Architects review contract documents, but they aren't the only professional with authority over construction quality. Authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) ; the building official, fire marshal, accessibility inspector, and sometimes others ; conduct their own inspections and carry legal enforcement authority the architect does not possess.

The building official's inspections are required by law. They happen at defined milestones: foundation before concrete pours, framing before insulation, rough MEP before walls close, final inspection at project completion. Without a final certificate of occupancy from the building official, the building cannot be legally occupied. That's the ultimate enforcement tool.

The fire marshal review focuses on life-safety systems: fire sprinklers, fire alarms, egress paths, fire-rated assemblies. On commercial projects, the fire marshal often performs independent inspections of these systems. Discrepancies between what the fire marshal requires and what the drawings show can create difficult situations.

Accessibility inspections can occur during construction or at completion, verifying that slopes, door clearances, counter heights, reach ranges, restroom dimensions, and accessible routes meet ADA and applicable building code requirements. Accessibility corrections found late in construction are expensive, since they often involve removing finished work.

For the ARE, understanding the relationship between the architect's contract administration role and the AHJ's regulatory role is central. The architect evaluates conformance with contract documents. The AHJ enforces conformance with applicable codes. When they identify the same issue, the response is straightforward. When they disagree ; or when the AHJ raises concerns beyond what the drawings addressed ; the architect must work through that carefully.