municipalities; counties; private permitting providers

SB 1241 allows homeowners and contractors to use private companies (instead of city governments) to review building plans and inspect specific home improvement projects, such as roofing, solar panels, or plumbing repairs, for single-family or multifamily residential properties. Private providers issue permits and certificates of completion after verifying compliance with building codes, submit copies to the city within 48 hours, and cities must accept them as valid as their own permits. Cities must post all building codes and fee schedules online; if they fail to do so, they cannot charge fees for projects using private providers. The bill requires private providers to maintain liability insurance and prohibits cities from charging extra fees or discriminating against those using private services.