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:

1. The hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices.
2. Conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the use or occupancy of buildings, structures or premises.
3. Fire hazards in the buildings, structures or on premises from use of, occupancy of, or operation.
4. Matters related to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression or alarm systems.
5. Conditions affecting the safety of fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.

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.

1. State-owned buildings, including buildings constructed by the Trustees of the California State University, and to the extent permitted by California laws, buildings designed and constructed by the Regents of the University of California, and regulated by the Building Standards Commission. See Section 1.2 for additional scope provisions.
2. Local detention facilities regulated by the Board of State and Community Corrections. See Section 1.3 for additional scope provisions.
3. Barbering, cosmetology or electrolysis establishments, acupuncture offices, pharmacies, veterinary facilities and structural pest control locations regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs. See Section 1.4 for additional scope provisions.
4. Section 1.5 reserved for the California Energy Commission.
5. Dairies and places of meat inspection regulated by the Department of Food and Agriculture. See Section 1.6 for additional scope provisions.
6. Organized camps, laboratory animal quarters, public swimming pools, radiation protection, commissaries serving mobile food preparation vehicles and wild animal quarantine facilities regulated by the Department of Public Health. See Section 1.7 for additional scope provisions.
7. Hotels, motels, lodging houses, apartments, dwellings, dormitories, condominiums, shelters for homeless persons, congregate residences, employee housing, factory-built housing and other types of dwellings containing sleeping accommodations with or without common toilets or cooking facilities. See Section 1.8.2.1.1 for additional scope provisions.
8. Accommodations for persons with disabilities in buildings containing newly constructed covered multifamily dwellings, new common use spaces serving existing covered multifamily dwellings, additions to existing buildings where the addition alone meets the definition of a "COVERED MULTIFAMILY DWELLING," and new common-use areas serving new covered multifamily dwellings which are regulated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. See Section 1.8.2.1.2 for additional scope provisions.
9. Permanent buildings and permanent accessory buildings or structures constructed within mobile home parks and special occupancy parks regulated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. See Section 1.8.2.1.3 for additional scope provisions.
10. Accommodations for persons with disabilities regulated by the Division of the State Architect. See Section 1.9.1 for additional scope provisions.
11. Public elementary and secondary schools, community college buildings and state-owned or state-leased essential service buildings regulated by the Division of the State Architect. See Section 1.9.2 for additional scope provisions.
12. Qualified historical buildings and structures and their associated sites regulated by the State Historical Building Safety Board with the Division of the State Architect. See Section 1.9.3 for additional scope provisions.
13. General acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, skilled nursing and/or intermediate care facilities, clinics licensed by the Department of Public Health and correctional treatment centers regulated by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. See Section 1.10 for additional scope provisions.
14. Applications regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal include, but are not limited to, the following in accordance with Section 1.11:
    1. Buildings or structures used or intended for use as an:
       1. Asylum, jail, prison.
       2. Mental hospital, hospital, home for the elderly, children's nursery, children's home or institution, school or any similar occupancy of any capacity.
       3. 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.
       4. Small family daycare homes, large family daycare homes, residential facilities and residential facilities for the elderly, residential care facilities.
       5. State institutions or other state-owned or state-occupied buildings.
       6. High-rise structures.
       7. Motion picture production studios.
       8. Organized camps.
       9. Residential structures.
    2. Tents, awnings or other fabric enclosures used in connection with any occupancy.
    3. Fire alarm devices, equipment and systems in connection with any occupancy.
    4. Hazardous materials, flammable and combustible liquids.
    5. Public school automatic fire detection, alarm and sprinkler systems.
    6. Wildland-urban interface fire areas.
15. Public libraries constructed and renovated using funds from the California Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 1988 and regulated by the State Librarian. See Section 1.12 of the California Building Code for additional scope provisions.
16. Section 1.13 reserved for the Department of Water Resources.
17. For applications listed in Section 1.9.1 regulated by the Division of the State Architect—Access Compliance, outdoor environments and uses shall be classified according to accessibility uses described in Chapters 11A, 11B and 11C.
18. Marine Oil Terminals regulated by the California State Lands Commission. See Section 1.14 of the California Building Code for additional scope provisions.

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.

1. The city, county or city and county shall make express findings for each amendment, addition or deletion based upon climatic, topographical or geological conditions.Exception: Hazardous building ordinances and programs mitigating unreinforced masonry buildings.
2. The city, county or city and county shall file the amendments, additions or deletions expressly marked and identified as to the applicable findings. Cities, counties, cities and counties and fire departments shall file the amendments, additions or deletions, and the findings with the California Building Standards Commission at 2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130, Sacramento, CA 95833.
3. Findings prepared by fire protection districts shall be ratified by the local city, county or city and county and filed with the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Division of Codes and Standards, P.O. Box 1407, Sacramento, CA 95812-1407 or 2020 West El Camino Avenue, Suite 250, Sacramento, CA 95833-1829.

