Connecticut recently enacted a law that lengthens its building code cycle, signaling a possible national trend.

The law pauses the state’s adoption of model codes between the 2024 and 2030 cycles. This usurps existing law that requires the state to adopt new codes within 18 months of their publication every three years.

The new law extends that timeframe to two years after the moratorium. The law also calls for a report to be issued by Jan. 1, 2029, to assess the impact of a pause on new code adoption. 

Housing affordability was the primary reason for the change. The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut strongly backed the code changes.

The organization argued that a six-year timeframe allows the industry to adopt new technologies and garner practical experience implementing code revisions. 

Connecticut’s law could portend a wider movement. Last year, California passed a similar law featuring a six-year hiatus on new codes.