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Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

Section 711 — FLOOR AND ROOF ASSEMBLIES

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.

711.1 General.

Horizontal assemblies shall comply with Section 711.2. Nonfire-resistance-rated floor and roof assemblies shall comply with Section 711.3.

711.2 Horizontal assemblies.

Horizontal assemblies shall comply with Sections 711.2.1 through 711.2.6.

711.2.1 Materials. Assemblies shall be of materials permitted by the building type of construction.

711.2.2 Continuity. Assemblies shall be continuous without vertical openings, except as permitted by this section and Section 712.

711.2.3 Supporting construction. The supporting construction shall be protected to afford the required fire-resistance rating of the horizontal assembly supported.

Exception: In buildings of Type IIB, IIIB or VB construction, the construction supporting the horizontal assembly is not required to be fire-resistance rated at the following:

  1. Horizontal assemblies at the separations of incidental uses as specified by Table 509.1 provided that the required fireresistance rating does not exceed 1 hour.

  2. Horizontal assemblies at the separations of dwelling units and sleeping units as required by Section 420.3.

  3. Horizontal assemblies at smoke barriers constructed in accordance with Section 709.

711.2.4 Fire-resistance rating. The fire-resistance rating of horizontal assemblies shall comply with Sections 711.2.4.1 through 711.2.4.6 but shall be not less than that required by the building type of construction.

711.2.4.1 Separating mixed occupancies. Where the horizontal assembly separates mixed occupancies, the assembly shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that required by Section 508.4 based on the occupancies being separated.

711.2.4.2 Separating fire areas. Where the horizontal assembly separates a single occupancy into different fire areas, the assembly shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that required by Section 707.3.10.

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

FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

711.2.4.3 Dwelling units and sleeping units. Horizontal assemblies serving as dwelling or sleeping unit separations in accordance with Section 420.3 shall be not less than 1-hour fire-resistance-rated construction.

Exception: Horizontal assemblies separating dwelling units and sleeping units shall be not less than [1] / 2 -hour fire-resistancerated construction in a building of Types IIB, IIIB and VB construction, where the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

711.2.4.4 Separating smoke compartments. Where the horizontal assembly is required to be a smoke barrier, the assembly shall comply with Section 709.

711.2.4.5 Separating incidental uses. Where the horizontal assembly separates incidental uses from the remainder of the building, the assembly shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that required by Section 509.

711.2.4.6 Other separations. Where a horizontal assembly is required by other sections of this code, the assembly shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that required by that section.

711.2.5 Ceiling panels. Where the weight of lay-in ceiling panels, used as part of fire-resistance-rated floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assemblies, is not adequate to resist an upward force of 1 pound per square foot (48 Pa), wire or other approved devices shall be installed above the panels to prevent vertical displacement under such upward force.

711.2.6 Unusable space. In 1-hour fire-resistance-rated floor/ceiling assemblies, the ceiling membrane is not required to be installed over unusable crawl spaces. In 1-hour fire-resistance-rated roof assemblies, the floor membrane is not required to be installed where unusable attic space occurs above.

711.3 Nonfire-resistance-rated floor and roof assemblies.

Nonfire-resistance-rated floor, floor/ceiling, roof and roof/ceiling assemblies shall comply with Sections 711.3.1 and 711.3.2.

711.3.1 Materials. Assemblies shall be of materials permitted by the building type of construction.

711.3.2 Continuity. Assemblies shall be continuous without vertical openings, except as permitted by Section 712.

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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
    Overview
    1. Section 701 — GENERAL
    2. Section 702 — MULTIPLE-USE FIRE ASSEMBLIES
    3. Section 703 — FIRE-RESISTANCE RATINGS AND FIRE TESTS
    4. Section 704 — FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
    5. Section 705 — EXTERIOR WALLS
    6. Section 706 — FIRE WALLS
    7. Section 707 — FIRE BARRIERS
    8. Section 708 — FIRE PARTITIONS
    9. Section 709 — SMOKE BARRIERS
    10. Section 710 — SMOKE PARTITIONS
    11. Section 711 — FLOOR AND ROOF ASSEMBLIES
    12. Section 712 — VERTICAL OPENINGS
    13. Section 713 — SHAFT ENCLOSURES
    14. Section 714 — PENETRATIONS
    15. Section 715 — JOINTS AND VOIDS
    16. Section 716 — OPENING PROTECTIVES
    17. Section 717 — DUCTS AND AIR TRANSFER OPENINGS
    18. Section 718 — CONCEALED SPACES
    19. Section 719 — FIRE-RESISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PLASTER
    20. Section 720 — THERMAL- AND SOUND-INSULATING MATERIALS
    21. Section 721 — PRESCRIPTIVE FIRE RESISTANCE
    22. Section 722 — CALCULATED FIRE RESISTANCE
  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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