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Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION

Section 116

California Existing Building Code (Title 24, Part 10) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

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

EMERGENCY MEASURES

[A] 116.1 Imminent danger. Where, in the opinion of the code official, there is imminent danger of failure or collapse of a building that endangers life, or where any building or part of a building has fallen and life is endangered by the occupation of the building, or where there is actual or potential danger to the building occupants or those in the proximity of any structure because of explosives, explosive fumes or vapors, or the presence of toxic fumes, gases, or materials, or operation of defective or dangerous equipment, the code official is hereby authorized and empowered to order and require the occupants to vacate the premises forthwith. The code official shall cause to be posted at each entrance to such structure a notice reading as follows: “This Structure Is Unsafe and Its

SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION

Occupancy Has Been Prohibited by the Code Official.” It shall be unlawful for any person to enter such structure except for the purpose of securing the structure, making the required repairs, removing the hazardous condition, or of demolishing the same.

[A] 116.2 Temporary safeguards. Notwithstanding other provisions of this code, whenever, in the opinion of the code official, there is imminent danger due to an unsafe condition, the code official shall order the necessary work to be done, including the boarding up of openings, to render such structure temporarily safe whether or not the legal procedure herein described has been instituted; and shall cause such other action to be taken as the code official deems necessary to meet such emergency.

[A] 116.3 Closing streets. Where necessary for public safety, the code official shall temporarily close structures and close or order the authority having jurisdiction to close sidewalks, streets, public ways and places adjacent to unsafe structures, and prohibit the same from being utilized.

[A] 116.4 Emergency repairs. For the purposes of this section, the code official shall employ the necessary labor and materials to perform the required work as expeditiously as possible.

[A] 116.5 Costs of emergency repairs. Costs incurred in the performance of emergency work shall be paid by the jurisdiction. The legal counsel of the jurisdiction shall institute appropriate action against the owner of the premises or the owner’s authorized agent where the unsafe structure is or was located for the recovery of such costs.

[A] 116.6 Hearing. Any person ordered to take emergency measures shall comply with such order forthwith. Any affected person shall thereafter, on petition directed to the appeals board, be afforded a hearing as described in this code.

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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 WIND
  5. Appendix D — BOARD OF
  6. ▸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 117
    41. Section 201
    42. Section 202
  7. Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
  8. Chapter 4 — REPAIRS
  9. Chapter 5 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE METHOD
  10. Chapter 6 — CLASSIFICATION OF WORK
  11. Chapter 7 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 1
  12. Chapter 8 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 2
  13. Chapter 9 — ALTERATIONS—LEVEL 3
  14. Chapter 10 — CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY
  15. Chapter 11 — ADDITIONS
  16. Chapter 12 — HISTORIC BUILDINGS
  17. Chapter 13 — PERFORMANCE COMPLIANCE METHODS
  18. Chapter 14 — RELOCATED OR MOVED BUILDINGS
  19. Chapter 15 — CONSTRUCTION SAFEGUARDS
  20. Chapter 16 — REFERENCED STANDARDS

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