Chattanooga, TN Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- ASME A17.1 compliance required
- Certificate
- current inspection certificate must be posted
- Multi-elevator buildings
- at least one must stay running
- Single-elevator exception
- outage OK for testing/servicing
Summary
Chattanooga requires elevators, escalators and dumbwaiters to be maintained to ASME A17.1, with a current inspection certificate posted, and at least one passenger elevator kept running whenever the building is occupied.
Elevators, escalators and dumbwaiters shall be maintained in compliance with ASME A 17.1. The most current certificate of inspection shall be on display at all times within the elevator or attached to the escalator or dumbwaiter, be available for public inspection in the office of the Structure Operator or be posted in a publicly conspicuous location approved by the Code Official. The inspection and tests shall be performed at not less than the periodic intervals as required.(b)Elevators. In Structures equipped with passenger elevators, at least one (1) elevator shall be maintained in operation at all times when the structure is occupied. However, structures equipped with only one (1) elevator shall be permitted to have the elevator temporarily out of service for testing or servicing. (Ord. No. 13442, § 1, 3-12-19)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 21-192 of the Property Maintenance Code requires elevators, escalators and dumbwaiters to be maintained in compliance with ASME A17.1, with inspections and tests performed at least as often as required intervals. The most current certificate of inspection must be displayed inside the elevator, attached to the escalator or dumbwaiter, kept available for public inspection in the building operator's office, or posted in a location approved by the Code Official. In buildings with passenger elevators, at least one must be kept running whenever the structure is occupied: except that a building with only a single elevator may take it temporarily out of service for testing or servicing.
Violations & Fines
Failure to maintain elevators or post a current inspection certificate is a Property Maintenance Code violation, punishable under the citywide general penalty of up to $500 per day (Sec. 1-8) and enforceable through the City's Administrative Hearing Officer (Sec. 21-232).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chattanooga require regular elevator inspections?
Can a Chattanooga building's only elevator be out of service?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
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