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Appendix Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY

Section 436 — GROUP I-4 [SFM]

2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-27 · California

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

436.1 Group I-4 special provisions.

Rooms classified as Group I-4 shall not be located above or below the first story.

Exceptions: 1. Basements or stories having floor levels located within 4 feet (1219 mm), measured vertically, from adjacent ground level at the level of exit discharge, provided the basement or story has exterior exit doors at that level. 2. Group I-4 child-care center or adult cay care may be located above the first story in buildings of Types I-A, I-B, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B and IV-C construction, subject to the limitation of Section 503 when: 2.1. Group I-4 child-care center with children under the age of seven or containing more than 12 children per story shall not be located above the fourth floor; and

2.2. The entire story in which the Group I-4 child-care center or adult day care is located is equipped with an approved manual fire alarm and automatic smoke-detection system. (See the California Fire Code.) Actuation of an initiating device shall sound an audible alarm throughout the entire story. When a building fire alarm system is required by other provisions of this code or the Fire Code, the alarm system shall be connected to the building alarm system. An approved alarm signal shall sound at an approved location in the Group I-4 facility to indicate a fire alarm or sprin- kler flow condition in other portions of the building; and 2.3. Group I-4 child-care center or adult day care, if more than 1,000 square feet (92.9 m [2] ) in area, is divided into at least two compartments of approximately the same size by a smoke barrier with door openings protected by smoke- and draft-control assemblies having a fire-protection rating of not less than 20 minutes. Smoke barriers shall have a fire-resistive rating of not less than one hour. In addition to the requirements of Section 508.3.3 of the California Building Code, occupancy separations between Group I-4 child-care center or adult day care and other occupan- cies shall be constructed as smoke barriers. Door openings in the smoke barrier shall be tightfittinq, with gaskets installed as required by Section 710 of the California Building Code, and shall be automatic closing by actuation of the automatic sprinklers, fire alarm or smoke-detection system. 2.4. Each compartment formed by the smoke barrier has not less than two exits or exit access doors, one of which is permitted to pass through the adjoining compartment; and 2.5. Where two or more exits or exit access are required, at least one shall not share a common path of travel. The egress system shall comply with the requirements of Section 709 for smoke barriers. 2.6. The building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system throughout.

436.1.1 Egress. Rooms used for Group I-4 child-care or adult day care on the first floor shall have one exit door directly to the exterior.

Exception: One-hour rated corridors with a minimum width of 60 inches (1524 mm).

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Contents — 2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)
2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
  4. Chapter 4 — EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS
  5. Chapter 5 — FIRE SERVICE FEATURES
  6. Chapter 6 — BUILDING SERVICES AND SYSTEMS
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISH, DECORATIVE MATERIALS AND FURNISHI…
  9. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  10. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  11. Chapter 11 — CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
  12. Chapter 12 — ENERGY SYSTEMS
  13. Chapter 20 — AVIATION FACILITIES
  14. Chapter 21 — DRY CLEANING
  15. Chapter 22 — COMBUSTIBLE DUST-PRODUCING OPERATIONS
  16. Chapter 23 — MOTOR FUEL-DISPENSING FACILITIES AND REPAIR GARAGES
  17. Chapter 24 — FLAMMABLE FINISHES
  18. Chapter 25 — FRUIT AND CROP RIPENING
  19. Chapter 26 — FUMIGATION AND INSECTICIDAL FOGGING
  20. Chapter 27 — SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION FACILITIES
  21. Chapter 28 — LUMBER YARDS AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL, SOLID BIOMASS A…
  22. Chapter 29 — MANUFACTURE OF ORGANIC COATINGS
  23. Chapter 30 — INDUSTRIAL OVENS
  24. Chapter 31 — TENTS, TEMPORARY SPECIAL EVENT STRUCTURES AND OTH…
  25. Chapter 32 — HIGH-PILED COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE
  26. Chapter 33 — FIRE SAFETY DURING CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION
  27. Chapter 34 — TIRE REBUILDING AND TIRE STORAGE
  28. Chapter 35 — WELDING AND OTHER HOT WORK
  29. Chapter 36 — MARINAS
  30. Chapter 37 — COMBUSTIBLE FIBERS
  31. Chapter 38 — RESERVED
  32. Chapter 39 — PROCESSING AND EXTRACTION FACILITIES
  33. Chapter 40 — STORAGE OF DISTILLED SPIRITS AND WINES
  34. Chapter 41 — TEMPORARY HEATING AND COOKING OPERATIONS
  35. Chapter 48 — MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION STUDIO S…
  36. Chapter 49 — REQUIREMENTS FOR WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRE AR…
  37. Chapter 50 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS—GENERAL PROVISIONS
  38. Chapter 51 — AEROSOLS
  39. Chapter 52 — RESERVED
  40. Chapter 53 — COMPRESSED GASES
  41. Chapter 54 — CORROSIVE MATERIALS
  42. Chapter 55 — CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
  43. Chapter 56 — EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS
  44. Chapter 57 — FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
  45. Chapter 58 — FLAMMABLE GASES AND FLAMMABLE CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
  46. Chapter 59 — FLAMMABLE SOLIDS
  47. Chapter 60 — HIGHLY TOXIC AND TOXIC MATERIALS
  48. Chapter 61 — LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
  49. Chapter 62 — ORGANIC PEROXIDES
  50. Chapter 63 — OXIDIZERS, OXIDIZING GASES AND OXIDIZING CRYOGENI…
  51. Chapter 64 — PYROPHORIC MATERIALS
  52. Chapter 65 — PYROXYLIN (CELLULOSE NITRATE) PLASTICS
  53. Chapter 66 — UNSTABLE (REACTIVE) MATERIALS
  54. Chapter 67 — WATER-REACTIVE SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS
  55. Chapter 80 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  56. Appendix Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON US…
  57. Appendix A — BOARD OF APPEALS
  58. Appendix B — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS
  59. Appendix BB — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS
  60. Appendix C — FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
  61. Appendix CC — FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
  62. Appendix D — FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROADS
  63. Appendix E — HAZARD CATEGORIES
  64. Appendix F — HAZARD RANKING
  65. Appendix G — CRYOGENIC FLUIDS—WEIGHT AND VOLUME EQUIVALENTS
  66. Appendix H — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PLANS AND HAZARDOU…
  67. Appendix I — FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS—NONCOMPLIANT CONDITIONS
  68. Appendix J — BUILDING INFORMATION SIGN
  69. Appendix K — CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING AMBULATORY…
  70. Appendix L — REQUIREMENTS FOR FIREFIGHTER AIR REPLENISHMENT SY…
  71. Appendix M — HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS—RETROACTIVE AUTOMATIC SPRINKL…
  72. Appendix N — INDOOR TRADE SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS
  73. Appendix O — VALET TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION IN GROUP R-2…
  74. Appendix P — TEMPORARY HAUNTED HOUSES, GHOST WALKS AND SIMILAR…
  75. Appendix Q — COMMUNITY WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE (WUI) FIRE HAZ…

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