The Department of Community Affairs has temporarily relaxed certain provisions of the Uniform Construction Code to ensure the continuity of construction without a detriment to the public welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the relaxed rules, the timeframe for inspections of minor work (such as routine alterations in an existing one or two-family dwelling and/or the replacement of residential heaters, air conditioners, or water heaters) has been relaxed from the traditional 3 days to 30 days from the termination of Governor Murphy's Executive Order 103, which declared a State of Emergency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction officials are also generally required to perform a preliminary inspection, inspections during the progress of work, and a final inspection. The timeframe for such inspections has been relaxed from the traditional 3 days to 90 days from the termination of Executive Order 103.

Executive Order 103 remains in effect until at least November 23, 2020 and is subject to additional 30-day extensions by the Governor.

The relaxed rules address how developers should document construction in the event inspections are unable to be performed due to the spread of COVID-19. Proper documentation is imperative, because all work completed without inspection is done at the builder's risk and will ultimately have to be inspected for compliance with the Uniform Construction Code.

If you have any questions about inspection timeframes, or how to ensure proper documentation of any construction that continues despite the lack of an inspection, contact Nehmad Perillo Davis & Goldstein at (609) 927-1177.