Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-27.3-128.6. Special technical services

(a) When applications for unusual designs or magnitude of construction are filed, the building official may refer the plans and specifications to the state building commissioner, or he or she may in his or her discretion, retain a professional engineer or architect for advice and recommendations as to the plans and specifications, safety of design, and compliance with this code. The building official may also employ a professional engineer or architect to observe the construction in the field to insure compliance with the approved plans and permit. Upon completion of the work, the architect or engineer employed shall file with the building official a report to the effect that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the building has been erected in accordance with accepted engineering practice and in conformity to all the statutory provisions governing building construction for the designated use group classification of the building structure, in respect to use, fire grading, floor, and occupancy loads.

(b) When an owner has plans and specifications for repetitive construction in a community or several communities for proposed one and two (2) family dwellings, the owner shall be permitted to refer the review of such plans and specifications for building code compliance to the office of the state building code commissioner for building code approval. All communities shall be required to accept such approved plans without further review until approval is revoked by the state building code commissioner. Provided, however, that said communities shall incur no liability for any errors or omissions associated with said approval. The building code standards committee may also establish a list of private sector certified plan reviewers to perform this function. The committee shall establish rules and regulations for this certification procedure. The owner of all plans reviewed and approved by the office of the state building code commissioner or a certified plan reviewer will not be charged for the review of such plans and specifications for building code compliance by all and any communities charging a separate fee for such review.