§ 143-143.4.  (Effective until January 1, 2025) Door lock exemption for certain businesses.

(a) Notwithstanding this Article or any other law to the contrary, any business entity licensed to sell automatic weapons as a federal firearms dealer that is in the business of selling firearms or ammunition and that operates a firing range which rents firearms and sells ammunition shall be exempt from the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code when issued a permit to that effect by the Office of the State Fire Marshal in accordance with this section.

(b) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall issue a permit to a business entity specified in subsection (a) of this section for an exemption from the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The building or facility in which business is conducted has a sales floor and customer occupancy space that is contained on one floor and is no larger than 15,000 square feet of retail sales space. Retail sales space is that area where firearms or ammunition are displayed and merchandised for sale to the public.

(2) The building or facility in which business is conducted is equipped with an approved smoke, fire, and break-in alarm system installed and operated in accordance with rules adopted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. An approved smoke, fire, or break-in alarm system does not have to include an automatic door unlocking mechanism triggered when the smoke, fire, or break-in alarm system is triggered.

(3) The owner or operator of the business will provide to all applicable employees within 10 days of the issuance of the permit under this section or at the time the employee is hired, whichever time is later, a written facility locking plan applicable for the close of business each day.

(4) Each entrance to the building or facility in which business is conducted is posted with a sign conspicuously located that warns that the building is exempt from the door lock requirements of the State Building Code, and that after business hours the building or facility's doors will remain locked from the inside even in the case of fire.

(5) Payment of a permit fee of five hundred dollars ($500.00) to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

(c) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall file a copy of the permit issued in accordance with subsection (b) of this section with all local law enforcement and fire protection agencies that provide protection for the business entity.

(d) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall be responsible for any inspections necessary for the issuance of permits under this section and, in conjunction with local inspection departments, shall be responsible for periodic inspections to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section. The Office of the State Fire Marshal may contract with local inspection departments to conduct inspections under this subsection.

(e) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall revoke a permit issued under this section upon a finding that the requirements for the original issuance of the permit are not being complied with.

(f) Appeals of decisions of the Office of the State Fire Marshal regarding the issuance or revocation of permits under this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.

(g) For the purposes of this section, "business entity" has the same meaning as in G.S. 59-102.

(h) In addition to the provisions of G.S. 143-138(h), the owner or operator of any business entity who is issued a permit as a door lock exempt business in accordance with subsection (b) of this section who fails to comply with the permit requirements of subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the first offense, one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the second offense, and five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the third and subsequent offenses, except when the building or facility in which business is conducted is in compliance with the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code. Penalties authorized in this subsection shall be imposed by the city or county in which the violation occurs. Each day the building or facility in which business is conducted is not in compliance with the provisions of this subsection constitutes a separate offense.

(i) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules to implement this section. (2001-324, s. 1; 2023-151, s. 11.62(a).)

§ 143-143.4.  (Effective January 1, 2025) Door lock exemption for certain businesses.

(a) Notwithstanding this Article or any other law to the contrary, any business entity licensed to sell automatic weapons as a federal firearms dealer that is in the business of selling firearms or ammunition and that operates a firing range which rents firearms and sells ammunition shall be exempt from the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code when issued a permit to that effect by the Office of the State Fire Marshal in accordance with this section.

(b) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall issue a permit to a business entity specified in subsection (a) of this section for an exemption from the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The building or facility in which business is conducted has a sales floor and customer occupancy space that is contained on one floor and is no larger than 15,000 square feet of retail sales space. Retail sales space is that area where firearms or ammunition are displayed and merchandised for sale to the public.

(2) The building or facility in which business is conducted is equipped with an approved smoke, fire, and break-in alarm system installed and operated in accordance with rules adopted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. An approved smoke, fire, or break-in alarm system does not have to include an automatic door unlocking mechanism triggered when the smoke, fire, or break-in alarm system is triggered.

(3) The owner or operator of the business will provide to all applicable employees within 10 days of the issuance of the permit under this section or at the time the employee is hired, whichever time is later, a written facility locking plan applicable for the close of business each day.

(4) Each entrance to the building or facility in which business is conducted is posted with a sign conspicuously located that warns that the building is exempt from the door lock requirements of the State Building Code, and that after business hours the building or facility's doors will remain locked from the inside even in the case of fire.

(5) Payment of a permit fee of five hundred dollars ($500.00) to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

(c) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall file a copy of the permit issued in accordance with subsection (b) of this section with all local law enforcement and fire protection agencies that provide protection for the business entity.

(d) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall be responsible for any inspections necessary for the issuance of permits under this section and, in conjunction with local inspection departments, shall be responsible for periodic inspections to ensure compliance with the requirements of this section. The Office of the State Fire Marshal may contract with local inspection departments to conduct inspections under this subsection.

(e) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall revoke a permit issued under this section upon a finding that the requirements for the original issuance of the permit are not being complied with.

(f) Appeals of decisions of the Office of the State Fire Marshal regarding the issuance or revocation of permits under this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.

(g) For the purposes of this section, "business entity" has the same meaning as in G.S. 59-102.

(h) In addition to the provisions of G.S. 143-138(h), the owner or operator of any business entity who is issued a permit as a door lock exempt business in accordance with subsection (b) of this section who fails to comply with the permit requirements of subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the first offense, one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the second offense, and five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the third and subsequent offenses, except when the building or facility in which business is conducted is in compliance with the door lock requirements of Chapter 10 of Volume 1 of the North Carolina State Building Code. Penalties authorized in this subsection shall be imposed by the city or county in which the violation occurs. Each day the building or facility in which business is conducted is not in compliance with the provisions of this subsection constitutes a separate offense.

(i) The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules to implement this section. (2001-324, s. 1; 2023-151, s. 11.62(a).)