Skip to content
ChatProjectCodes

Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED

Section 419

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

419.1 General.

A live/work unit shall comply with Sections 419.1 through 419.9.

Exception s :

1. Dwelling or sleeping units that include an office that is less than 10 percent of the area of the dwelling unit are permitted to be classified as dwelling units with accessory occupancies in accordance with Section 508.2.

2. Live/work units complying with the requirements of Section 419 shall be permitted to be constructed as one- and two-family dwellings or townhouses in accordance with the California Residential Code, as applicable.

419.1.1 Limitations. All of the following shall apply to live/work areas:

  1. The live/work unit is permitted to be not greater than 3,000 square feet (279 m 2 ) in area.

  2. The nonresidential area is permitted to be not more than 50 percent of the area of each live/work unit.

  3. The nonresidential area function shall be limited to the first or main floor only of the live/work unit.

  4. Not more than five nonresidential workers or employees are allowed to occupy the nonresidential area at any one time.

419.2 Occupancies

. Live/work units shall be classified as a Group R-2 occupancy. Separation requirements found in Sections 420 and 508 shall not apply within the live/work unit where the live/work unit is in compliance with Section 419.

Nonresidential uses that would otherwise be classified as either a Group H or S occupancy shall not be permitted in a live/work unit.

Exception: Storage shall be permitted in the live/work unit provided that the aggregate area of storage in the nonresidential portion of the live/work unit shall be limited to 10 percent of the space dedicated to nonresidential activities.

419.3 Means of egress.

Except as modified by this section, the means of egress components for a live/work unit shall be designed in accordance with Chapter 10 for the function served.

Exception: Residential areas of live/work units con- structed in accordance with the California Residential Code shall not be required to comply with Chapter 10.

419.3.1 Egress capacity. The egress capacity for each element of the live/work unit shall be based on the occupant load for the function served in accordance with Table 1004.5.

419.3.2 Spiral stairways. Spiral stairways that conform to the requirements of Section 1011.10 shall be permitted.

419.4 Vertical openings.

Floor openings between floor levels of a live/work unit are permitted without enclosure.

[F] 419.5 Fire protection. The live/work unit shall be provided with a monitored fire alarm system where required by Section 907.2.9 and an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.2.8.

419.6 Structural.

Floors within a live/work unit shall be designed for the live loads in Table 1607.1, based on the function within the space.

Exception: Residential areas of live/work units con- structed in accordance with the California Residential Code shall not be required to comply with Table 1607.1.

419.7 Accessibility.

Accessibility shall be designed in accordance with Chapter 11A, when applicable for the function served.

419.8 Ventilation.

The applicable ventilation requirements of the California Mechanical Code shall apply to each area within the live/work unit for the function within that space.

419.9 Plumbing facilities.

The nonresidential area of the live/work unit shall be provided with minimum plumbing facilities as specified by the California Plumbing Code, based on the function of the nonresidential area. Where the nonresidential area of the live/work unit is required to be accessible by Section 1107.6.2.1, the plumbing fixtures specified by CPC shall be accessible.

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Export this section
▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. ▸Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
    Overview
    1. Section 401
    2. Section 402
    3. Section 403
    4. Section 404
    5. Section 405
    6. Section 406
    7. Section 407
    8. Section 408
    9. Section 409
    10. Section 410
    11. Section 411
    12. Section 412
    13. Section 413
    14. Section 414
    15. Section 415
    16. Section 416
    17. Section 417
    18. Section 418
    19. Section 419
    20. Section 420
    21. Section 422
    22. Section 421
    23. Section 424
    24. Section 423
    25. Section 425
    26. Section 427
    27. Section 435
    28. Section 436
    29. Section 437
    30. Section 438
    31. Section 440
    32. Section 441
    33. Section 442
    34. Section 443
    35. Section 444
    36. Section 445
    37. Section 446
    38. Section 447
    39. Section 448
    40. Section 449
    41. Section 450
    42. Section 451
    43. Section 452
    44. Section 453
    45. Section 454
    46. Section 455
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.