Keeping Carolina Buildings Code-Compliant: Godwin Elevator Highlights 2025 Commercial Inspection Requirements

As North Carolina enters the summer of 2025, new regulatory changes and building code updates are reshaping the landscape for elevator safety and compliance.

RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES, May 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As North Carolina enters the summer of 2025, new regulatory changes and building code updates are reshaping the landscape for elevator safety and compliance. In response to these developments, Godwin Elevator Company is providing essential guidance to commercial property stakeholders across the state. The goal: to support proactive maintenance practices that ensure safety, minimize liability, and align with current codes.

Recent changes enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly under House Bill 559 introduce revised elevator inspection fees, effective July 1, 2025. These adjustments include a $200 annual inspection fee for buildings under ten floors and a $300 fee for buildings ten floors and above. Additionally, a $1,000 reinspection fee has been established for failed inspections. Temporary certificates allowing elevator use during construction will also carry fees of $200 or $300, depending on building height.

The revised fee structure is designed to incentivize timely maintenance and reduce the frequency of reinspection. For commercial buildings—especially multi-tenant properties, educational facilities, and high-traffic environments—elevator performance and safety have become high-stakes concerns. Routine inspection readiness is no longer just best practice; it is a financial imperative.

Alongside state-level updates, national standards have also shifted. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) released the 2022 edition of the A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, which remains the benchmark for elevator safety across North America. This edition introduces several key updates that impact commercial properties:

- Enhanced Firefighters’ Emergency Operation protocols
- Upgraded elevator communication system requirements
- Stricter inspection and maintenance documentation standards
- Expanded provisions for new technologies in elevator safety

The ASME A17.1-2022 code has been adopted in coordination with the Canadian CSA B44 standard to ensure uniformity and heightened safety expectations [source: ANSI.org, ASME A17.1-2022].

Building owners and property managers in North Carolina must also take note of the 2024 State Building Code updates, which will go into effect March 31, 2025. Issued by the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, these updates align the state's regulatory framework with modernized national safety codes and emphasize inspection readiness and proper documentation for all conveyance systems [source: NCOSFM.gov, 2025 Codes Update].

These cumulative regulatory shifts reflect a broader industry emphasis on preventative maintenance as a mechanism for safety, liability reduction, and operational continuity. Godwin Elevator Company, founded in 1982 and operating from Raleigh, NC, has emphasized this approach for over four decades. Services are structured to ensure elevators not only pass inspection, but operate efficiently and safely throughout their service life.

Maintenance programs offered by Godwin Elevator include detailed inspection readiness checks, alignment with ASME and NC codes, and recommendations for upgrades that reduce energy consumption and improve ride quality. The company’s technicians are NEIEP-certified and trained in QEI standards, ensuring maintenance protocols are performed to the highest regulatory and technical standards.

A common point of vulnerability among commercial properties lies in the documentation process. ASME A17.1-2022 requires comprehensive maintenance control programs (MCPs) that track service history, parts replacements, and code compliance measures. Failure to maintain adequate records can result in failed inspections, safety violations, or delayed occupancy permits. Godwin Elevator’s preventive maintenance structure includes this level of recordkeeping, offering building owners a clearer pathway to compliance.

For property managers preparing for occupancy transitions, lease renewals, or insurance underwriting cycles, elevator safety inspections often emerge as gating items. Elevators that are out of compliance or operating on expired temporary certificates may prevent a building from passing final inspections or securing liability insurance renewals.

Elevator modernization, while often associated with aesthetics or speed upgrades, now serves a regulatory function as well. Older elevator controllers or cab systems that do not meet 2022 code expectations may require replacement to achieve inspection clearance. In such cases, a maintenance partner who understands both operational integrity and compliance thresholds can be instrumental in navigating the upgrade process.

Building owners across North Carolina are encouraged to review the updated codes, evaluate current maintenance contracts, and assess elevator system readiness ahead of upcoming inspection windows. While elevator safety and compliance are long-standing regulatory requirements, the 2025 code changes introduce a new sense of urgency.

About Godwin Elevator
Godwin Elevator Company, established in 1982 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, is a trusted provider of commercial and residential elevator services. With a focus on safety, code compliance, and technical excellence, Godwin offers installation, modernization, and preventive maintenance for a wide range of elevator and escalator systems. Certified technicians bring decades of field experience and maintain credentials through NEIEP and QEI programs, ensuring every project meets the highest industry standards.

As regulations evolve and expectations rise, Godwin Elevator remains committed to helping North Carolina’s property owners and developers stay ahead of inspection requirements and deliver reliable vertical transportation for every building occupant. For more information about maintenance programs or to schedule a compliance consultation, visit www.godwinelevator.com.

Houston Harris
FreshRobot
+1 828-324-1298
email us here