Which term is commonly used to describe local government law enacted by a city or county that has the force of statute?

• A. Ordinance
• B. Statute
• C. Regulation
• D. Enabling Legislation

Answer: (A)

Local ordinances are the formal laws enacted by a city council or county commission and carry the force of statute within the jurisdiction. They create rules on local matters—such as zoning, building codes, permits, and fire safety requirements—that residents and businesses must follow. The key is that these are created at the local level, apply only within the municipality or county, and have enforceable penalties just like state laws.

It’s helpful to contrast with statutes and regulations to see why this term fits. Statutes are state laws passed by the state legislature and apply statewide. Regulations are administrative rules issued by government agencies to implement statutes. Enabling legislation is the law that grants authority to create agencies or to enact regulations and ordinances; it’s the permission, not the local law itself.

In practice, a fire code in a city is often implemented through ordinances that adopt or reference applicable codes. This is why the term describing local government law with statutory force is ordinance.