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Chapter 5 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD

Section 501

California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

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

501.1 Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall control the

alteration, addition and change of occupancy of existing buildings and structures, [BSC] including state-regulated structures in accordance with Section 501.1.2.

[HCD 1] In addition to the requirements in this chapter, maintenance, alteration, repair, addition, or change of occu- pancy to existing buildings and accessory structures under the authority of the Department of Housing and Community Development, as provided in Section 1.8.2.1.1, shall comply with California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1.

Exception s :

  1. Existing bleachers, grandstands and folding and telescopic seating shall comply with ICC 300.

  2. [HCD 2] For relocated or moved buildings and maintenance, alteration, repair, addition, or change of occupancy to existing buildings and accessory structures in mobilehome parks or special occu- pancy parks as provided in Section 1.8.2.1.3. See California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Division 1, Chapters 2 and 2.2.

3. [HCD 1] Limited-density owner-built rural dwell- ings.

501.1.1 Compliance with other methods. Alterations, additions and changes of occupancy to existing buildings and structures shall comply with the provisions of this chapter or with one of the methods provided in Section 301.3.

501.1.2 Existing state-owned structures. [BSC] The pro- visions of Sections 317 through 322 establish minimum standards for earthquake evaluation and design for retro- fit of existing state-owned structures, including buildings owned by the University of California, the California State University and the Judicial Council.

The provisions of Sections 317 through 322 may be adopted by a local jurisdiction for earthquake evaluation and design for retrofit of existing buildings.

501.2 Fire-resistance ratings. Where approved by the code

official, in buildings where an automatic sprinkler system

installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 of the California Building Code has been added, and the building is now sprinklered throughout, the required fire-resistance ratings of building elements and materials shall be permitted to meet the requirements of the current building code. The building is required to meet the other applicable requirements of the California Building Code .

Plans, investigation and evaluation reports, and other data shall be submitted indicating which building elements and materials the applicant is requesting the code official to review and approve for determination of applying the current building code fire-resistance ratings. Any special construction features, including fire-resistance-rated assemblies and smoke-resistive assemblies, conditions of occupancy, means of egress conditions, fire code deficiencies, approved modifications or approved alternative materials, design and methods of construction, and equipment applying to the building that impact required fire-resistance ratings shall be identified in the evaluation reports submitted.

501.3 Existing Group R occupancies. [SFM] See the Cali-

fornia Residential Code for existing Group R-3 occupancies or Chapter 46 of the California Fire Code for all other exist- ing Group R occupancies.

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▸Contents — California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10)
California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  2. Appendix A — GUIDELINES FOR
  3. Appendix B — SUPPLEMENTARY
  4. Appendix C — GUIDELINES FOR THE
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
  7. Chapter 4 — REPAIRS
  8. ▸Chapter 5 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD
    Overview
    1. Section 501
    2. Section 502
    3. Section 503
    4. Section 505
    5. Section 504
    6. Section 506
    7. Section 507
    8. Section 501A
    9. Section 502A
    10. Section 503A
    11. Section 504A
    12. Section 505A
    13. Section 506A
    14. Section 507A
  9. Chapter 6 — CLASSIFICATION OF WORK
  10. Chapter 7 — ALTERATIONS - LEVEL 1
  11. Chapter 8 — ALTERATIONS - LEVEL 2
  12. Chapter 9 — ALTERATIONS - LEVEL 3
  13. Chapter 10 — CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY
  14. Chapter 11 — ADDITIONS
  15. Chapter 12 — HISTORIC BUILDINGS
  16. Chapter 13 — PERFORMANCE COMPLIANCE METHODS
  17. Chapter 14 — RELOCATED OR MOVED BUILDINGS
  18. Chapter 15 — CONSTRUCTION SAFEGUARDS
  19. Chapter 16 — REFERENCED STANDARDS

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