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Chapter 9 — VENTS

California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

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

(Matrix Adoption Tables are non-regulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user. See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

Adopt Entire Chapter as amended (amended sections listed below)

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The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.0.

2019 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE 195

196 2019 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE

CHAPTER 9

VENTS

901.0 General.901.1 Applicability. This chapter shall govern the materials,

design, and installation of plumbing vent systems.

902.0 Vents Not Required.902.1 Interceptor. Vent piping shall be permitted to be

omitted on an interceptor where such interceptor acts as a primary settling tank and discharges through a horizontal indirect waste pipe into a secondary interceptor. The second interceptor shall be properly trapped and vented.

905.0 Vent Pipe Grades and Connections.905.1 Grade.

Vent and branch vent pipes shall be free from drops or sags, and each such vent shall be level or shall be so graded and connected as to drip back by gravity to the drainage pipe it serves.

906.0 Vent Termination.906.1 Roof Termination. Each vent pipe or stack shall

extend through its flashing and shall terminate vertically not less than 6 inches (152 mm) above the roof nor less than 1 foot (305 mm) from a vertical surface. ABS and PVC piping exposed to sunlight shall be protected by water based synthetic latex paints.

907.0 Vent Stacks and Relief Vents.907.1 Drainage Stack.

Each drainage stack that extends 10 or more stories shall be served by a parallel vent stack, which shall extend undiminished in size from its upper terminal and connect to the drainage stack at or immediately below the lowest fixture drain. Each such vent stack shall also be connected to the drainage stack at each fifth floor, counting down from the uppermost fixture drain, using a yoke vent, the size of which shall be not less in diameter than either the drainage or the vent stack, whichever is smaller.

910.0 Combination Waste and Vent Systems.910.1 Where Permitted.

Combination waste and vent systems shall be permitted where structural conditions preclude the installation of conventional systems as otherwise prescribed by this code.

911.0 Circuit Venting.911.1 Circuit Vent Permitted.

A maximum of eight fixtures connected to a horizontal branch drain shall be permitted to be circuit vented. Each fixture drain shall connect horizontally to the horizontal branch being circuit vented. The horizontal branch drain shall be classified as a vent from the most downstream fixture drain connection to the most upstream fixture drain connection to the horizontal branch.

tices. The system shall be designed by a registered design professional and approved in accordance with Section 301.5.

912.0 Engineered Vent System.912.1 General. The design and sizing of a vent system shall

be permitted to be determined by accepted engineering prac

200 2019 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE

CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE

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▸Contents — California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
  1. Chapter 1 — GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
  4. Chapter 4 — PLUMBING FIXTURES AND FIXTURE FITTINGS
  5. Chapter 5 — WATER HEATERS
  6. Chapter 6 — WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
  7. Chapter 7 — SANITARY DRAINAGE
  8. Chapter 8 — INDIRECT WASTES
  9. ▸Chapter 9 — VENTS
    Overview
    1. 901.2 Vents Required. Each plumbing fixture trap, except
    2. 901.3 Trap Seal Protection. The vent system shall be
    3. 902.2 Bars, Soda Fountains, and Counter. Traps serving sinks t…
    4. 903.0 Materials.903.1 Applicable Standards. Vent pipe and fitt…
    5. 903.2 Use of Copper or Copper Alloy Tubing. Copper
    6. 903.3 Changes in Direction. Changes in the direction of
    7. 904.0 Size of Vents.904.1 Size. The size of vent piping shall …
    8. 904.2 Length. Not more than one-third of the total permitted l…
    9. 905.2 Horizontal Drainage Pipe. Where vents connect to
    10. 905.3 Vent Pipe Rise. Unless prohibited by structural conditio…
    11. 905.4 Roof Termination. Vent pipes shall extend undiminished i…
    12. 905.5 Location of Opening. The vent pipe opening from
    13. 905.6 Common Vertical Pipe. Two fixtures shall be permitted to…
    14. 906.2 Clearance. Each vent shall terminate not less than
    15. 906.3 Use of Roof. Vent pipes shall be extended separately
    16. 906.4 Outdoor Installations. Vent pipes for outdoor
    17. 906.5 Joints. Joints at the roof around vent pipes shall be
    18. 906.6 Lead. (See Table 1701.1) Sheet lead shall comply
    19. 907.2 Yoke Vent. The yoke vent connection to the vent stack
    20. 908.0 Wet Venting.908.1 Vertical Wet Venting. Wet venting is l…
    21. 906.7 Frost or Snow Closure. Where frost or snow closure is li…
    22. 908.2 Horizontal Wet Venting for a Bathroom Group. A bathroom …
    23. 909.0 Special Venting for Island Fixtures.909.1 General. Traps…
    24. 910.2 Approval. Construction documents for each combination wa…
    25. 910.3 Vents. Each combination waste and vent system, as
    26. 910.4 Size. Each waste pipe and each trap in such a system
    27. 910.5 Vertical Waste Pipe. No vertical waste pipe shall be
    28. 910.6 Cleanouts. An accessible cleanout shall be installed
    29. 910.7 Fixtures. No water closet or urinal shall be installed
    30. 912.2 Minimum Requirements. An engineered vent system shall pr…
    31. 911.2 Vent Size and Connection. The circuit vent shall be
    32. 911.3 Slope and Size of Horizontal Branch. The slope
    33. 911.4 Relief Vent. A 2 inch (50 mm) relief vent shall be provi…
    34. 911.5 Additional Fixtures. Fixtures, other than the circuitven…
  10. Chapter 10 — TRAPS AND INTERCEPTORS
  11. Chapter 11 — STORM DRAINAGE
  12. Chapter 12 — FUEL GAS PIPING
  13. Chapter 13 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND MEDICAL GAS AND MEDICA…
  14. Chapter 14 — FIRESTOP PROTECTION
  15. Chapter 15 — ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES FOR NONPOTABLE APPLICATIONS
  16. Chapter 16 — NONPOTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  17. Chapter 17 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  18. Appendix A — RECOMMENDED RULES FOR SIZING THE WATER SUPPLY SYS…
  19. Appendix B — EXPLANATORY NOTES ON COMBINATION WASTE AND VENT S…
  20. Appendix C — ALTERNATE PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  21. Appendix D — SIZING STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
  22. Appendix E — MANUFACTURED/MOBILE HOME PARKS AND RECREATIONAL V…
  23. Appendix F — FIREFIGHTER BREATHING AIR REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS
  24. Appendix G — SIZING OF VENTING SYSTEMS
  25. Appendix H — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
  26. Appendix I — INSTALLATION STANDARD FOR PEX TUBING SYSTEMS FOR …
  27. Appendix J — COMBINATION OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMBUSTION AND …
  28. Appendix K — POTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  29. Appendix L — SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
  30. Appendix M — PEAK WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR

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