§ 426:18 — Grading and Certification or Stamping of Native Lumber

I. For the purposes of this subdivision, "native lumber" means wood processed in the state of New Hampshire by mills registered in accordance with the provisions of RSA 227-I. Such wood shall be considered certified or stamped in accordance with the requirements of this section.
II. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a mill registered in accordance with RSA 227-I selling native lumber shall, when required, certify in writing to the purchaser on a form approved by the commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food that the quality and safe working stresses of the lumber are equal to or better than No. 2 grade in accordance with the conditions set forth in the American Softwood Standard PS 20-70, or as amended, provided that lumber for use in load bearing wall members shall be of stud grade minimum. The certificate shall include wood species, quantity, location of use, green or dry, sawmill name, name of permitted grader and date. The certification shall be filed with the local building official having jurisdiction as part of the building permit application.
(b) Notwithstanding subparagraph (a), a mill registered in accordance with RSA 227-I selling native timber may stamp such timber.
III. The commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food, in consultation with the division of forests and lands and the University of New Hampshire cooperative extension, shall establish standards for mill graders who will stamp or certify native lumber. The commissioner shall issue a written permit to each mill grader who has received training and who demonstrates by examination or other procedure prescribed by the commissioner in rulemaking, competence, and ability to grade and certify or stamp native lumber in accordance with paragraph II of this section. No lumber shall be sold as certified or stamped native lumber unless it is accompanied by a certificate signed by a grader holding a valid permit.
IV. Any municipality which has adopted a building code which requires regular grade stamped lumber shall accept a stamp or a certificate prepared pursuant to this subdivision which certifies that the native lumber meets the appropriate structural standards in lieu of an accepted and recognized lumber grading stamp. Any structure which is built with such approved native lumber shall be considered equivalent to a structure built with regular grade stamped lumber.

Legislative History

2024, 252:1, eff. Sept. 17, 2024.