SECTION .0600 – U.S. SURVEY FOOT/INTERNATIONAL FOOT
TITLE 14B – DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Notice is hereby given in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.2 that the Department of Public Safety intends to adopt the rules cited as 14B NCAC 03 .0601, and .0602.
Link to agency website pursuant to G.S. 150B-19.1(c): www.ncdps.gov
Proposed Effective Date: February 1, 2026
Instructions on How to Demand a Public Hearing: (must be requested in writing within 15 days of notice): Request a hearing for this rule by contacting the NCDPS rulemaking coordinator by October 30, 2025. Send request to Will Polk, Office of General Counsel, 4201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4201. Phone: 919-710-8885. E-mail: will.polk@ncdps.gov
Reason for Proposed Action: The purpose of the proposed rules is to clarify the appropriate usage of the U.S. Survey Foot and International Foot. This change is in accordance with the decision by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) to phase out the U.S. Survey Foot. It also aligns with recent amendments to North Carolina General Statute 102-1.2, which adopted the International Foot as the state standard. The clarification provided by the proposed rules should reduce confusion arising from having multiple measurement standards, helping to prevent costly errors and improve consistency in project execution.
Comments may be submitted to: Will Polk, 4201 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4201; email will.polk@ncdps.gov
Comment period ends: December 15, 2025
Procedure for Subjecting a Proposed Rule to Legislative Review: If an objection is not resolved prior to the adoption of the rule, a person may also submit a written objection to the Rules Review Commission. If the Rules Review Commission receives written and signed objections after the adoption of the Rule in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.3(b2) from 10 or more persons clearly requesting review by the legislature and the Rules Review Commission approves the rule, the rule will become effective as provided in G.S. 150B-21.3(b1). The Commission will receive written objections until 5:00 p.m. on the day following the day the Commission approves the rule. The Commission will receive letters via U.S. Mail, private courier service, or hand delivery to 1711 New Hope Church Road, Raleigh, North Carolina, or via email to oah.rules@oah.nc.gov. If you have any further questions concerning the submission of objections to the Commission, please review 26 NCAC 05 .0110 or call a Commission staff attorney at 984-236-1850.
Fiscal impact. Does any rule or combination of rules in this notice create an economic impact? Check all that apply.
[X] State funds affected
[X] Local funds affected
[ ] Substantial economic impact (>= $1,000,000)
[X] Approved by OSBM
[ ] No fiscal note required
SECTION .0600 – U.S. SURVEY FOOT/INTERNATIONAL FOOT
14B NCAC 03 .0601 PURPOSE
The purpose of this Rule is to provide guidance to government agencies, and the engineering, surveying, construction, agriculture, mapping, and geospatial industries in the State of North Carolina on when to use the United States Survey Foot and the International Foot.
History Note: Authority G.S. 102-1; 102-1.1; 102-1.2; 102-1.3; 102-2; 102-8; 102-9
Eff. February 1, 2026.
14B NCAC 03 .0602 REQUIRED FOOT CONVERSION
When state plane coordinates and heights (elevation) are provided in feet, the conversion between the foot and meter shall be based on the coordinate system used for determining the coordinates or height. This requirement applies to horizontal plane and vertical coordinates, and to all values associated with or derived from these coordinates. That includes, but is not limited to, distance, elevation, height, area, and volume, along with values computed from the foot, such as the chain, pole, rod, mile, square mile, and acre. The following foot conversion shall be used:
(1) The International Foot, 1 foot = 0.3048 meter exactly, when coordinates are based on the North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF2022) as described in 102-1.2 of the North Carolina General Statutes, and for all subsequent coordinate systems adopted by the North Carolina Geodetic Survey or its successor.
(2) The International Foot, 1 foot = 0.3048 meter exactly, when heights are based on the North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022), and for all subsequent coordinate systems adopted by the North Carolina Geodetic Survey or its successor.
(3) The U.S. Survey Foot, 1 foot = 1200/3937 meter exactly or 1 foot = 0.304800609601219 meter approximately, when coordinates are based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) or the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) as described in 102-1.1 or 102-1, respectively, of the North Carolina General Statutes.
(4) The U.S. Survey Foot, 1 foot = 1200/3937 meter exactly or 1 foot = 0.304800609601219 meter approximately, when heights are based on the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) or the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29).
History Note: Authority G.S. 102-1; 101-1.1; 102-1.2; 102-1.3; 102-2; 102-8; 102-9
Eff. February 1, 2026.