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.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Small family daycare homes.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Sections 1597.45, 1597.54, 13143 and 17921.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Large family daycare homes.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Sections 1597.46, 1597.54 and 17921.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Residential facilities and residential facilities for the elderly.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13133.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

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:

1. A building where the state has contracted into a buildto-suit lease.
2. A courthouse holding facility or trial court with a detention area.
3. A building used by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) as a community correctional reentry center.
4. 100 percent state occupied.
5. State-occupied areas in a state-leased building that is a high-rise and is 75 percent of the net area floor space or more occupied by state entities.
6. State-occupied areas in a building that contains 5,000 square feet or more space of state-leased Group H or Group L occupancy.
7. A state-leased building with facilities with the primary purpose of housing state records and/or state artifacts of historical significance.
8. Properties leased by California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC).
9. State institutions and their real property.
10. CAL FIRE occupied areas in leased buildings.
11. State-leased facilities where the governing body's fire protection services rely on an all-volunteer fire department.

Except as provided in Items 1 through 11, buildings shall become the responsibility of the local jurisdiction.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Sections 13108, 13145, 13146, 16022.5 and 17921.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Sections 13108, 13143, 13145, 13146, 16022.5 and 17921.

High-rise structures.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13211.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Motion picture production studios.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.1.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Organized camps.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 18897.3.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

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.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Sections 13143.2 and 17921.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

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.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.6.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Tents, awnings or other fabric enclosures used in connection with any occupancy.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13116.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Fire alarm devices, equipment and systems in connection with any occupancy.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13114.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Hazardous materials.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.9.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Flammable and combustible liquids.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.6.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143.

Public school automatic fire detection, alarm and sprinkler systems.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Section 13143 and California Education Code, Article 7.5, Sections 17074.50, 17074.52 and 17074.54.
• Reference—Government Code, Section 11152.5, Health and Safety Code, Section 13143 and California Education Code Chapter 12.5, Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998, Article 1.

Wildland-urban interface Fire Area.

• Authority cited—Health and Safety Code, Sections 13143, 13108.5(a) and 18949.2(b) and (c) and Government Code, Section 51189.
• Reference—Health and Safety Code, Sections 13143, Government Code, Sections 51176, 51177, 51178 and 51179 and Public Resources Code, Sections 4201 through 4204.

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:

1. The city, county or city and county with jurisdiction in the area affected by the standard or regulation shall delegate the enforcement of the building standards relating to fire and panic safety and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal as they relate to Group R-3 occupancies, as described in Section 310.1 of Part 2 of the California Building Standards Code, to either of the following:
   1. The chief of the fire authority of the city, county or city and county or an authorized representative.
   2. The chief building official of the city, county or city and county or an authorized representative.
2. The chief of any city or county fire department or of any fire protection district, and authorized representatives, shall enforce within the jurisdiction the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal, except those described in Item 1 or 4.
3. The State Fire Marshal shall have authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in areas outside of corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services.
4. The State Fire Marshal shall have authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services on request of the chief fire official or the governing body.
5. Any fee charged pursuant to the enforcement authority of this section shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged pursuant to Section 66014 of the Government Code.

[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.

1. The provisions of California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations shall be enforced by the State Fire Marshal, the chief of any city or county fire department or fire protection district, and their authorized representatives, in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
2. The division of authority for the enforcement of these regulations shall be in accordance with the following:
   1. The chief of any city or county fire department or fire protection district, and their authorized representatives shall enforce the rules and regulations in their respective areas.
   2. The State Fire Marshal shall have authority to enforce the rules and regulations in areas outside of corporate cities and county fire protection districts.
   3. The State Fire Marshal shall have authority to enforce the rules and regulations in corporate cities and county fire protection districts upon request of the chief fire official or the governing body.
3. Regardless of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) above, these regulations shall be enforced in state institutions, state-owned and state-occupied buildings in accordance with the provisions of Section 13108, Health and Safety Code.
4. Regardless of the above provisions of this section, these regulations shall be enforced only by the State Fire Marshal in every jail or place of detention for persons charged with or convicted of a crime, unless the chief of a city or county fire department or fire protection district, or such chief's authorized representative, indicates in writing to the State Fire Marshal that inspections of such jails or places of detention will be conducted by the chief or such person's authorized representative, in their respective area of jurisdiction. The inspections shall be made at least once every two years for the purpose of enforcing the regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal, pursuant to Section 13143. Reports of inspection conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be on forms provided by the State Fire Marshal and shall be submitted to the official in charge of the facility, the local governing body, the State Fire Marshal and the Corrections Standards Authority within 30 days of the inspections.

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.