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Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS

Section 311A

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.

COMPLIANCE ALTERNATIVES

FOR MEANS OF EGRESS

311A.1 General. Means of egress through existing buildings

shall be in accordance with the California Building Code, except as modified in this section.

311A.1.1 Means of egress. Means of egress shall comply with the requirements of Sections 311A.1.1.1 and 311A.1.1.2.

Exception: The enforcing agency shall be permitted to exempt minor additions, minor alterations and minor remodel projects from these requirements.

311A.1.1.1 Means of egress for hospital buildings. Means of egress for hospital buildings shall comply with the requirements of Sections 311A.1.1.1.1 through 311A.1.1.1.6.

311A.1.1.1.1 New and existing conforming hospi- tal buildings. Means of egress for new hospital buildings and additions to existing conforming hos- pital buildings shall only pass through buildings that are conforming or comply with the require- ments of SPC-3 or higher, and NPC-4/NPC-4D or higher.

Exception: Existing means of egress that pass through hospital buildings that have approved nonstructural performance categories NPC-3, or NPC-2 if the building has an approved extension to the NPC-3 deadline, shall be permitted to remain for the duration of extension. The non- structural components in the path of egress shall be braced in accordance with the new building provisions of this code.

311A.1.1.1.2 Existing SPC-2 hospital buildings. Means of egress for additions to existing SPC-2 hos- pital buildings shall only pass through hospital buildings that have approved performance catego- ries of SPC-2 or higher and NPC-4/NPC-4D or higher.

Exception: The means of egress shall be permit- ted to pass through hospital buildings that have approved nonstructural performance categories of NPC-3, or NPC-2 if the building has an approved extension to the NPC-3 deadline. Non- structural components in the path of egress shall be braced in accordance with the new building provisions of this code.

311A.1.1.1.3 Existing SPC-3 or higher hospital buildings. Means of egress for remodels of existing SPC-3 or higher hospital buildings shall only pass through hospital buildings that have approved per- formance categories of SPC-2 or higher and NPC- 4 /NPC-4D or higher.

Exception: The means of egress shall be permit- ted to pass through hospital buildings that have approved nonstructural performance categories of NPC-3, or NPC-2 if the building has an approved extension to the NPC-3 deadline. Non- structural components in the path of egress shall be braced in accordance with the new building provisions of this code.

311A.1.1.1.4 Existing SPC-1 hospital buildings. Means of egress for remodels of existing SPC-1 hos- pital buildings shall only pass through hospital

3A-10 2022 CALIFORNIA EXISTING 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.

buildings that have approved performance catego- ries of SPC-1 or higher and NPC-2 or higher.

Exception: Means of egress for acute care ser- vice spaces for hospitals licensed pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code shall comply with the requirements of Section 311A.1.1.1.2. 311A.1.1.1.5 Other hospital buildings. Hospital buildings that would not otherwise require evalua- tion for an SPC rating, which are used as a part of the means of egress for hospital buildings, shall be evaluated in accordance with the requirements of Section 1.3, Chapter 6, of the California Administra- tive Code to determine the appropriate rating, or shall meet the structural requirements of these regu- lations for conforming hospital buildings. Means of egress shall be in accordance with the requirements of Sections 311A.1.1.1.1 through 311A.1.1.1.4. 311A.1.1.1.6 Buildings removed from hospital ser- vice. The means of egress for acute care hospitals shall be permitted to pass through buildings that are removed from hospital service only if the buildings remain under the jurisdiction of OSHPD, and only until January 1, 2030, subject to the following:

1. Egress for conforming hospital buildings shall be permitted to pass through buildings that have been removed from acute care hospital service that comply with the requirements of Section 311A.1.1.1.1 or 311A.1.1.1.3. 2. Egress for nonconforming hospital buildings shall be permitted to pass through buildings that have been removed from acute care hos- pital service that comply with the require- ments of Section 311A.1.1.1.2 or 311A.1.1.1.4. After January 1, 2030, the means of egress for acute care hospital buildings shall only pass through hospital buildings that have approved per- formance categories of SPC-3 or higher and NPC-5. 311A.1.2 Jurisdiction. Means of egress shall only pass through buildings that are under the jurisdiction of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).

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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
  7. ▸Chapter 3 — PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
    Overview
    1. Section 301
    2. Section 302
    3. Section 304
    4. Section 303
    5. Section 305
    6. Section 306
    7. Section 309
    8. Section 310 — [OSHPD 1R, 2 and 5]
    9. Section 311 — [OSHPD 1R, 2 and 5]
    10. Section 307
    11. Section 308
    12. Section 312 — [OSHPD 1R]
    13. Section 313 — [SFM]
    14. Section 314 — [SFM]
    15. Section 315 — [SFM]
    16. Section 316 — [SFM]
    17. Section 317
    18. Section 319
    19. Section 318
    20. Section 320
    21. Section 321
    22. Section 322
    23. Section 323 — [DSA-SS, DSA-SS/CC]
    24. Section 301A
    25. Section 302A
    26. Section 303A
    27. Section 304A
    28. Section 305A
    29. Section 306A
    30. Section 307A — 309 A
    31. Section 310A
    32. Section 311A
    33. Section 312A
    34. Section 313A
  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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