Pressure Vessel Requirements Change State to State?

Pressure vessel requirements vary quite considerably over the 50 states although virtually all have legislated that pressure vessels should be manufactured in accordance with ASME VIII, and none appear to have any legislation that supersedes the BPVC. Typical code requirements for most states include the following:

• Design code: Virtually all states require that pressure vessels are designed and manufactured to ASME VIII. Some states accept vessels with Canadian registration numbers constructed in conformance with ASME, and a few will accept pressure vessels built to foreign codes after individual review. Several states require that ASME PVHO-1 is used for pressure vessels designed for human occupancy.
• Inspection codes: Most states require that pressure vessels are inspected to either the API-150 Pressure Vessel inspection code or to the National Board Inspection Code.
• Repairs: A number of states require the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NBBI) R certification for pressure vessel repair and the NBBI VR certification for the repair of pressure relief valves.
• Registration: Nearly all states require that pressure vessels are registered with the NBBI and that the Manufacturers Data report is filed.
• Inspection frequency: Several states specify the required frequency for pressure vessel and boiler inspections
• Special considerations: All states have detailed schedules listing which pressure vessels must be inspected and which are exempt.
• Boilers: As a rule, states require that boiler power piping is designed to ASME B31.1 and that boiler safety devices conform to ASME CSD-1