A plain-language guide to elevator inspection requirements — which codes apply, how often testing is required, and who is allowed to perform it. Adopted codes vary by jurisdiction; confirm specifics with your AHJ.
Elevator Inspection Requirements: Codes, Frequency and Who Can Inspect
Elevator inspection requirements confuse people because there is no single national rule. The technical standard is largely consistent, but the version adopted, the inspection interval, and who is licensed to perform the work are all decided at the state or local level.
Here is how the pieces fit together.
Which codes actually apply
- ASME A17.1 / CSA B44 — Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. The core technical standard covering design, operation, maintenance and testing.
- ASME A17.2 — Guide for Inspection. The companion inspection procedures manual.
- ASME A17.3 — Existing Installations. Retroactive requirements that older equipment may be brought up to.
- ASME QEI-1. Qualification standard for elevator inspectors.
- NFPA 72. Governs the fire alarm initiating devices that trigger elevator recall.
- State and local amendments. These determine which edition is enforced and how often inspections occur.
The practical consequence: two buildings in neighbouring states can be on different code editions with different intervals, even though the equipment is identical.
Inspection frequency
Under ASME A17.1 as commonly adopted:
- Routine/periodic inspection — typically annual for most passenger elevators, though some jurisdictions require semi-annual.
- Category 1 testing — commonly annual. No-load testing of safeties, brakes, and operating devices.
- Category 3 testing — applies to certain hydraulic equipment on a longer interval.
- Category 5 testing — commonly every five years. Full-load, rated-speed testing of car safeties, governors and buffers.
- Firefighters' emergency operation — commonly a monthly operational check, with a fuller test at the periodic inspection.
- Acceptance inspection — required after new installation or alteration, before the unit returns to service.
Escalators, dumbwaiters, platform lifts and residential elevators each carry their own intervals and are frequently missed on compliance calendars.
Who is qualified to inspect
Periodic and acceptance inspections generally require a Qualified Elevator Inspector certified under ASME QEI-1, and many states add their own licensing or registration on top. Some jurisdictions require the inspector to be independent of the company holding the maintenance contract, specifically to avoid self-certification.
Day-to-day operational checks — the monthly firefighters' service test, for example — are usually permitted to be performed by the maintenance contractor or trained building staff, with the owner retaining responsibility for ensuring they happen.
Why state rules differ so much
Elevator safety is administered at state level, and states adopt ASME editions on their own schedules. A state may enforce a code edition several cycles behind the current one, add amendments, set its own inspection interval, or run its own inspector licensing program. Some delegate enforcement to municipalities, which adds another layer.
For contractors working across state lines, this is the single biggest operational headache — the same service offering has to be scheduled and documented differently depending on where the unit sits.
What inspectors most often cite
- Missing or expired certificate in the car
- Storage in the machine room or pit
- Emergency communication not reaching a monitored location
- Overdue Category testing
- Firefighters' service not tested or not documented
- Maintenance Control Program records incomplete or unavailable on site
The last one is worth emphasising. ASME A17.1 requires a documented Maintenance Control Program, and inspectors increasingly ask to see it. If your records live on paper or in a technician's phone, an otherwise clean unit can still be written up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my state's specific requirements?
Start with your state elevator safety board or department of labor — most publish the adopted code edition and inspection intervals. Local building departments may add requirements on top.
Can the maintenance company perform the annual inspection?
It depends on the jurisdiction. Some allow it; others require an independent QEI. Check before you assume.
What happens if an inspection is overdue?
Consequences range from a correction notice to removal from service, and an overdue inspection can complicate insurance claims if an incident occurs.
Keeping every unit on schedule
Essential is all-in-one elevator service software — track inspection due dates per unit across jurisdictions, run digital checklists on mobile, log deficiencies with photos, and keep the service history available when an inspector asks for it.
