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