Which term refers to local or municipal law that applies to persons and things within the local jurisdiction and has the force of a statute?

• A. Ordinance
• B. AHJ
• C. Statute
• D. Regulations

Answer: (A)

Local governments create laws that govern people and property within their boundaries, and these laws carry the same force as statutes inside that jurisdiction. That term is an ordinance. Ordnances are enacted by a city, town, or county government and can cover fire safety, building codes, zoning, nuisance rules, and other local matters. They are distinct from statutes, which come from state or federal legislatures and have broader reach, and from regulations, which are rules issued by agencies under authority granted by statutes. The AHJ is the authority responsible for enforcing these rules, not a type of law itself. In short, an ordinance is the local law with the force of statute that applies within the local area.