State Building Code Council adopts May 15 schedule for 2024 code rulemaking; seeks ways to retain Nov. 1, 2026 implementation

The State Building Code Council on Sept. 26 voted to direct staff to pursue a May 15, 2026 final-adoption schedule for the 2024 code rulemaking and to move the draft code filings (CR102) toward public hearings.

The council approved the schedule after hearing staff analyses that earlier targets would leave inadequate time for required preliminary cost-benefit and small‑business economic‑impact documents. “My recommendation for the council to consider would be to keep all codes on the June final adoption timeline,” said Dustin, SBCC staff, during the discussion; council members subsequently favored a May timeline as a compromise.

The move follows a staff review of four timeline options — March, April, May and June — and concerns about meeting the code‑reviser filing deadlines, preparing transcripts and summaries from hearings, and allowing contracted economic and energy analyses time to produce meaningful input. Dustin told the council that the Administrative Procedure Act requires the preliminary cost‑benefit analysis and the small‑business economic‑impact statement to be available at the CR102 filing.

Industry groups and jurisdictions urged the council to maximize the time between the filing (CR103) and any effective date so builders, designers and software/tool vendors can update plans, training and compliance tools. “We support delay in adoption to meet the rulemaking requirements,” Patrick Hanks of the Building Industry Association of Washington said during public comment. Lisa Roseno of Evergreen Technology asked the council to preserve a longer interval between final filing and the effective date so designers and jurisdictions have time to adapt.

After voting to adopt the May 15 schedule, the council voted separately to “explore administrative and legislative pathways to maintain the Nov. 1, 2026 implementation date” for the 2024 codes, a motion that passed on a roll call. The council did not set a new effective date in that second vote; members said staff should pursue options and return with any legislation or administrative steps for council review.

Council members and staff stressed practical limits: final publication by code publishers and the time needed to print and distribute code books can take weeks to months after final adoption. Dustin said ICC (the model‑code publisher) typically requires about two months to publish final proofs once staff submits final proofs. He also warned that any substantial edits after final adoption could compress the time available for publication and training.

Why it matters: The 2024 code package affects building, mechanical, plumbing, energy and residential standards used statewide. The council’s timeline decision shapes when jurisdictions, designers and industry trainers can expect finalized text and when compliance and enforcement can begin.

What’s next: Staff will proceed toward CR102 filings on the May timeline, continue contracting independent energy and economic analyses, and report back to the council and its legislative committee if proposed bills or administrative approaches emerge to preserve a November 2026 implementation date.