also allows municipalities to enter into shared service agreements with neighboring towns for construction inspections. The new law also requires towns to complete inspections within three business days of the date requested by a developer. If a town doesn’t meet the deadline, builders can pay for their own private-sector inspection.

The measure requires local governments to submit annual compliance reports to the state Department of Community Affairs and notify the department if they are cannot keep pace with the new timetables. The department can levy penalties on municipalities that consistently fail to meet the new deadlines.

State officials will also look to make additional reforms to state code enforcement, including adding electronic permitting.