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Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION

Section 601 — 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.

TABLE 601—FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING ELEMENTS (HOURS)

BUILDING ELEMENT TYPE I TYPE I TYPE II TYPE II TYPE III TYPE III TYPE IV TYPE IV TYPE IV TYPE IV TYPE V TYPE V
BUILDING ELEMENT A B A B A B A B C HT A B
Primary structural framef
(see Section 202)		 3a, b 2a, b, c 1b, c 0c 1b, c 0 3a 2a 2a HT 1b, c 0
Bearing walls
Exteriore, f 3 2 1 0 2 2 3 2 2 2 1 0
Interior 3a 2a 1 0 1 0 3 2 2 1/HTg 1 0
Nonbearing walls and partitions
Exterior		 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5 See Table 705.5
Nonbearing walls and partitions
Interiord		 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 See
Section
2304.11.2		 0 0
Floor construction and associated
secondary structural members (see
Section 202)		 2 2 1 0 1 0 2 2 2 HT 1 0
Roof construction and associated
secondary structural members
(see Section 202)		 11/2
b		 1b, c 1b, c 0c 1b, c 0 11/2 1 1 HT 1b, c 0

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm.
a. Roof supports: Fire-resistance ratings of primary structural frame and bearing walls are permitted to be reduced by 1 hour where supporting a roof only.
b._ 1._ Except in Group_A, E,_ F-1, H,I, L,M, R-1, R-2, R-2.1 and S-1 occupancies,high-rise buildings, and other applications listed in Section 1.11 regulated by the Office of the State Fire
_Marshal, _fire protection of structural members in roof construction shall not be required, including protection of primary structural frame members, roof framing and
decking where every part of the roof construction is 20 feet or more above any floor or mezzanine immediately below. Fire-retardant-treated wood members shall be
allowed to be used for such unprotected members.
2. For Group A, E, I, L, R-1, R-2 and R-2.1 occupancies, high-rise buildings, and other applications listed in Section 1.11 regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, fire protec-
tion of members other than the primary structural frame shall not be required, including protection of roof framing and decking where every part of the roof construction is 20
feet or more above any floor immediately below. Fire-retardant-treated wood members shall be allowed to be used for such unprotected members.
3. One-story portions of Group A and E assembly occupancies the roof-framing system of Type II A or Type III A construction may be of unprotected construction when such roof-
framing system is open to the assembly area and does not contain concealed spaces.
c. In all occupancies, heavy timber complying with Section 2304.11 shall be allowed for roof construction, including primary structural frame members, where a 1-hour or less
fire-resistance rating is required.
d. Not less than the fire-resistance rating required by other sections of this code.
e. Not less than the fire-resistance rating based on fire separation distance (see Table 705.5).
f. Not less than the fire-resistance rating as referenced in Section 704.9.
g. Heavy timber bearing walls supporting more than two floors or more than a floor and a roof shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.

601.1 Scope.

The provisions of this chapter shall control the classification of buildings as to type of construction.

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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
    Overview
    1. Section 601 — GENERAL
    2. Section 602 — CONSTRUCTION CLASSIFICATION
    3. Section 603 — COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL IN TYPES I AND II CONSTRUCT…
  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
  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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