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Chapter 21 — MASONRY

Section 2101 — GENERAL

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

2101.1 Scope.

This chapter shall govern the materials, design, construction and quality of masonry.

2101.1.1 Application. [DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD] The scope of application of Chapter 21 is as follows: 1. Structures regulated by the Division of the State Architect—Structural Safety/Community Colleges (DSA-SS/CC) which include those applications listed in Section 1.9.2.2. 2. Structures regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital planning and development (OSHPD), which include hospital buildings removed from general acute care service, skilled nursing facility buildings, intermediate care facility buildings and acute psychiatric hospital buildings listed in Sections 1.10.1, 1.10.2 and 1.10.5.

2101.1.2 Amendments in this chapter. [DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD] DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD adopt this chapter as amended.

2101.1.3 Identification of amendments. [DSA-SS/CC, OSHPD] 1. [DSA-SS/CC] Division of the State Architect - Structural Safety/Community Colleges amendments appear in this chapter preceded by the appropriate acronym, as follows:

[DSA-SS/CC] – For applications listed in Section 1.9.2.2. 2. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD) amendments appear in this chapter preceded by the appropriate acronym, as follows:

[OSHPD 1R ] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.1.

[OSHPD 2] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.2.

[OSHPD 5] - For applications listed in Section 1.10.5.

2101.1.4 Reference to other chapters. [DSA-SS/CC] Where reference within this chapter is made to sections in Chapters 17 and 18, the provisions in Chapters 17A and 18A respectively shall apply instead.

2101.1.5 Additional amendments. [DSA-SS/CC] See Section 2115 for additional requirements.

2101.2 Design methods.

Masonry shall comply with the provisions of TMS 402, TMS 403 or TMS 404 as well as applicable requirements of this chapter. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] TMS 403 Not permitted by OSHPD.

2101.2.1 Masonry veneer. Masonry veneer shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 14.

2101.2.2 Prohibition. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] The following design methods, systems and materials in TMS402/602 are not permitted by OSHPD:

1. Unreinforced masonry. 2. Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Masonry. 3. Empirical design of masonry.

4. Adobe construction.

5. Ordinary reinforced masonry shear walls. 6. Intermediate reinforced masonry shear walls. 7. Prestressed masonry shear walls. 8. Direct design of masonry. 9. Design of masonry infill. 10. Prescriptive design of masonry partition walls. 11. Limit design method. 12. Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced masonry.

2101.3 Special inspection.

The special inspection of masonry shall be as defined in Chapter 17, or an itemized testing and inspection program shall be provided that meets or exceeds the requirements of Chapter 17.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  4. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  5. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  6. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR W…
  9. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  10. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  11. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  12. Chapter 11 — RESERVED
  13. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  14. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  15. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  16. Chapter 13 — ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  17. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  18. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  19. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  20. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  22. Chapter 17A — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 18A — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  25. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  26. Chapter 19A — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. ▸ Chapter 21 — MASONRY
    Overview
    1. Section 2101 — GENERAL
    2. Section 2102 — NOTATIONS
    3. Section 2103 — MASONRY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
    4. Section 2104 — CONSTRUCTION
    5. Section 2105 — QUALITY ASSURANCE
    6. Section 2106 — SEISMIC DESIGN
    7. Section 2107 — ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN
    8. Section 2108 — STRENGTH DESIGN OF MASONRY
    9. Section 2109 — EMPIRICAL DESIGN OF ADOBE MASONRY
    10. Section 2110 — GLASS UNIT MASONRY
    11. Section 2111 — MASONRY FIREPLACES
    12. Section 2112 — MASONRY HEATERS
    13. Section 2113 — MASONRY CHIMNEYS
    14. Section 2114 — DRY-STACK MASONRY
    15. Section 2115 — ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES …
  29. Chapter 21A — MASONRY
  30. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  31. Chapter 22A — STEEL
  32. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  33. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  34. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  35. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  36. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  37. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  38. Chapter 29 — PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  39. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  40. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  41. Chapter 31A — SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING…
  42. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  43. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  44. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  45. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  46. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  47. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  48. Chapter 34 — RESERVED
  49. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  50. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  51. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  52. Appendix C — GROUP U—AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  54. Appendix E — RESERVED
  55. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  56. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
  57. Appendix H — SIGNS
  58. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  59. Appendix J — GRADING
  60. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES PROTECTED B…
  61. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING INSTRUMENTATION
  62. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED FLOOD HAZARDS
  63. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  64. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED APPLICATION
  65. Appendix P — SLEEPING LOFTS
  66. Appendix Q — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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