(a) As used in this section:
(i) "Application" means a residential building permit application submitted by an applicant for the construction of a dwelling that:
(A) Is not more than three (3) stories above grade plane in height;
(B) Does not have accessory structures that are more than three (3) stories above grade plane in height;
(C) Has not more than three thousand (3,000) square feet of finished floor area per dwelling unit or townhouse unit; and
(D) Is regulated under the most recent version of the International Residential Code adopted by the local government entity.
(ii) "Delivered by electronic means" includes delivery to an electronic mail address at which an applicant has consented to receive notices, documents or information or through permitting software used by the local government entity;
(iii) "Dwelling" means a building that contains one (1) or two (2) dwelling units used, intended or designed to be built, used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied or that are occupied for living purposes;
(iv) "Dwelling unit" means a single unit providing complete independent living facilities for one (1) or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation and that has a separate means of egress;
(v) "Local government entity" means a governing body of a city, town, county or other political subdivision of the state, including a planning commission or a planning and zoning commission;
(vi) "Means of egress" means a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling unit to the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage.
(b) A local government entity shall provide written notice to the applicant not later than ten (10) business days after receipt of an application, notifying the applicant if the applicant's application is deemed complete or incomplete. A local government entity shall deem an applicant's application as incomplete if the application fails to contain all information required by law or an adopted ordinance, regulation or policy of the local government entity. The written notice required under this subsection shall explain what information is necessary for the local government entity to deem the applicant's application as complete. The written notice required under this subsection may be delivered by electronic means.
(c) A local government entity shall approve or deny an applicant's completed application not later than thirty (30) calendar days after the date the completed application is submitted. The thirty (30) calendar day deadline imposed under this subsection shall not include any period that the review of the completed application is suspended. A local government entity may suspend review of a completed application if one (1) or more of the following has occurred:
(i) The applicant or local government entity requests clarification or additional information regarding the applicant's completed application. The deadline shall be suspended under this paragraph until the clarification or information is received by the requesting party;
(ii) An applicant's completed application requires approval by a state or federal agency. The deadline shall be suspended under this paragraph until the completed application is approved by the state or federal agency. If approval is required from more than one (1) state or federal agency the deadline shall remain suspended under this paragraph until all approvals have been obtained.
(d) The thirty (30) day deadline imposed under subsection (c) of this section may be extended if an applicant and the local government entity agree in writing to an extension of the deadline.
(e) If the local government entity denies the applicant's completed application, the local government entity shall provide written notice to the applicant not later than seven (7) calendar days after the denial of the applicant's completed application stating the reasons why the local government entity denied the applicant's completed application. The written notice required under this subsection may be delivered by electronic means.
(f) Any requirements or conditions associated with an applicant's application that were not imposed by a local government entity during the initial review and approval of an applicant's application that are imposed on an applicant after the applicant's completed application has been approved shall result in a ten percent (10%) reduction in the fees charged by the local government entity for the application, unless the requirements are a result of unanticipated conditions of the subject property that require the applicant to implement mitigation measures.
(g) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, if a local government entity fails to comply with the deadline established under subsection (c) of this section the applicant's completed application shall be deemed approved as submitted on the day after the deadline has lapsed. A building constructed pursuant to a permit approved under this subsection shall remain subject to and shall pass all safety and code compliance inspections before a certificate of occupancy may be issued.
