Section 320.14. Approval procedures.

 

(1)   Application for approval.

(a) An application for approval of any modular home, building system or component shall be submitted to the department in the form required by the department, along with the appropriate fees in accordance with s. SPS 302.34 .

(b) The department shall review and make a determination on an application for approval of a modular home, building system or component within 3 months.

(2)   Approval of building systems and components.

(a) Approval of building systems.

1. `Plans and specifications.' All plans and specifications shall be submitted to the department according to subd. 1. a. or b. :

a. Three complete sets of building, structural, mechanical and electrical plans, (including elevations, sections and details), specifications and calculations shall be submitted to the department on behalf of the manufacturer for examination and approval.

b. At least one complete set of building, structural, mechanical and electrical plans, (including elevations, sections and details), specifications and calculations shall be submitted to the department on behalf of a manufacturer. All plans and specifications submitted to the department shall be stamped "conditionally approved" by a UDC certified inspector or inspectors.

2. `Compliance assurance program.'

a. Three sets of the compliance assurance program shall be submitted for examination and approval.

b. The compliance assurance program shall meet the standards of the Model Documents for the Evaluation, Approval and Inspection of Manufactured Buildings or an equivalent standard acceptable to the department.

(b) Approval of building components.

1. `Plans and specifications.' All plans and specifications shall be submitted to the department according to subd. 1. a. or b. :

a. At least 3 complete sets of plans and specifications for manufactured dwelling building components shall be submitted to the department on behalf of the manufacturer for examination and approval.

b. At least one complete set of plans and specifications for manufactured dwelling building components shall be submitted to the department on behalf of the manufacturer. All plans and specifications submitted to the department shall be stamped "conditionally approved" by a UDC certified inspector or inspectors.

2. `Compliance assurance program.'

a. Three sets of the compliance assurance program shall be submitted to the department for examination and approval of components.

b. The compliance assurance program shall meet the requirements established by the department or, where applicable, be in the form of the Model Documents for the Evaluation, Approval and Inspection of Manufactured Buildings or an equivalent standard acceptable to the department.

(3)   Notification of approval or denial of plans, specifications and compliance assurance program.

(a) Conditional approval. If the department determines that the plans, specifications, compliance assurance program and application for approval submitted for such building system or component substantially conform to the provisions of this code, a conditional approval shall be issued. A conditional approval issued by the department shall not constitute an assumption of any liability for the design or construction of the manufactured building.

1. `Written notice.' The conditional approval shall be in writing and sent to the manufacturer and the person submitting the application for approval. Any noncompliance specified in the conditional approval shall be corrected before the manufacture, sale or installation of the dwelling, building system or component.

2. `Stamping of plans, specifications and compliance assurance program.' Approved plans, specifications and compliance assurance programs shall be stamped "conditionally approved." At least 2 copies shall be returned to the person designated on the application for approval; one copy shall be retained by the department.

(b) Denial. If the department determines that the plans, specifications, compliance assurance program or the application for approval do not substantially conform to the provisions of this code, the application for approval shall be denied.

1. `Written notice.' The denial shall be in writing and sent to the manufacturer and the person submitting the application for approval. The notice shall state the reasons for denial.

2. `Stamping of plans, specifications and compliance assurance program.' Plans, specifications and compliance assurance programs shall be stamped"not approved." At least 2 copies shall be returned to the person submitting the application for approval; one copy shall be retained by the department.

(4)   Evidence of approval. The manufacturer shall keep at each manufacturing plant where such building system or component is manufactured, one set of plans, specifications and compliance assurance program bearing the stamp of conditional approval. The conditionally approved plans, specifications and compliance assurance program shall be available for inspection by an authorized representative of the department during normal working hours.

(5)   Inspections. Manufacturers shall contract with the department or an independent inspection agency to conduct in-plant inspections to assure that the building system and components manufactured are in compliance with the plans, specifications and the compliance assurance program approved by the department. All inspections, for the purpose of administering and enforcing this code, shall be performed by a certified UDC inspector or inspectors.

(6)   Wisconsin insignia. Upon departmental approval of the plans, specifications and compliance assurance program, and satisfactory in-plant inspections of the building system and components, Wisconsin insignias shall be purchased from the department in accordance with the fee established in s. SPS 302.34 . A manufacturer shall be entitled to display the Wisconsin insignia on any approved system or component.

(a) Lost or damaged insignia.

1. `Notification.' If Wisconsin insignias become lost or damaged, the department shall be notified immediately, in writing, by the manufacturer or dealer.

2. `Return of damaged insignias.' If Wisconsin insignias become damaged, the insignia shall be returned to the department with the appropriate fee to obtain a new insignia.

(b) Affixing Wisconsin insignias. Each Wisconsin insignia shall be assigned and affixed to a specific manufactured dwelling or component in the manner approved by the department before the dwelling is shipped from the manufacturing plant.

(c) Insignia records.

1. `Manufacturer's insignia records.' The manufacturer shall keep permanent records regarding the handling of all Wisconsin insignias, including construction compliance certificates, indicating the number of Wisconsin insignias which have been affixed to manufactured dwellings or manufactured building components (or groups of components); which Wisconsin insignias have been applied to which manufactured dwelling or manufactured building component; the disposition of any damaged or rejected Wisconsin insignias; and the location and custody of all unused Wisconsin insignias. The records shall be maintained by the manufacturer or by the independent inspection agency for at least 10 years. A copy of the records shall be sent to the department upon request.

2. `Construction compliance certificate.' Within 30 days after receiving the original Wisconsin insignias from the department, and at the end of each month thereafter, the manufacturer shall submit a construction compliance certificate, in the form determined by the department, for each manufactured dwelling intended for sale, use or installation in the state.

(d) Unit identification. Each modular home and major transportable section or component shall be assigned a serial number. The serial number shall be located on the manufacturer's data plate.

(e) Manufacturer's data plate. The manufacturer's data plate for building systems shall contain the following information, where applicable:

1. Manufacturer's name and address;

2. Date of manufacture;

3. Serial number of unit;

4. Model designation;

5. Identification of type of gas required for appliances and directions for water and drain connections;

6. Identification of date of the codes or standards complied with;

7. State insignia number;

8. Design loads;

9. Special conditions or limitations of unit;

10. Electrical ratings; instructions and warnings on voltage, phase, size and connections of units and grounding requirements.

(7)   Reciprocity. Upon request, the department will make available to any person a list of those states whose dwelling codes are considered equal to the codes established by the department and whose products are accepted reciprocally by Wisconsin.

History: Cr. Register, November, 1979, No. 287 , eff. 6-1-80; am. (1) (a), r. and recr. (2) (a) 1. and (b) 1., Register, February, 1985, No. 350 , eff. 3-1-85; correction in (6) (intro.) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, September, 1992, No. 441 ; am. (1), (2) (a) 2., Register, November, 1995, No. 479 , eff. 12-1-95; am. (2) (a) 1. b., (b) 1. b., (5), Register, October, 1996, No. 490 , eff. 11-1-96; correction in (6) (intro.) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, October, 1996, No. 490 ; correction in (1) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, March, 1998, No. 507 ; correction in (2) (a) 2. made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register May 2003 No. 569 ; CR 06-119 : am. (1) Register July 2007 No. 619 , eff. 8-1-07; CR 08-043 : am. (1), (2) (a) 2. and (b) 2. Register March 2009 No. 639 , eff. 4-1-09; corrections in (2) (a) 2. b., (b) 2. b. and (6) (d) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register March 2009 No. 639 ; correction in (1) (a), (6) (intro.) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672 .