Bill > S95

This bill aims to promote local sawmills in North Carolina by allowing the use of ungraded (dimension) lumber in residential construction under specific conditions. The bill defines a "small mill" as a sawmill producing less than 1,000,000 board feet of lumber annually and establishes a framework for using ungraded lumber in one- and two-family dwellings and certain residential structures. To use ungraded lumber, the sawmill operator must have a certification from a state-approved lumber grading training program, mark the lumber with specific details like mill identification, species, and moisture status, and provide a certificate to the purchaser detailing the lumber's characteristics. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service will develop a lumber grading training program and offer certification, which must be renewed every five years. Code enforcement officials will review the framing to ensure it meets building code requirements, but will not be liable for potential structural failures. The bill requires the Residential Code Council and Building Code Council to amend their codes to permit this approach and develop both temporary and permanent rules within 180 days. Builders using ungraded lumber must also submit additional documentation with their building permit application, including details about the lumber's origin and certification.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S95