Building Codes
Building Codes
Building codes specify minimum standards for the construction of buildings. The codes themselves, listed below under "National and International Codes," are not legally binding. They serve, rather, as "models" for legal jurisdictions to utilize when developing statutes and regulations.
As an example, the State of California has adopted the International Building Code as the basis for its California Building Code (Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations). This code, then, along with any special provisions the state has deemed necessary, is legally binding in California. When reading the legally binding building codes of local jurisdictions, it is often necessary to refer to the various model codes upon which they are based, as the local documents may only contain the text which differs from the language of the model code.
