California’s building regulations and standards are contained within Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, or CCR, published by the California Building Standards Commission. These are regulations passed by California agencies charged with enforcing the state’s various laws and requirements for builders and property owners. Title 24 includes all regulations for how buildings are designed and constructed, and are intended to ensure the maximum structural integrity and safety of private and public buildings.
Title 24 building standards are enforced by county and municipal inspectors and regulators. These entities may pass stricter standards of their own, and many do in consideration of their particular location, geography, climate and vulnerability to natural disasters such as mudslides, drought, forest fires and earthquakes. These more restrictive standards must be reviewed by the California Building Standards Commission before they can go into effect.
Title 24 standards apply to the structure of buildings as well as their mechanical systems such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The construction of plumbing, electrical systems and fire-suppression systems all are regulated by Title 24. With increasingly restrictive use of energy and concern for release of greenhouse gases by the state, Title 24 has been expanded to include energy conservation, such as the use of CFL light bulbs, which are now required in all state government offices, as well as emissions of environmental pollutants by building systems. The regulations are contained within Part 11, the Green Building Standards Code.
Accessibility is also the subject of Title 24 standards. Wheelchair access to public buildings comes under a set of very specific regulations, and private buildings with a minimum number of dwelling or rental units, such as new condominium and office buildings, also are subject to accessibility standards.
Many of Title 24’s parts are closely modeled on national standards. Part 3, the California Electrical Code, is largely identical to the 2005 National Electrical Code. There are similar modeled standards for the Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code and Fire Code. These model codes are amended by the state to conform with state law and conditions specific to California.
Other CCR Regulations and Review
Title 24 includes Part 8, the Historical Building Code, which governs improvements or alterations to buildings designated as historic by the state. Part 10 is the Existing Buildings Code, which controls all work done on buildings that predate the current building standards. The California Code of Regulations also includes specific building regulations within other titles, including Title 8 (for elevator construction), Title 19 (for fire-suppression equipment), Title 21 (for architectural standards) and Title 25 (for public housing). Builders wanting to ensure compliance with the standards will usually authorize a "Title 24 Report" from a provider, who will review building design and systems to make sure they comply with the regulations.
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