Industrialized Building Safety Regulations
Industrialized buildings, often referred to as modular buildings and modular homes, are addressed under the Virginia Industrialized Building Safety Regulations (IBSR). The IBSR provides for the administration and enforcement of uniform, statewide standards for industrialized buildings, wherever built.
Industrialized or modular buildings are constructed in factories, often outside of Virginia, and contain concealed components such as structural systems, wiring, plumbing, mechanical ductwork, and insulation. The local officials who inspect site-built structures under the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) are unable to inspect these concealed building components.
The IBSR provides for certification or registration of these factory-built structures as assurance to the inspectors, building owners and occupants that the factory-built, modular structures comply with the codes. The local building officials must accept the registered industrialized building without requiring disassembly of the modules or components.
The Board of Housing and Community Development adopts the IBSR and includes the model codes and standards that the industrialized or modular buildings must meet. When adopting the model codes for the technical requirements of the IBSR, the board incorporates the same amendments to those model codes as are made to the codes and standards adopted in the USBC.
The Division of Building and Fire Regulation administers the IBSR. The office accredits third-party Compliance Assurance Agencies (CAA) to review designs, inspect construction of buildings in factories, and certify the buildings through the application of a Virginia Registration Seal. The performance of the CAA is monitored through the review of plans approved by the CAA, through site-visits to factories for review of inspection reports from the CAA, and by the inspection of buildings under construction in factories to verify the quality control programs implemented by the factory and monitored by the CAA are sufficient.
An industrialized building must meet the following requirements to be registered and eligible for a Virginia Registration Seal:
- The CAA has reviewed and approved the design/plans for the building;
- The CAA has conducted any necessary testing and evaluation of the building and/or component parts;
- The CAA has provided inspections and quality assurance services in the factory to assure compliance with the code and approved drawings; and
- The CAA has applied its inspection label or seal to the building
Virginia Registration Seals must be applied to buildings prior to shipment from the factory. One seal is required for each dwelling unit in residential buildings. In nonresidential buildings, one seal is required for each building of a single occupancy and use group.
Seals are ordered from the State Building Code Administrative Office, and cost $75. Payment must be received before the seal will be sent to the manufacturer or CAA.
In accordance with the USBC and the IBSR, local building officials are responsible for issuing permits for the placement of the industrialized buildings in their local jurisdictions. Local code enforcement personnel are also responsible for inspecting the construction done on-site to complete the finished buildings in accordance with the approved manufacturer’s installation instructions and the applicable portions of the Virginia Building Code and the IBSR. When all site work is completed, the local building official has the authority to issue the certificates of occupancy for each of the buildings.
For more information about the IBSR, contact: IBSR@dhcd.virginia.gov or call (804) 371-7165. For questions about ordering Virginia Registration Seals, contact (804) 371-7160.
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