Skip to content
Built4UIQ
Log inSign up free

Search the building code.

Every 2024 IRC section and the IBC as it loads, by number or topic, plus the local rules for your city. Free to search.

Detached houses, duplexes and townhouses up to 3 stories with their own exits use the IRC; every other building uses the IBC (IBC 101.2).

A random sample from 1,598 sections for San Antonio, TX, the 2024 IRC

Show another sample

  • R602.10.3

    Required Length of Bracing

    • Required bracing length per line comes from the wind table (and the seismic table in SDC D or for SDC C townhouses), times the adjustment factors; only parallel panels count.
    • Wind bracing grows with exposure (C x1.2-1.4, D x1.5-1.7), taller roofs and walls and more wall lines; dropping interior gypsum adds 40%, and skipping horizontal blocking doubles it.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 6, Wall ConstructionRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R1003.18

    Chimney Clearances

    • Interior chimneys or those in an exterior wall keep 2 in airspace to combustibles; chimneys fully outside the walls keep 1 in; the gap stays open except for fireblocking.
    • Clearance exceptions: UL 1777 zero-clearance liners allow contact; built into a masonry wall or abutting the sidewalls, combustibles stay 8 in from the inside of the nearest flue liner.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 10, Chimneys and FireplacesRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R325.1.3

    Adjoining Rooms

    • Two rooms count as one for light and air when at least half the shared wall is open, giving a tenth of the inner room's area and at least 25 sq ft.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 3, Building PlanningRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

  • R503.1

    Lumber Sheathing

    • Lumber subfloor is at least 5/8 in at 16 in spacing; at 24 in, 11/16 in laid square or 3/4 in diagonal; 1-1/2 in tongue-and-groove spans 48 to 60 in with stronger lumber.

    International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 5, FloorsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

Searches all 4,276 IRC 2024 sections, 5,532 IBC 2024 sections and defined terms (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 so far) and each city's local rules as they are added. Section numbers and titles from the International Residential Code and International Building Code, 2024 editions, copyrighted by the International Code Council; the IRC's electrical chapters (34 to 43) follow NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code. Requirements are summarized in our words (IRC Chapters 3 to 43, IBC Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33); read the full text at the link on each result. Local values come from each city's published documents.

Check your plans against these codes

Start an application and get every flag with its section and fix.

Start an application