If you want to find out more information on a particular state, just click on it.

Statewide Residential Building Code Directory
(one and two family dwellings only)

Information was gathered from the International Code Council, National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, member companies and state building code agencies. Also, our knowledge, experience and understanding of several state building code regulatory bodies was applied in development of this package.

The states are categorized according to one of five conditions. These conditions loosely descend in value of effectiveness for a state code from left to right in the Table or the color key on Map 2.

• "International Residential Code (IRC) Mandatory no local changes or not less restrictive"  This is considered the most effective statewide building code program. The IRC is a model building code applying only to one and two family dwellings. Not allowing local jurisdictions to change the code, or to permit changes that do not weaken the code should tend to maintain the minimum standards set by the IRC or improve it. This arrangement ensures more consistency.

• "IRC Unfavorable state changes"  These states have adopted the IRC but have made changes to the code that have weakened it. They are either deficient in code enforcement by relaxing requirements for code official certification or allow modified technical or structural design criteria that weaken the model code provisions. Example: North Carolina has limited windborne debris protection requirements to within 1500 feet of the coast.

• "IRC Opt in / Voluntary"  These are states that have acted to adopt a statewide building code but leave it up to local jurisdictions (counties, cities) to either, opt-in or opt-out of adopting the state adopted code. In some cases, should a local jurisdiction choose to enforce a building code, it could be the adopted state code, or something similar. The level of state support varies widely.

• "Dated Code"  These are states that have an older edition of a code and would fit into the first category if they were to update their code to an edition less than 6 years old or no more than two editions out. The IRC is updated and published every three years.

• "other/none"  These states have limited application of the IRC that is adopted by certain jurisdictions acting without any direction from the state. For instance, Slidell, Louisiana, has adopted the latest version of the IRC with no modifications, while many other jurisdictions have no code requirements.

States with IRC adoption