Charlotte, NC Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance (2026)

The North Carolina Elevator Safety Act (NC General Statutes Chapter 95, Article 14A) and NCDOL Administrative Rules (13 NCAC Chapter 15) govern elevator safety throughout North Carolina, including Charlotte. The NCDOL Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau enforces the Act, which governs the design, construction, installation, inspection, certification, operation, alteration, and accident investigation involving elevators, escalators, and other special equipment. All elevators must be registered with NCDOL and undergo annual inspections by NCDOL-commissioned inspectors. Inspection certificates are valid for 12 months, except for personnel hoists (construction hoists) which receive a limited 90-day certificate. New installations and alterations require an NCDOL installation permit posted on the job site before work begins, and must be inspected before being placed in service. Building owners are responsible for ensuring annual inspections are completed and for maintaining elevators in safe operating condition. Only certified elevator contractors may perform installation, maintenance, repair, and alteration work. The NC State Building Code, Chapter 30 (Elevators and Conveying Systems), incorporates ASME A17.1 as the design and installation standard. Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement handles local building code compliance for new elevator installations as part of the overall building permit process.