Lesson 1 – Who is the AHJ, and What do They do?

The Building Official, designated as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), is an individual appointed by a city, town, municipality, county, or regional governing body to review and enforce the National Codes. Functioning similarly to quality assurance personnel, Building Officials inspect projects on-site to verify compliance with approved plans and regulatory standards.

Core responsibilities include:

• Reviewing submitted construction drawings and specifications
• Consulting with designers, engineers, developers, and project managers
• Conducting research on materials, standards, and alternative solutions
• Performing staged on-site inspections during active construction
• Issuing formal notices, orders, and legal documentation for non-compliant work
• Providing technical guidance and clarification on Code requirements

To maintain independent oversight and avoid conflicts of interest, Building Officials act strictly as third-party evaluators and do not design buildings.