Fire Code cheatsheet
Fire Code cheatsheet
These regulations shall be known as the California Fire Code, may be cited as such and will be referred to herein as "this code." The California Fire Code is Part 9 of thirteen parts of the official compilation and publication of the adoptions, amendment and repeal of building regulations to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code. This part incorporates by adoption the 2021 International Fire Code of the International Code Council (ICC) with necessary California amendments.
The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements consistent with nationally recognized good practices to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures and premises, and to provide safety and assistance to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.
The provisions of this code shall apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such building structures throughout the State of California.This code establishes regulations affecting or relating to buildings, structures, processes, premises and a reasonable degree of life and property safeguards regarding:
Except as modified by local ordinance pursuant to Section 1.1.8, the following standards in the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11 shall apply to all occupancies and applications not regulated by a state agency.
The model code, state amendments to the model code, and/or state amendments where there are no relevant model code provisions, shall apply to the following buildings, structures and applications regulated by state agencies as specified in Sections 1.2 through 1.14, except where modified by local ordinance pursuant to Section 1.1.8. When adopted by a state agency, the provisions of this code shall be enforced by the appropriate enforcing agency, but only to the extent of authority granted to such agency by the state legislature.Note: See "How to Distinguish Between Model Code Language and California Amendments" following the Preface.
Provisions contained in the appendices of this code shall not apply unless specifically adopted by a state agency or adopted by a local enforcing agency in compliance with Health and Safety Code, Section 18901 et. seq. for Building Standards Law, Health and Safety Code, Section 17950 for State Housing Law and Health and Safety Code, Section 13869.7 for Fire Protection Districts. See Section 1.1.8 of this code.
The codes, standards and publications adopted and set forth in this code, including other codes, standards and publications referred to therein are, by title and date of publication, hereby adopted as standard reference documents of this code. When this code does not specifically cover any subject related to building design and construction, recognized architectural or engineering practices shall be employed. The National Fire Codes, standards and the Fire Protection Handbook of the National Fire Protection Association are permitted to be used as authoritative guides in determining recognized fire prevention engineering practices.
Requirements contained in the California Fire Code, or in any other referenced standard, code or document, which are not building standards as defined in Health and Safety Code, Section 18909 shall not be construed as part of the provisions of this code. For nonbuilding standards, orders and regulations, see other titles of the California Code of Regulations.
In the event of any differences between these building standards and the standard reference documents, the text of these building standards shall govern.
Where a specific provision varies from a general provision, the specific provision shall apply.
When the requirements of this code conflict with the requirements of any other part of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, the most restrictive requirements shall prevail.
Detached one- and two-family dwellings, efficiency dwelling units, lodging houses, live/work units, townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane with a separate means of egress, and their accessory structures, may be designed and constructed in accordance with the California Building Code or the California Residential Code, but not both, unless the proposed structure(s) or element(s) exceed the design limitations established in the California Residential Code, and the code user is specially directed by the California Residential Code to use the California Building Code.
The provisions of this code do not limit the authority of city, county or city and county governments to establish more restrictive and reasonably necessary differences to the provisions contained in this code pursuant to complying with Section 1.1.8.1. The effective date of amendments, additions or deletions to this code of a city, county or a city and county filed pursuant to Section 1.1.8.1 shall be the date filed. However, in no case shall the amendments, additions or deletions to this code be effective any sooner than the effective date of this code.Local modifications shall comply with Health and Safety Code, Section 18941.5 for Building Standards Law, Health and Safety Code, Section 17958 for State Housing Law or Health and Safety Code, Section 13869.7 for Fire Protection Districts.
In addition to the provisions of Section 1.1.8.1 of this Part, the provisions of this section apply to cities, counties and city and county amending adopted energy standards affecting buildings and structures subject to the California Energy Code, Part 6.Applicable provisions of Public Resources Code Section 25402.1 and applicable provisions of Chapter 10 of the California Administrative Code, Part 1 apply to local amendment of energy standards adopted by the California Energy Commission.
Only those standards approved by the California Building Standards Commission that are effective at the time an application for building permit is submitted shall apply to the plans and specifications for, and to the construction performed under, that permit. For the effective dates of the provisions contained in this code, see the History Note page of this code.
At least one complete copy each of Titles 8, 19, 20, 24 and 25 with all revisions shall be maintained in the office of the building official responsible for the administration and enforcement of this code. Each state department concerned and each city, county or city and county shall have an up-to-date copy of the code available for public inspection. See Health and Safety Code, Section 18942(e)(1) and (2).
