Chapter 32 — HIGH-PILED COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE
3208 Rack Storage — 2025 California Fire Code
California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-09-25 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
Cite as: 2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) § 3208 · Effective January 1, 2026 · Official source: Building Standards Commission
3208.1 General.¶
Rack storage shall be in accordance with Section 3206 and this section. Bin boxes exceeding 5 feet (1524 mm) in any dimension shall be regulated as rack storage.
3208.1.1 Storage racks. The design and installation of storage racks shall be in accordance with the California Building Code .
3208.2 Fire protection.¶
Where automatic sprinklers are required by Table 3206.2, an approved automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout the building or to 1-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 of the California Building Code . Openings in such fire barriers shall be protected by opening protectives having a 1-hour fire protection rating. The design and installation of the automatic sprinkler system and other applicable fire protection shall be in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 and the California Building Code .
3208.2.1 Plastic shelves. Storage on plastic shelves shall be protected by approved specially engineered fire protection systems. 3208.2.2 Racks with solid shelving. Racks with solid shelving having an area greater than 20 square feet (1.9 m [2] ), measured between approved flue spaces at all four edges of the shelf, shall be in accordance with this section.
Exceptions:
Racks with mesh, grated, slatted or similar shelves having uniform openings not more than 6 inches (152 mm) apart, comprising not less than 50 percent of the overall shelf area, and with approved flue spaces are allowed to be treated as racks without solid shelves.
Racks used for the storage of combustible paper records, with solid shelving, shall be in accordance with NFPA 13.
3208.2.2.1 Fire protection. Fire protection for racks with solid shelving shall be in accordance with NFPA 13.
HIGH-PILED COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE
3208.3 Flue spaces.¶
Rack storage areas protected with an automatic sprinkler system shall be provided with flue spaces in accordance with Table 3208.3. The space taken up by rack uprights that is not obstructed by commodities or solid shelving is allowed to be included in the transverse flue space measurement. Required flue spaces shall be maintained.
TABLE 3208.3—REQUIRED FLUE SPACES FOR RACK STORAGE
| RACK CONFIGURATION |
FLUE DESIGN | FLUE DESIGN | AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER PROTECTION | AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER PROTECTION | AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER PROTECTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RACK CONFIGURATION |
FLUE DESIGN | FLUE DESIGN | Sprinklers at the ceiling with or without minimum in-rack sprinklers |
Sprinklers at the ceiling with or without minimum in-rack sprinklers |
In-rack sprinklers at every tier |
| RACK CONFIGURATION |
FLUE DESIGN | FLUE DESIGN | Storage height ≤ 25 feet |
Storage height > 25 feet |
Any height |
| Single-row rack | Transverse flue space |
Sizeb | 3 inches | 3 inches | Not required |
| Single-row rack | Transverse flue space |
Vertically aligned | Not required | Yes | Not required |
| Single-row rack | Longitudinal flue space | Longitudinal flue space | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 1) |
Transverse flue space |
Sizeb | 6 inchesa | 3 inches | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 1) |
Transverse flue space |
Vertically aligned | Not required | Yes | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 1) |
Longitudinal flue space | Longitudinal flue space | Not required | 6 inches | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 2) |
Transverse flue space |
Sizeb | 3 inches | 6 inches | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 2) |
Transverse flue space |
Vertically aligned | Not required | Yes | Not required |
| Double-row rack (Option 2) |
Longitudinal flue space | Longitudinal flue space | 6 inches | Not required | Not required |
| Multiple-row rack | Transverse flue space |
Sizeb | 6 inches | 6 inches | Not required |
| Multiple-row rack | Transverse flue space |
Vertically aligned | Not required | Yes | Not required |
| Multiple-row rack | Longitudinal flue space | Longitudinal flue space | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm. a. Three-inch transverse flue spaces shall be provided not less than every 10 feet where ESFR sprinkler protection is provided. b. Random variations are allowed, provided that the configuration does not obstruct water penetration. |
3208.3.1 Flue space protection. Flue spaces required by Table 3208.3 above the first tier of storage in single-, double- or multiple-row rack storage installations shall, where required by the fire code official, be equipped with approved protection devices. Such devices shall not be removed or modified.
3208.4 Column protection.¶
Steel building columns shall be protected in accordance with NFPA 13.
3208.5 Extra-high-rack storage systems.¶
Approval of the fire code official shall be obtained prior to installing extra-high-rack combustible storage.
3208.5.1 Fire protection. Buildings with extra-high-rack combustible storage shall be protected with a specially engineered automatic sprinkler system. Extra-high-rack combustible storage shall be provided with additional special fire protection, such as separation from other buildings and additional built-in fire protection features and fire department access, where required by the fire code official.
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