3006 Elevator Lobbies and Hoistway Opening Protection — 2025 California Building Code

Enclosed elevator lobbies and elevator hoistway door protection shall be provided in accordance with the following:

1. Where elevator hoistway door protection is required by Section 3006.2, such protection shall be provided in accordance with Section 3006.3.

2. Where enclosed elevator lobbies are required for underground buildings, such lobbies shall comply with Section 405.4.3.

3. Where an area of refuge is required and an enclosed elevator lobby is provided to serve as an area of refuge, the enclosed elevator lobby shall comply with Section 1009.6.4.

4. Where fire service access elevators are provided, enclosed elevator lobbies shall comply with Section 3007.6.

5. Where occupant evacuation elevators are provided, enclosed elevator lobbies shall comply with Section 3008.6.

Elevator hoistway doors shall be protected in accordance with Section 3006.3 where an elevator hoistway connects more than two stories in any state institution or other state-owned or specified state occupied building regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and more than three stories for all other buildings. Hoistway opening protec- tion is required to be enclosed within a shaft enclosure in accordance with Section 712.1.1 and any of the following conditions apply:

1. The building is not protected throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2.

2. Group A occupancies.

3. Group E occupancies.

4. Group H occupancies.

5. Group I occupancies.

6. Group L occupancies. 7. Group R-1, R-2, R-2.1 and R-2.2 occupancies. 8. High-rise buildings. 9. The elevator hoistway door is located in the wall of a corridor required to be fire-resistance rated in accordance with Section 1020.1.

See Section 403.6 for additional requirements for high-rise buildings.

Exceptions:

1. Protection of elevator hoistway doors is not required where the elevator serves only open parking garages in accordance with Section 406.5.

2. Protection of elevator hoistway doors is not required at the levels of exit discharge, provided that the levels of exit discharge is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS

3. Protection of elevator hoistway doors is not required on levels where the elevator hoistway doors open to the exterior.

3006.2.1 Rated corridors. Where corridors are required to be fire-resistance rated in accordance with Section 1020.2, elevator hoistway openings shall be protected in accordance with Section 3006.3.

Where Section 3006.2 requires protection of the elevator hoistway doors, the protection shall be provided by one of the following:

1. An enclosed elevator lobby shall be provided at each floor to separate the elevator hoistway doors from each floor with fire partitions in accordance with Section 708. In addition, doors protecting openings in the fire partitions shall comply with Section 716.2.2.1. Penetrations of the fire partitions by ducts and air transfer openings shall be protected as required for corridors in accordance with Section 717.5.4.1.

2. An enclosed elevator lobby shall be provided at each floor to separate the elevator hoistway doors from each floor by smoke partitions in accordance with Section 710. In addition, doors protecting openings in the smoke partitions shall comply with Sections 710.5.2.2, 710.5.2.3 and 716.2.6.1. Penetrations of the smoke partitions by ducts and air transfer openings shall be protected as required for corridors in accordance with Section 717.5.4.1.

3. Additional doors or other devices shall be provided at each elevator hoistway door in accordance with Section 3002.6. Such doors or other devices shall comply with the smoke and draft control door assembly requirements in Section 716.2.2.1.1 when tested in accordance with UL 1784 without an artificial bottom seal.

4. [SFM] When approved, in other than Group I-2 occupancies elevator hoistway shall be pressurized in accordance with Section 909.21.

5. A smoke-protective curtain assembly for hoistways shall be provided at each elevator hoistway door opening in accordance with Section 3002.6. Such curtain assemblies shall comply with the smoke and draft control requirements in Section 716.2.2.1.1 when tested in accordance with UL 1784 without an artificial bottom seal. Such curtain assemblies shall be equipped with a control unit listed to UL 864. Such curtain assemblies shall comply with Section 2.11.6.3 California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 6, Elevator Safety Orders . Installation and maintenance shall be in accordance with NFPA 105.

6. [SFM] Enclosed elevator lobbies are not required where the hoistway door has a fire-protection rating as required by Section 707.6 and the hoistway door opening is also protected by a listed and labeled smoke containment system complying with ICC ES AC 77.

Elevator lobbies shall be provided with not less than one means of egress complying with Chapter 10 and other provisions in this code. Egress through an enclosed elevator lobby shall be permitted in accordance with Item 1 of Section 1016.2. Electrically locked exit access doors providing egress from elevator lobbies shall be permitted in accordance with Section 1010.2.14.