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Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE

Section 311

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.

311.1 Storage Group S.

Storage Group S occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for storage that is not classified as a hazardous occupancy.

311.1.1 Accessory storage spaces. A room or space used for storage purposes that is accessory to another occupancy shall be classified as part of that occupancy.

311.1.2 Combustible storage. High-piled stock or rack storage, or attic, under-floor and concealed spaces used for storage of combustible materials, shall be in accordance with Section 413.

311.2 Moderate-hazard storage, Group S-1.

Storage Group S-1 occupancies are buildings occupied for storage uses that are not classified as Group S-2, including, but not limited to, storage of the following:

Aerosol products, Levels 2 and 3 Aircraft hangar (storage and repair) Bags: cloth, burlap and paper Bamboos and rattan Baskets Belting: canvas and leather Beverages over 16-percent alcohol content Books and paper in rolls or packs Boots and shoes Buttons, including cloth covered, pearl or bone Cardboard and cardboard boxes Clothing, woolen wearing apparel Cordage Dry boat storage (indoor) Furniture Furs Glues, mucilage, pastes and size Grains Horns and combs, other than celluloid Leather Linoleum Lumber Motor vehicle repair garages complying with the maxi mum allowable quantities of hazardous materials specified in Table 307.1(1) (see Section 406.8) Photo engravings Resilient flooring Self-service storage facility (mini-storage) Silks Soaps Sugar Tires, bulk storage of Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and snuff

Upholstery and mattresses Wax candles

311.2.1 Aircraft hangers. Aircraft hangars used for storage or repair shall comply with Section 412.3.

311.2.2 Motor vehicle repair garages Motor vehicle repair garages shall comply with Section 406.8.

311.3 Low-hazard storage, Group S-2.

Storage Group S-2 occupancies include, among others, buildings used for the storage of noncombustible materials such as products on wood pallets or in paper cartons with or without single thickness divisions; or in paper wrappings. Such products are permitted to have a negligible amount of plastic trim, such as knobs, handles or film wrapping. Group S-2 storage uses shall include, but not be limited to, storage of the following:

Asbestos Beverages up to and including 16-percent alcohol Cement in bags Chalk and crayons Dairy products in nonwaxed coated paper containers Dry cell batteries Electrical coils Electrical motors Empty cans Food products Foods in noncombustible containers Fresh fruits and vegetables in nonplastic trays or

containers Frozen foods Glass Glass bottles, empty or filled with noncombustible liquids Gypsum board Inert pigments Ivory Meats Metal cabinets Metal desks with plastic tops and trim Metal parts Metals Mirrors Oil-filled and other types of distribution transformers Public parking garages, open or enclosed Porcelain and pottery Stoves Talc and soapstones Washers and dryers

311.3.1 Public parking garages. Public parking garages shall comply with Section 406.4 and the additional requirements of Section 406.5 for open parking garages or Section 406.6 for enclosed parking garages.

3-14 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

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.

OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE

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▸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
  8. ▸Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
    Overview
    1. Section 303
    2. Section 301
    3. Section 302
    4. Section 304
    5. Section 306
    6. Section 305
    7. Section 307
    8. Section 308
    9. Section 309
    10. Section 310
    11. Section 311
    12. Section 312
    13. Section 313
    14. Section 314
  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

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