GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 515
Short Title: Sign Manufacturing License Exemption. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Lazzara and Johnson (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S515 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO EXEMPT CER TAIN SIGN MANUFACTUR ERS FROM GENERAL 2
CONTRACTOR LICENSING REQUIREMENTS AND TO ESTABLISH A 3
VERIFICATION PROCEDU RE FOR BUILDING PERM IT APPLICANTS CLAIMING 4
THIS EXEMPTION. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. G.S. 87-1 reads as rewritten: 7
"§ 87-1. "General contractor" defined; exceptions. 8
(a) For the purpose of this Article any person or firm or corporation who for a fixed price, 9
commission, fee, or wage, undertakes to bid upon or to construct or who undertakes to 10
superintend or manage, on his own behalf or for any person, firm, or corporation that is not 11
licensed as a general contractor pursuant to this Article, the construction of any building, 12
highway, public utilities, grading or any improvement or structure where the cost of the 13
undertaking is forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or more, or undertakes to erect a North Carolina 14
labeled manufactured modular building meeting the North Carolina State Building Code, shall 15
be deemed to be a "general contractor" engaged in the business of general contracting in the State 16
of North Carolina. 17
(b) This section shall not apply to the following: 18
(1) Persons, firms, or corporations furnishing or erecting industrial equipment, 19
power plan plant equipment, radial brick chimneys, and monuments. 20
(2) Any person, firm, or corporation who constructs or alters a building on land 21
owned by that person, firm, or corporation provided (i) the building is 22
intended solely for occupancy by that person and his family, firm, or 23
corporation after completion; and (ii) the person, firm, or corporation 24
complies with G.S. 87-14. If the building is not occupied solely by the person 25
and his family, firm, or corporation for at least 12 months following 26
completion, it shall be presumed that the person, firm, or corporation did not 27
intend the building solely for occupancy by that person and his family, firm, 28
or corporation. 29
(3) Any person engaged in the business of farming who constructs or alters a 30
building on land owned by that person and used in the business of farming, 31
when the building is intended for use by that person after completion. 32
(4) Any person, firm, or corporation constructing, furnishing, or erecting signs, 33
awnings, or related architectural features and is UL certified." 34
SECTION 2. G.S. 87-14 reads as rewritten: 35
"§ 87-14. Regulations as to issue of building permits. 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 515-First Edition
(a) Any person, firm, or corporation, upon making application to the building inspector 1
or other authority of any incorporated city, town, or county in North Carolina charged with the 2
duty of issuing building or other permits for the construction of any building, highway, sewer, 3
grading, or any improvement or structure where the cost is to be forty thousand dollars ($40,000) 4
or more, shall, before being entitled to a permit, satisfy the following: 5
(1) Furnish satisfactory proof to the inspector or authority that the applicant 6
seeking the permit or another person contracting to superintend or manage the 7
construction is licensed under this Article to carry out or superintend the 8
construction or is exempt from licensure under G.S. 87-1(b). If an applicant 9
claims an exemption from licensure pursuant to G.S. 87-1(b)(2), the applicant 10
for the building permit shall execute a verified affidavit attesting to the 11
following: 12
a. That the applicant is the owner of the property on which the building 13
is being constructed and, if the applicant is a firm or corporation, that 14
the person submitting the application is an owner, officer, or member 15
of the firm or corporation that owns the property. 16
b. That the applicant will personally superintend and manage all aspects 17
of the construction of the building and that the duty will not be 18
delegated to any other person not licensed under this Article. 19
c. That the applicant will be personally present for all inspections 20
required by the North Carolina State Building Code, unless the plans 21
for the building were drawn and sealed by an architect licensed 22
pursuant to Chapter 83A of the General Statutes. 23
The building inspector or other authority shall transmit a copy of the affidavit 24
to the Board, which shall verify that the applicant was validly entitled to claim 25
the exemption under G.S. 87-1(b)(2). If the Board determines that the 26
applicant was not entitled to claim the exemption under G.S. 87-1(b)(2), the 27
building permit shall be revoked pursuant to G.S. 160D-1115. 28
(1a) If an applicant claims an exemption from licensure pursuant to 29
G.S. 87-1(b)(4), the applicant for the building permit shall provide 30
documentation demonstrating that the person, firm, or corporation is currently 31
UL certified for sign manufacturing. The applicant shall execute a verified 32
affidavit attesting to these facts. The building inspector or other authority shall 33
transmit a copy of the affidavit and documentation to the Board, which shall 34
verify that the applicant was validly entitled to claim the exemption under 35
G.S. 87-1(b)(4). If the Board determines that the applicant was not entitled to 36
claim the exemption under G.S. 87-1(b)(4), the building permit shall be 37
revoked pursuant to G.S. 160D-1115. 38
(2) Furnish proof that the applicant has in effect Workers' Compensation 39
insurance as required by Chapter 97 of the General Statutes. 40
(3) Redesignated as subsection (a1) by Session Laws 2022-62, s. 8, effective July 41
8, 2022. 42
(a1) Any person, firm, or corporation, upon making application to the building inspector 43
or other authority of any incorporated city, town, or county in North Carolina charged with the 44
duty of issuing building permits pursuant to G.S. 160D-1110 for any improvements for which 45
the combined cost is to be forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or more, other than for improvements 46
to an existing single-family residential dwelling unit as defined in G.S. 87-15.5(7) that the owner 47
occupies as a residence, or for the addition of an accessory building or accessory structure as 48
defined in the North Carolina Uniform Residential Building Code, the use of which is incidental 49
to that residential dwelling unit, shall be required to provide to the building inspector or other 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 515-First Edition Page 3
authority the name, physical and mailing address, telephone number, facsimile number, and 1
email address of the lien agent designated by the owner pursuant to G.S. 44A-11.1(a). 2
(b) It is unlawful for the building inspector or other authority to issue or allow the 3
issuance of a building permit pursuant to this section unless and until the applicant has furnished 4
evidence that the applicant has complied with subsection (a) of this section. Any building 5
inspector or other authority that is subject to and violates this section is guilty of a Class 3 6
misdemeanor and subject only to a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00)." 7
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law. 8