ParcelBrief is a plain-English alert service for building codes and construction law. We track every code and legal change in the states you build in, explain what each one means for your costs and your projects, and link you straight to the official free code — so your whole team stops guessing which edition applies.
Covering all 50 states — code & law change intelligence, in plain English.
To make the rules of building clear to everyone who builds — so a code or law change is a heads-up you act on, never a surprise that costs you. We turn the dense, scattered world of building codes and construction law into plain English, tied to the official source, for every state you work in.
— ParcelBrief · founded by a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1153483)
One place for the codes, the changes, and what they mean — built by builders, for contractors and developers.
The day a building code or construction law changes in your state, we tell you — what changed, the date it hits, and what it does to your costs. No legalese.
Building, mechanical, plumbing, energy, fire and electrical — the exact adopted edition per state, linked to the official free text. Never guess the year again.
Every change is spelled out for the contractor (what it costs) and the developer (the opportunity and the risk). Your newest estimator and your principal both get it.
A missed edition is a redesign; a missed lien deadline is unpaid work. ParcelBrief catches both before they cost you — the cheapest insurance on the job.
All 50 states are live — click any state for its adopted codes, recent & upcoming changes, and one click to the official text.
Each update is the plain-English version. The code baseline is confirmed; anything still moving through a legislature is flagged as "watch — verify." One click takes you to the actual, official code text.
California is on the 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24), built on the 2024 IBC/IRC, effective January 1, 2026. The 2025 California Energy Code (Part 6) replaced the 2022 version the same day. California writes its own energy code — it does not use the IECC.
If you pull a commercial permit in California today, you're on the newest code cycle in the country, and the energy rules got stricter. Cities can also adopt their own "reach codes" that are tougher than the state baseline — so check the local jurisdiction too.
Several 2025–26 bills tie prevailing-wage and CEQA exemptions to labor conditions. Confirm the final chaptered version and effective date before relying on any of them.
Arizona has no single statewide building code — each city and county adopts and amends its own edition. So the code that applies depends entirely on where your project is.
Never assume "Arizona code." Confirm the exact edition and local amendments with the city or county building department for each project. Example: Cochise County moved to the 2024 I-Codes and 2023 NEC effective September 1, 2026 — but kept the older 2012 energy code.
SB 1529 would require municipalities to publish pre-approved home/ADU plans (single-family & ADU from July 1, 2026; triplex from Jan 1, 2027). Confirm final enactment before planning around it.
Washington adopted the 2024 I-Codes (IBC/IRC/IECC) with state amendments, through the State Building Code Council. The rollout has been staged and delayed rather than a single switch-on date.
Don't assume the 2024 code is fully in effect for your permit — confirm the current effective edition and any transition rule with the SBCC and your local building official before you design or bid.
HB 2191 could shift wage-payment risk up the contracting chain. Recheck its final status and effective date before signing owner–contractor and subcontract agreements.
Colorado's building code is adopted locally (city/county), so the applicable edition depends on jurisdiction. But Colorado's biggest 2026 changes aren't about the building code at all — they're about money and claims.
From August 12, 2026: you can post a retainage bond instead of having retainage withheld (HB26-1311; retainage is generally capped at 5% on contracts ≥ $150,000). Also from Aug 12, 2026, knowingly filing an excessive lien or public-bond claim forfeits that claim (SB26-074) — support your numbers carefully. And SB26-109 (accessibility for publicly-supported housing) took effect May 5, 2026.
HB26-1001 (housing reform) carries major compliance dates starting Dec 31, 2027. HB26-1415 (residential contractor certification) has no confirmed effective date yet.
New Hampshire's state building code is the 2021 IBC/IRC/IEBC/IMC/IPC with the 2018 energy code (IECC), as amended, under RSA 155-A. Local webpages are inconsistent — the statute and State Building Code Review Board control.
Design to the 2021 building codes and the 2018 energy code, but confirm the exact effective edition with your town's building official — editions can lag or lead the statute locally.
HB 1159 ("updating the state building code") is in motion — confirm which edition it enacts and when. A plug-in-solar provision takes effect Jan 1, 2027, but only once the state certifies a national electrical standard.
Oklahoma just moved onto the 2024 I-Codes (IBC/IRC/IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC/IFC) with Oklahoma amendments, effective September 14, 2026, replacing the 2018 codes. These are statewide minimums set by the Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC); cities enforce and may go further.
A permit pulled this fall sits right on the transition line — confirm whether your job is under the old 2018 or new 2024 edition. And don't assume energy jumped too: Oklahoma's energy code lags the building codes.
The 2024 codes are brand new (Sep 14, 2026) and the Construction Industries Board runs a 90-day licensing-test transition. Confirm your permit's governing edition and your city's local adoption before you price.
Texas has no single statewide building code — each city adopts and amends its own IBC/IRC edition (Austin is on the 2024 codes). Two things are statewide: a minimum energy code (via SECO) and the electrical code (NEC, via TDLR).
"The Texas code" is a trap — confirm the exact edition and local amendments with the city. Budget and schedule by jurisdiction, since permitting speed and editions differ across metros.
Big metros are moving to the 2024 I-Codes on staggered dates through 2026–2027. Statewide 2024 IECC energy adoption is being pushed but not yet in force — confirm the current energy edition.
Michigan has one statewide code via LARA, based on the 2021 I-Codes. The 2021 commercial building, mechanical, plumbing and commercial-energy codes are in effect (2024–2025).
Commercial is settled on the 2021 editions. For homes, confirm whether the 2021 or the older 2015 residential code applies — it changes your design basis and energy cost.
The 2021 residential and residential-energy rules were paused by a 2025 court order amid litigation — the 2015 edition may still govern homes. Confirm the enforced residential edition with LARA.
No signup needed to read them. Built to earn your trust before you ever pay a dollar.
Building, mechanical, plumbing, energy, fuel-gas, fire & electrical. The exact adopted edition per state, with one click to the official free full text. No hunting which year applies.
Open the Code Library →Five states, one page. Every 2026 change that can cost you money — the date, the cost, one click to the code. Print it, pin it by the plan table.
Open the cheat sheet →Retainage, lien deadlines, prompt-pay, and the Colorado laws that just changed — the five levers that decide when cash actually reaches you.
Read the guide →Plain-English code & law change intelligence — one click to the actual code. Pay for just the one state you build in, or get full access to all of them. Start free; upgrade when it's saved you a headache.