661—300.4 (103A) Plan reviews.
	   300.4(1) Plans and specifications review—approvals.
	      a.    	 Submissions to the building code commissioner of architectural technical documents, engineering documents, and plans and specifications are the responsibility of the owner of the building or facility, although the actual submission may be completed by an authorized agent of the owner or the responsible design professional.
	      b.    	 “Responsible design professional” means a registered architect or licensed professional engineer who signs the documents submitted.
	      c.    	 Plans, specifications and other supporting information shall be sufficiently clear and complete to show in detail that the proposed work will comply with the requirements of the applicable provisions of the state building code.
	      d.    	 In sections 107.1 and 107.2.5 of the International Building Code, 2015 edition, the word “permit” shall be replaced by the words “plan review.”
	      e.    	 Submittals to the commissioner shall be certified or stamped and signed as required by Iowa Code chapters 542B and 544A unless the applicant has certified on the submittal to the applicability of a specific exception under Iowa Code section 544A.18 and the submittal does not constitute the practice of professional engineering as defined by Iowa Code section 542B.2.
	      f.    	 Plans and specifications for projects subject to plan review by the commissioner shall be submitted in a format specified on the plan review submittal form.
	      g.    	 Architectural technical submissions, engineering documents, and plans and specifications for construction, renovation, or remodeling of all state-owned buildings or facilities, including additions to existing buildings, shall be submitted to the commissioner for review and comment. Subsequently, a written response by the design professional indicating corrective measures taken to address the commissioner’s plan review comments shall be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the issuance of construction documents for bidding. Bidding may commence on a project after the preliminary meeting provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all items on the preliminary meeting checklist have been resolved to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
	      h.    	 Architectural technical submissions, engineering documents, and plans and specifications for the initial construction of any building or facility that will not, when completed, be wholly owned by the state or an agency of the state shall be submitted to the commissioner for review and comment, if the construction is financed in whole or in part with funds appropriated by the state and there is no local building code in effect in the local jurisdiction in which the construction is planned or, if there is such a local building code in effect, it is not enforced through a system which includes both plan reviews and inspections. Subsequently, a written response by the design professional indicating corrective measures taken to address the commissioner’s plan review comments shall be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the issuance of construction documents for bidding. Bidding may commence on a project after the preliminary meeting provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all items on the preliminary meeting checklist have been resolved to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
	      i.    	 Architectural technical submissions, engineering documents, and plans and specifications for construction, renovation, or remodeling of all buildings or facilities, including additions to existing buildings, to which the state building code applies, other than those subject to paragraph “g” or “h,” shall be submitted to the commissioner for review and comment, unless applicability of the state building code is based upon a local ordinance enacted pursuant to Iowa Code section 103A.12. Subsequently, a written response by the design professional indicating corrective measures taken to address the commissioner’s plan review comments shall be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the issuance of construction documents for bidding. Bidding may commence on a project after the preliminary meeting provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all items on the preliminary meeting checklist have been resolved to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
	      j.    	 If the state building code applies to a construction project based upon a local ordinance adopting the state building code, the submission shall be made to the local jurisdiction, provided that the local jurisdiction has established a building department, unless the local jurisdiction requires submission to the commissioner. Review and approval of such documents by the commissioner shall be at the discretion of the commissioner based upon available resources.
	      k.    	 No project for which a life cycle cost analysis is required to be completed pursuant to Iowa Code section 470.2 shall be approved for construction prior to receipt by the commissioner of the life cycle cost analysis, final approval of the life cycle cost analysis by the commissioner and the economic development authority pursuant to Iowa Code section 470.7, and the completion of all applicable requirements established in Iowa Code section 470.7.
	      l.    	 No project for which an energy review is required pursuant to subrule 303.1(3) shall be approved for construction prior to the receipt by the commissioner of the energy review.
Note:  Compliance with the requirements of paragraphs “k” and “l” at the earliest practical time is strongly recommended. In no case shall the submission occur later than specified in the applicable statutory provisions and provisions of the state building code.
	      m.    	 Any submission to the commissioner of architectural technical submissions, engineering documents, or plans and specifications for construction, except for plans to renovate or remodel residential buildings of one or two units, shall include a statement that the construction will comply with all applicable energy conservation requirements.
