Building codes & construction
R-2 occupancy
CBC occupancy group for buildings with three or more dwelling units occupied permanently — apartments and condos. The default multifamily classification.
Definition
Group R-2 is the California Building Code occupancy for residential buildings with more than two dwelling units whose occupants are primarily permanent — apartment houses, condominiums, and non-transient congregate living such as dormitories. It is the default classification for a multifamily deal, and it carries a defined package: automatic sprinklers throughout new Group R buildings, rated separations between units and corridors, Chapter 10 egress design, Chapter 11A covered-multifamily accessibility, and the multifamily provisions of the Energy Code and CALGreen.
Why it matters in an underwrite
Underwriting a building as R-2 means pricing that package, not just shell construction — sprinklers, rated assemblies and adaptable units are code floors, not options. The classification is also a boundary to watch in both directions: at three units a project leaves the small-residential world, and converting units to transient stays (under 30 days) risks reclassification toward R-1, with retrofit consequences.
Sources & related guides
See also
See the term in the law itself
Read the controlling text in the Code Library, or ask the AI how it applies to your project.
Last reviewed 2026-07-29. General information, not legal advice.