Alabama · Through Act 2026-611

Ala. Code § 11-107-1: Adoption or Enforcement of Building Codes Requiring the Installation of Certain Latent, Non-operable Features in a Residential Structure Prohibited.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) LATENT FEATURE. Any technology, appliance, electrical circuit, wiring, plumbing, gas tubing, framing, or other item, installed in or connected to a residential structure, that will not be placed in a state of active operation or that will not be utilized by the homeowner at the time of the residential structure’s completion. The term only includes features that do not contribute to the life safety or structural aspects of the building code being enforced.
(2) RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE. A residence on a single lot, including a site-built home, a condominium, duplex, apartment, or any other single-unit or multi-unit residential building.
(b) The governing body of any municipality or county, or any agency thereof, may not directly or indirectly adopt or enforce any ordinance, rule, bylaw, order, or state or local building code provision requiring the installation of any latent feature in any residential structure.

Where this section sits in the code

Title 11 Counties and Municipal Corporations.
Title 3 Provisions Applicable to Counties and Municipal Corporations.
Chapter 107 Local Building Codes.

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) LATENT FEATURE. Any technology, appliance, electrical circuit, wiring, plumbing, gas tubing, framing, or other item, installed in or connected to a residential structure, that will not be placed in a state of active operation or that will not be utilized by the homeowner at the time of the residential structure’s completion. The term only includes features that do not contribute to the life safety or structural aspects of the building code being enforced.

(2) RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE. A residence on a single lot, including a site-built home, a condominium, duplex, apartment, or any other single-unit or multi-unit residential building.

(b) The governing body of any municipality or county, or any agency thereof, may not directly or indirectly adopt or enforce any ordinance, rule, bylaw, order, or state or local building code provision requiring the installation of any latent feature in any residential structure.

Collected 2026-09-03T14:01:54Z. Source file · JSON

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