A new home usually gets two kinds of inspection. Local code officials inspect the work under a building permit, checking it against the code your area adopted, often based on the International Residential Code (IRC). A private pre-drywall inspection, done after framing and before insulation and drywall, lets your own inspector see work that the walls will soon hide.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
What building code applies to a new home?
The code your state or local jurisdiction adopted applies, and in the U.S. that is usually an edition of the I-Codes. The International Code Council (ICC) says all fifty states have adopted the I-Codes.[2]
ICC was founded in 1994 to create one set of national model codes. It combined three earlier code organizations, BOCA, ICBO and SBCCI.[1] The I-Codes are a family of fifteen coordinated codes, including the International Building Code (IBC), the IRC and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). ICC updates them every three years.[2]
Each jurisdiction decides which edition it adopts, and local governments may amend it.[3] To find the code that applies to your home:
- Check ICC’s International Code Adoptions map, which filters by code.[3]
- Check ICC’s adoption chart. A year means that edition is adopted statewide. An “X” means some state or local agencies adopted an edition, but it is not the standard for all buildings.[4]
- For energy codes, check the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) State Portal.[5]
- Call your local building department.
What do permits and code inspections do?
Permits and code inspections check that the work meets the minimum code. ICC’s Building Safety Journal describes the steps:[6]
- The applicant submits a permit application.
- A plan reviewer checks the construction documents against the code before the permit is issued.
- Inspectors inspect the work during construction.
- After a final inspection, the code official issues a certificate of occupancy.
Timing matters. New Jersey requires inspections before any work is covered or concealed.[9] The City of Portland says inspections make sure work is safe and meets the minimum code.[8] The City of Las Vegas says permits give reasonable assurance against structural failure, fire, electrical hazards and health risks, and create permanent records for insurance and resale.[7]
Unpermitted work can cost you later. Portland warns that insurers may refuse to cover properties with unpermitted work, and that buyers and lenders may require corrections before closing.[8]
Codes also pay off at scale. ICC, summarizing a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) study, reports that the IRC and IBC produced more than $27 billion in cumulative mitigation benefits against flood, hurricane wind and earthquake hazards from 2000 to 2016.[10]
Why get a pre-drywall inspection?
A pre-drywall inspection lets someone working for you see the structure and systems before walls close. InterNACHI (the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) says drywall can hide parts of the interior and make problems difficult and expensive to find or fix.[13]
The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) Predrywall Standard covers inspections made after framing and before insulation and drywall.[11] InterNACHI’s pre-drywall standard defines the inspection as a non-invasive, visual look at accessible areas to find defects in specific systems.[12]
The table shows how the two kinds of inspection differ.
| Code inspection | Pre-drywall inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does it | The local code official or building inspector[6] | A private inspector you hire |
| Purpose | Enforce the adopted code to protect public health, safety and welfare[6] | Find defects in specific systems in accessible areas[12] |
| When | During construction, and a final inspection before the certificate of occupancy[6] | After framing, before insulation and drywall[11] |
| Checks code compliance? | Yes[6] | No. InterNACHI’s standard excludes code compliance, mold, lead and asbestos.[12] |
Use both. A code inspection checks the code minimum. A pre-drywall inspection gives you your own record of what was built before it was covered. Photograph what you see, and keep the report with your other records. See how to document a construction defect.
Related guides
- What a home inspection covers and what it doesn’t
- What is a construction defect?
- New-home builder warranties
- How to document a construction defect
- Water intrusion and flashing defects
- Foundation and structural defects
Sources
- International Code Council, “Who We Are,” no date shown.
- International Code Council, “The International Codes,” no date shown.
- International Code Council, “International Code Adoptions,” interactive map, no date shown.
- International Code Council, “International Codes: Adoption by State,” January 2024.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Building Energy Codes Program, “State Portal,” no date shown.
- International Code Council, Building Safety Journal, “Bring on Building Safety: Code Enforcement Explained,” April 30, 2018.
- City of Las Vegas Building and Safety, “When Do I Need a Permit? A Homeowner’s Guide,” no date shown.
- City of Portland, “Guide to Residential Permits and Inspections,” January 2022.
- Business.NJ.gov, “Building Permits and Inspections,” no date shown.
- International Code Council, “Codes Save,” summarizing FEMA’s Building Codes Save study, no date shown.
- American Society of Home Inspectors, “Predrywall Standard,” no date shown.
- InterNACHI, “Pre-Drywall Inspection Standards of Practice,” no date shown.
- InterNACHI, “Pre-Drywall Inspections,” no date shown.