	   300.4(2) Copies and fees. See 661—Chapters 16 and 322 for fees pertaining to factory-built structures.
	      a.    	 Codes and standards adopted by reference in the state building code which are published by other organizations, including, but not limited to, the American National Standards Institute, the International Code Council, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, and the National Fire Protection Association, may be purchased from the publishing organization. A copy of each code or standard adopted by reference in the state building code has been deposited in the Iowa state law library.
	      b.    	 The fees for plan reviews completed by the building code bureau shall be calculated as follows:
Estimated Construction Costs	Calculation of Plan Review Fee	
Up to and including $1 million	$.58 per thousand dollars or fraction thereof (minimum fee $200)	
More than $1 million	$580 for the first $1 million plus $.32 for each additional thousand dollars or fraction thereof	
The plan review fees for fire suppression systems and fire alarm systems are separate fees and shall be calculated as follows:	
Fire Protection System Costs	Plan Review Fee	
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is calculated to be up to and including $5,000	$100	
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is calculated to be more than $5,000 and up to and including $20,000	$200	
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is estimated to be more than $20,000	$400	
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is calculated to be up to and including $5,000	$100	
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is calculated to be more than $5,000 and up to and including $20,000	$200	
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for materials and installation is estimated to be more than $20,000	$400	
Payment of the assigned fee shall accompany each plan when submitted for review. Payment shall be made by money order, check or draft made payable to the Treasurer, State of Iowa.
Note: Plan review fees for assisted living projects are contained in Iowa Code section 231C.18(2)“c.”  Elder group home plan review fees are contained in Iowa Code section 231B.17. Adult day services plan review fees are contained in Iowa Code section 231D.4.
	      c.    	 A person who has submitted a plan for review for which a fee has been assessed pursuant to paragraph “b” is eligible to receive a refund of the fee if the plan has not been approved or rejected within 60 calendar days of its receipt by the building code bureau. A person who believes that a refund is due shall notify the building code commissioner who shall provide a form to the person who submitted the plan for review to request a refund. If the request for refund is approved, the building code commissioner shall cause a check for the amount of the refund to be issued to the individual or organization that originally paid the fee. If the original submission of the plan is incomplete, the fee shall be refunded only if the plan has not been approved or rejected within 60 days of a full and complete submission of the plan. “Approved or rejected within 60 days” means that a letter approving or rejecting the plan has been presented or mailed to the submitter within 60 days of the date of receipt by the building code bureau, within the meaning of “time” as defined in Iowa Code section 4.1.
	   300.4(3) Preliminary meeting. The responsible design professional for a project shall schedule a preliminary meeting with the building code bureau to discuss code compliance issues early in the design development phase. The responsible design professional shall contact the bureau to schedule the preliminary meeting. There is no separate fee for a preliminary meeting. If the responsible design professional plans to request approval to bid the project as part of the preliminary meeting, the responsible design professional shall request a copy of the document “Preliminary Meeting Checklist” at the time the meeting is scheduled and shall be prepared to address all applicable issues identified on the checklist at the preliminary meeting. Approval to bid the project shall not be given unless all applicable issues identified on the checklist have been addressed to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
	   300.4(4) Requests for staged approvals.
	      a.    	 Requests for approval to begin foundation work shall be submitted to the building code bureau in writing and may be transmitted by mail, E-mail or fax or in person. Foundation approval may be granted by the bureau in writing, following a preliminary meeting, if the construction plans and specifications are found to be in compliance with the requisite code provisions.
	      b.    	 Requests for approval to continue construction beyond the foundation, up to and including the shell of the building, shall be submitted to the bureau in writing and may be transmitted by mail, E-mail or fax or in person. These requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and approval or denial of the requests will be transmitted to the submitter in a written form.
	   300.4(5) Fast-track projects. While fast-track projects are not encouraged, fast-track projects may be considered by the commissioner on a case-by-case basis. If a fast-track project is initially approved, a written plan of submittal, review and approval will be developed for each project. All projects approved for fast-track review must be submitted in an electronic format that is acceptable to the commissioner.
Note:  Fast-track projects are not encouraged and will be approved only on the basis of good cause shown.
[ARC 8305B, IAB 11/18/09, effective 1/1/10; ARC 2492C, IAB 4/13/16, effective 5/18/16]