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Chapter 26 — PLASTIC

Section 2609 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC ROOF PANELS

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.

2609.1 General.

Light-transmitting plastic roof panels shall comply with this section and Section 2606. Light-transmitting plastic roof panels shall not be installed in Groups H, I-2 and I-3. In all other groups, light-transmitting plastic roof panels shall comply with any one of the following conditions:

  1. The building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
  2. The roof construction is not required to have a fire-resistance rating by Table 601.
  3. The roof panels meet the requirements for roof coverings in accordance with Chapter 15.

2609.2 Separation.

Individual roof panels shall be separated from each other by a distance of not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) measured in a horizontal plane.

Exceptions:

  1. The separation between roof panels is not required in a building equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
  2. The separation between roof panels is not required in low-hazard occupancy buildings complying with the conditions of Section 2609.4, Exception 2 or 3.

2609.3 Location.

Where exterior wall openings are required to be protected by Section 705.9, a roof panel shall not be installed within 6 feet (1829 mm) of such exterior wall.

2609.4 Area limitations.

Roof panels shall be limited in area and the aggregate area of panels shall be limited by a percentage of the floor area of the room or space sheltered in accordance with Table 2609.4.

Exceptions:

  1. The area limitations of Table 2609.4 shall be permitted to be increased by 100 percent in buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
  2. Low-hazard occupancy buildings, such as swimming pool shelters, shall be exempt from the area limitations of Table 2609.4, provided that the buildings do not exceed 5,000 square feet (465 m [2] ) in area and have a minimum fire separation distance of 10 feet (3048 mm).
  3. Greenhouses that are occupied for growing or maintaining plants, without public access, shall be exempt from the area limitations of Table 2609.4 provided that they have a minimum fire separation distance of 4 feet (1220 mm).
  4. Roof coverings over terraces and patios in occupancies in Group R-3 shall be exempt from the area limitations of Table 2609.4 and shall be permitted with light-transmitting plastics.

26-10 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

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

PLASTIC

TABLE 2609.4—AREA LIMITATIONS FOR LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC ROOF PANELS

CLASS OF PLASTIC MAXIMUM AREA OF INDIVIDUAL ROOF
PANELS (square feet)		 MAXIMUM AGGREGATE AREA OF ROOF
PANELS (percent of floor area)
CC1 300 30
CC2 100 25
For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2. For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2. For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2.

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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
  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
    Overview
    1. Section 2601 — GENERAL
    2. Section 2602 — FINISH AND TRIM
    3. Section 2603 — FOAM PLASTIC INSULATION
    4. Section 2604 — INTERIOR FINISH AND TRIM
    5. Section 2605 — PLASTIC VENEER
    6. Section 2606 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTICS
    7. Section 2607 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC WALL PANELS
    8. Section 2608 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC GLAZING
    9. Section 2609 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC ROOF PANELS
    10. Section 2610 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC SKYLIGHT GLAZING
    11. Section 2611 — LIGHT-TRANSMITTING PLASTIC INTERIOR SIGNS
    12. Section 2612 — PLASTIC COMPOSITE DECKING
    13. Section 2613 — FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER
    14. Section 2614 — REFLECTIVE PLASTIC CORE INSULATION
  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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