This part fundamentally adopts the California Fire Code by reference on a chapter-by-chapter basis. When a specific chapter of the California Fire Code is not printed in the code and is marked "Reserved," such chapter of the California Fire Code is not adopted as a portion of this code. When a specific chapter of the California Fire Code is marked "Not adopted by the State of California," but appears in the code, it may be available for adoption by local ordinance.Note: Matrix Adoption Tables at the front of each chapter may aid the code user in determining which chapter or sections within a chapter are applicable to buildings under the authority of a specific state agency, but they are not to be considered regulatory.
If any chapter, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this code is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, contrary to statute, exceeding the authority of the state as stipulated by statutes or otherwise inoperative, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this code.
Specific scope of application of the agency responsible for enforcement, the enforcement agency and the specific authority to adopt and enforce such provisions of this code, unless otherwise stated.Application:Institutional, educational or any similar occupancy. Any building or structure used or intended for use as an asylum, jail, prison, mental hospital, hospital, sanitarium, home for the elderly, children's nursery, children's home or institution, school or any similar occupancy of any capacity.Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.Assembly or similar place of assemblage. Any theater, dancehall, skating rink, auditorium, assembly hall, meeting hall, nightclub, fair building or similar place of assemblage where 50 or more persons may gather together in a building, room or structure for the purpose of amusement, entertainment, instruction, deliberation, worship, drinking or dining, awaiting transportation or education.
Small family daycare homes.
Large family daycare homes.
Residential facilities and residential facilities for the elderly.
Any state institution or other state-owned or specified state-occupied building.Specified state-occupied buildings. Any building, structure or area that meets any of the following criteria:
Except as provided in Items 1 through 11, buildings shall become the responsibility of the local jurisdiction.
High-rise structures.
Motion picture production studios.
Organized camps.
Residential. All hotels, motels, lodging houses, apartment houses and dwellings, including congregate residences and buildings and structures accessory thereto. Multiple-story structures existing on January 1, 1975, let for human habitation, including and limited to, hotels, motels and apartment houses, less than 75 feet (22 860 mm) above the lowest floor level having building access, wherein rooms used for sleeping are let above the ground floor.
Residential care facilities. Certified family care homes, outof-home placement facilities, halfway houses, drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation facilities and any building or structure used or intended for use as a home or institution for the housing of any person of any age when such person is referred to or placed within such home or institution for protective social care and supervision services by any governmental agency.
Tents, awnings or other fabric enclosures used in connection with any occupancy.
Fire alarm devices, equipment and systems in connection with any occupancy.
Flammable and combustible liquids.
Public school automatic fire detection, alarm and sprinkler systems.
Wildland-urban interface Fire Area.
The provisions of this code applicable to buildings identified in this Subsection 1.11.1 will be identified in the Matrix Adoption Tables under the acronym SFM.
The responsibility for enforcement of building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal and published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal shall be, except as provided in Section 1.11.2.1.2, as follows:
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §1.11] Enforcement of Regulations.In most instances, the application of California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 to existing occupancies will necessitate the granting of sufficient time to affect the necessary changes. The inspection authority must, therefore, exercise good judgment in authorizing sufficient time to complete the required changes, taking into consideration the degree of danger to life in event of fire while rectification is being carried out. The inspection authority may require immediate compliance with any or all of the regulations, or he may grant a reasonable length of time in which to conform.[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.12] Enforcement Agency.
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Section 13108, and except as otherwise provided in this section, building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety shall be enforced by the State Fire Marshal in all state-owned buildings, state-occupied buildings and state institutions throughout the state. Upon the written request of the chief fire official of any city, county or fire protection district, the State Fire Marshal may authorize such chief fire official and his or her authorized representatives, in their geographical area of responsibility, to make fire prevention inspections of state-owned or state-occupied buildings, other than state institutions, for the purpose of enforcing the regulations relating to fire and panic safety adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section and building standards relating to fire and panic safety published in the California Building Standards Code. Authorization from the State Fire Marshal shall be limited to those fire departments or fire districts which maintain a fire prevention bureau staffed by paid personnel.Pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Section 13108, any requirement or order made by any chief fire official who is authorized by the State Fire Marshal to make fire prevention inspections of state-owned or state-occupied buildings, other than state institutions, may be appealed to the State Fire Marshal. The State Fire Marshal shall, upon receiving an appeal and subject to the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 18945) of Part 2.5 of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, determine if the requirement or order made is reasonably consistent with the fire and panic safety regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal and building standards relating to fire and panic safety published in the California Building Code.Any person may request a code interpretation from the State Fire Marshal relative to the intent of any regulation or provision adopted by the State Fire Marshal. When the request relates to a specific project, occupancy or building, the State Fire Marshal shall review the issue with the appropriate local enforcing agency prior to rendering such code interpretation.