HB598 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Hill

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Elevator Safety Review Board, regulation of elevators and inspection of elevators in private residences, authority to place elevators out of service, local regulation preempted, Sec. 25-13-18 am'd.

Summary

HB598 would require inspections and certificates of operation for residential elevators, allow halting noncompliant units, and preempt local regulation governs elevators in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

All newly installed residential elevators in private homes and any residential elevator installed elsewhere must be inspected and get a certificate of operation before use. The administrator can require an elevator that is out of compliance to be placed out of service until it passes reinspections, and private home owners may request annual inspections. The bill sets inspection and fee rules, notes the 3x5 hoistway rule for certain installations, and states that state regulation preempts local regulations. Certificates have renewal rules (annual or every three years for private residence stairlifts/platform lifts) and must be displayed.

Who It Affects

• Private residence owners: must obtain a certificate of operation before use of their residential elevator, may request inspections, may be required to leave an out-of-service elevator until it is reinspected, and must display the certificate (with certain fee waivers for private residence stairlifts).
• Elevator contractors, inspectors, and the Elevator Safety Review Board administrator: responsible for installing/conveyance work, certifying compliance, arranging and conducting inspections (including third-party inspections), issuing certificates of operation, and enforcing the out-of-service provisions; local regulations are preempted by state rules.

Key Provisions

• New residential elevators in private residences and all residential elevators installed elsewhere must be inspected and receive a certificate of operation before the conveyance can be used.
• The administrator may require any noncompliant conveyance to be placed out of service until reinspected and found compliant; state regulation preempts local regulation.
• Fees: certificate of operation fees apply for new installations, with inspections by licensed third-party firms; private residence stairway chairlifts have the certificate fee and renewal fees waived.
• Inspections: the administrator (or designee) must inspect newly installed and existing private residence elevators, platform lifts, and stairway chairlifts; the inspection must note compliance with hoistway openings (3x5 rule) for elevators outside private residences.
• Renewals and display: certificates of operation are renewable (annually for most, three years for platform lifts/stairway chairlifts in private residences), must be displayed on the conveyance, and private residents may request annual inspections.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elevator Safety Review Board