708 Fire Partitions — 2025 California Building Code

The following wall assemblies shall comply with this section:

1. Separation walls as required by Section 420.2 for Group R occupancies.

2. Walls separating tenant spaces in covered and open mall buildings as required by Section 402.4.2.1.

3. Corridor walls as required by Section 1020.2 and in Group I-2 as required by Section 407.3.

4. Enclosed elevator lobby separation as required by Section 3006.3.

5. Egress balconies as required by Section 1021.2

6. Walls separating ambulatory care facilities from adjacent spaces, corridors or tenants as required by Section 422.2.

7. Walls separating dwelling and sleeping units in Groups R-1 and R-2 in accordance with Sections 907.2.8.1 and 907.2.9.1.

8. Vestibules in accordance with Section 1028.2.

9. Walls separating enclosed tenant spaces in high-rise buildings and in buildings of Types I, IIA, IIIA, IV or VA construction of Group A, E, H, I, L and R-2.1 occupancies and other applications listed in Section 1.11 regulated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The walls shall be of materials permitted by the building type of construction.

Fire partitions shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.

Exceptions:

1. Corridor walls permitted to have a 1/2-hour fire-resistance rating by Table 1020.2.
2. Dwelling unit and sleeping unit separations in buildings of Types IIB, IIIB and VB construction shall have fire-resistance ratings of not less than 1/2 hour in buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

3. Walls separating enclosed tenant spaces in Group B high-rise buildings of Type I and II construction equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

Fire partitions shall extend from the top of the foundation or floor/ceiling assembly below and be securely attached to one of the following:

1. The underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above.
2. The underside of a floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assembly having a fire-resistance rating that is not less than the fire-resistance rating of the fire partition.

Exceptions:

1. Fire partitions shall not be required to extend into a crawl space below where the floor above the crawl space has a minimum 1-hour fire-resistance rating.

7-16 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

2. Fire partitions serving as a corridor wall shall not be required to extend above the lower membrane of a corridor ceiling provided that the corridor ceiling membrane is equivalent to corridor wall membrane, and either of the following conditions is met:

2.1. The room-side membrane of the corridor wall extends to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab of a fire-resistance-rated floor or roof above.

2.2. The building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed throughout in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, including automatic sprinklers installed in the space between the top of the fire partition and underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above. 3. Fire partitions serving as a corridor wall shall be permitted to terminate at the upper membrane of the corridor ceiling assembly where the corridor ceiling is constructed as required for the corridor wall. 4. Fire partitions separating tenant spaces in a covered or open mall building complying with Section 402.4.2.1 shall not be required to extend above the underside of a ceiling. Such ceiling shall not be required to be part of a fire-resistance-rated assembly, and the attic or space above the ceiling at tenant separation walls shall not be required to be subdivided by fire partitions.

708.4.1 Fire partition walls enclosing elevator lobbies. Fire partition walls used to enclose elevator lobbies in accordance with Section 3006.3 shall form an enclosure that terminates at a fire barrier or fire partition having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour, or an outside wall.

708.4.2 Supporting construction. The supporting construction for a fire partition shall have a fire-resistance rating that is equal to or greater than the required fire-resistance rating of the supported fire partition.

Exception: In buildings of Types IIB, IIIB and VB construction, the supporting construction requirement shall not apply to fire partitions separating tenant spaces in covered and open mall buildings, fire partitions separating dwelling units, fire partitions separating sleeping units, fire partitions serving as corridor walls, fire partitions separating ambulatory care facilities from adjacent spaces or corridors, fire partitions separating dwelling and sleeping units from Group R-1 and R-2 occupancies and fire partitions separating vestibules from the level of exit discharge.

708.4.3 Fireblocks and draftstops in combustible construction. In combustible construction where fire partitions do not extend to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above, the space above and along the line of the fire partition shall be provided with one of the following:

1. Fireblocking up to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above using materials complying with Section 718.2.1.

2. Draftstops up to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above using materials complying with Section 718.3.1 for floors or Section 718.4.1 for attics.

Exceptions:

1. Buildings equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed throughout in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, or in accordance with Section 903.3.1.2 provided that protection is provided in the space between the top of the fire partition and underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above as required for systems complying with Section 903.3.1.1.

2. Where corridor walls provide a sleeping unit or dwelling unit separation, draftstops shall only be required above one of the corridor walls.

3. In Group R-2 occupancies with fewer than four dwelling units, fireblocking and draftstops shall not be required.

4. In Group R-2 occupancies up to and including four stories in height in buildings not exceeding 60 feet (18 288 mm) in height above grade plane, the attic space shall be subdivided by draftstops into areas not exceeding 3,000 square feet (279 m [2] ) or above every two dwelling units, whichever is smaller.

5. In Group R-3 occupancies with fewer than three dwelling units, fireblocking and draftstops shall not be required in floor assemblies.

Where exterior walls serve as a part of a required fire-resistance-rated separation, such walls shall comply with the requirements of Section 705 for exterior walls, and the fire-resistance-rated separation requirements shall not apply.

Exception: Exterior walls required to be fire-resistance rated in accordance with Section 1021.2 for exterior egress balconies, Section 1023.7 for interior exit stairways and ramps and Section 1027.6 for exterior exit stairways and ramps.

Openings in a fire partition shall be protected in accordance with Section 716.

Penetrations of fire partitions shall comply with Section 714.

Joints made in or between fire partitions shall comply with Section 715.

Penetrations in a fire partition by ducts and air transfer openings shall comply with Section 717.