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Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

Section 709

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.

709.1 General.

Vertical and horizontal smoke barriers shall comply with this section.

709.2 Materials.

Smoke barriers shall be of materials permitted by the building type of construction.

FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

709.3 Fire-resistance rating.

A 1-hour fire-resistance rating is required for smoke barriers.

709.4 Continuity.

Smoke barriers shall form an effective membrane continuous from the top of the foundation or floor/ceiling assembly below to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above, including continuity through concealed spaces, such as those found above suspended ceilings, and interstitial structural and mechanical spaces. The supporting construction shall be protected to afford the required fire-resistance rating of the wall or floor supported in buildings of other than Type IIB, IIIB or VB construction. Smoke-barrier walls used to separate smoke compartments shall comply with Section 709.4.1. Smokebarrier walls used to enclose areas of refuge in accordance with Section 1009.6.4 or to enclose elevator lobbies in accordance with Section 405.4.3, 3007.6.2, or 3008.6.2 shall comply with Section 709.4.2.

Exception: Smoke-barrier walls are not required in interstitial spaces where such spaces are designed and constructed with ceilings or exterior walls that provide resistance to the passage of fire and smoke equivalent to that provided by the smoke-barrier walls.

709.4.1 Smoke-barrier assemblies separating smoke compartments. Smoke-barrier assemblies used to separate smoke compartments shall form an effective membrane enclosure that is continuous from an outside wall or smoke barrier wall to an outside wall or another smoke barrier wall and to the horizontal assemblies.

709.4.2 Smoke-barrier walls enclosing areas of refuge or elevator lobbies. Smoke-barrier walls used to enclose areas of refuge in accordance with Section 1009.6.4, or to enclose elevator lobbies in accordance with Section 405.4.3, 3007.6.2, or 3008.6.2, shall form an effective membrane enclosure that terminates at a fire barrier wall having a level of fire protection rating not less than 1 hour, another smoke barrier wall or an outside wall. A smoke and draft control door assembly as specified in Section 716.2.2.1.1 shall not be required at each elevator hoistway door opening or at each exit doorway between an area of refuge and the exit enclosure.

709.5 Openings.

Openings in a smoke barrier shall be protected in accordance with Section 716.

Exceptions:

  1. In Group I-2, I-2.1, R-2.1 and ambulatory care facilities, where a pair of opposite-swinging doors are installed across a corridor in accordance with Section 709.5.1, the doors shall not be required to be protected in accordance with Section 716. The doors shall be close fitting within operational tolerances, and shall not have a center mullion or undercuts in excess of 3 /4 inch (19.1 mm), louvers or grilles. The doors shall have head and jamb stops, and astragals or rabbets at meeting edges. Where permitted by the door manufacturer’s listing, positive-latching devices are not required. Factory-applied or fieldapplied protective plates are not required to be labeled. Doors installed across corridors shall com- ply with Section 1010.1.1.

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.

FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES

  1. In Group I-2, R-2.1 and ambulatory care facilities, special purpose horizontal sliding, accordion or folding doors installed in accordance with Section 1010.3.3 and protected in accordance with Section
  2. Doors installed across corridors shall comply with Section 1010.1.1.

709.5.1 Group I-2, I-2.1, R-2.1 and ambulatory care facilities. In Group I-2, I-2.1, R-2.1 and ambulatory care facilities, where doors protecting openings in smoke barriers are installed across a corridor and have hold-open devices, the doors shall be automatic-closing in accordance with Section 716.2.6.6. Such doors shall have a vision panel with fire-protection-rated glazing materials in fire-protection-rated frames, the area of which shall not exceed that tested. In Group I-2, where swinging doors are installed across a corridor, such doors shall be opposite swinging pairs.

709.6 Penetrations.

Penetrations of smoke barriers shall comply with Section 714.

709.7 Joints.

Joints made in or between smoke barriers shall comply with Section 715.

709.8 Ducts and air transfer openings.

Penetrations in a smoke barrier by ducts and air transfer openings shall comply with Section 717.

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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
  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
    Overview
    1. Section 701
    2. Section 702
    3. Section 703
    4. Section 704
    5. Section 705
    6. Section 706
    7. Section 707
    8. Section 708
    9. Section 709
    10. Section 710
    11. Section 711
    12. Section 712
    13. Section 713
    14. Section 714
    15. Section 715
    16. Section 716
    17. Section 717
    18. Section 718
    19. Section 719
    20. Section 720
    21. Section 721
    22. Section 722
  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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