Skip to content
ChatProjectCodes

Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION

Section 1.8.7

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

ALTERNATE MATERIALS, DESIGNS, TESTS AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION 1.8.7.1 General. The provisions of this code, as adopted by the Department of Housing and Community Development, are not intended to prevent the use of any alternate material, appli- ance, installation, device, arrangement, design or method of construction not specifically prescribed by this code. Consider- ation and approval of alternates shall comply with Section 1.8.7.2 for local building departments and Section 1.8.7.3 for the Department of Housing and Community Development. 1.8.7.2 Local building departments. The building department of any city, county, or city and county may approve alternates for use in the erection, construction, reconstruction, move- ment, enlargement, conversion, alteration, repair, removal, demolition or arrangement of apartments, condominiums, hotels, motels, lodging houses, dwellings or accessory struc- tures, except for the following:

1. Structures located in mobilehome parks as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18214. 2. Structures located in special occupancy parks as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18862.43. 3. Factory-built housing as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 19971. 1.8.7.2.1 Approval of alternates. The consideration and approval of alternates by a local building department shall comply with the following procedures and limita- tions:

1. The approval shall be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION

2. Evidence shall be submitted to substantiate claims that the proposed alternate, in performance, safety and protection of life and health, conforms to, or is at least equivalent to, the standards contained in this code and other rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. 3. The local building department may require tests performed by an approved testing agency at the expense of the owner or owner’s agent as proof of compliance. 4. If the proposed alternate is related to accessibility in covered multifamily dwellings or in facilities serving covered multifamily dwellings as defined in Chapter 2, the proposed alternate must also meet the thresh- old set for equivalent facilitation as defined in Chapter 2. For additional information regarding approval of alternates by a building department pursuant to the State Housing Law, see California Health and Safety Code Sec- tion 17951(e) and California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1. 1.8.7.3 Department of Housing and Community Develop- ment. The Department of Housing and Community Develop- ment may approve alternates for use in the erection, construction, reconstruction, movement, enlargement, con- version, alteration, repair, removal or demolition of apart- ments, condominiums, hotels, motels, lodging houses, dwellings or an accessory thereto and permanent buildings in mobilehome parks and special occupancy parks. The consid- eration and approval of alternates shall comply with the fol- lowing:

1. The department may require tests at the expense of the owner or owner’s agent to substantiate compliance with the California Building Standards Code. 2. The approved alternate shall, for its intended purpose, be at least equivalent in performance and safety to the materials, designs, tests or methods of construction prescribed by this code.

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. Appendix N — REPLICABLE
  6. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED
  7. ▸Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
    Overview
    1. Section 1.1
    2. Section 1.2
    3. Section 1.3
    4. Section 1.4
    5. Section 1.5
    6. Section 1.6
    7. Section 1.7
    8. Section 1.8
    9. Section 1.8.2
    10. Section 1.8.3
    11. Section 1.8.4
    12. Section 1.8.5
    13. Section 1.8.6
    14. Section 1.8.7
    15. Section 1.8.8
    16. Section 1.8.9
    17. Section 1.8.10
    18. Section 1.9
    19. Section 1.10
    20. Section 1.11
    21. Section 1.12
    22. Section 1.13
    23. Section 1.14
    24. Section 101
    25. Section 102
    26. Section 103
    27. Section 104
    28. Section 105
    29. Section 106
    30. Section 107
    31. Section 108
    32. Section 109
    33. Section 110
    34. Section 111
    35. Section 112
    36. Section 113
    37. Section 114
    38. Section 115
    39. Section 116
    40. Section 201
    41. Section 202
  8. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  9. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  10. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  11. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  13. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  14. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  15. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  16. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  17. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  18. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  19. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  20. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  21. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  22. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  23. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  24. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  25. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  26. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  30. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  31. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  32. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  33. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  34. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  35. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  36. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  37. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  38. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  39. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  40. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  41. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  42. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  43. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  44. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  45. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  46. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  47. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  48. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  49. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  50. Appendix H — SIGNS
  51. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  52. Appendix J — GRADING
  53. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  54. Appendix P — 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.