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Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS

301.5 Alternative Engineered Design. An alternative

California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

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

engineered design shall comply with the intent of the provisions of this code and shall provide an equivalent level of quality, strength, effectiveness, fire resistance, durability, and safety. Material, equipment, or components shall be designed and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

301.5.1 Permit Application. The registered design professional shall indicate on the design documents that the plumbing system, or parts thereof, is an alternative engineered design so that it is noted on the construction permit application. The permit and permanent permit records shall indicate that an alternative engineered design was part of the approved installation. 301.5.2 Technical Data. The registered design professional shall submit sufficient technical data to substantiate the proposed alternative engineered design and to prove that the performance meets the intent of this code. 301.5.3 Design Documents. The registered design professional shall provide two complete sets of signed and sealed design documents for the alternative engineered design for submittal to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The design documents shall include floor plans and a riser diagram of the work. Where appropriate, the design documents shall indicate the direction of flow, pipe sizes, grade of horizontal piping, loading, and location of fixtures and appliances. 301.5.4 Design Approval. An approval of an alternative engineered design shall be at the discretion of the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The exercise of this discretionary approval by the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall have no effect beyond the jurisdictional boundaries of said Authority Having Jurisdiction. An alternative engineered design so approved shall not be considered as in accordance with the requirements, intent, or both of this code for a purpose other than that granted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

301.5.5 Design Review. The Authority Having Jurisdiction shall have the authority to require testing of the alternative engineered design in accordance with Section 301.3.1, including the authority to require an independent review of the design documents by a registered design professional selected by the Authority Having Jurisdiction and at the expense of the applicant. 301.5.6 Inspection and Testing. The alternative engineered design shall be tested and inspected in accordance with the submitted testing and inspection plan and the requirements of this code.

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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
    Overview
    1. 301.1 Applicability. This chapter shall govern the general
    2. 301.2 Minimum Standards. Pipe, pipe fittings, traps, fixtures,…
    3. 301.3 Alternate Materials and Methods of Construc-
    4. 301.4 Flood Hazard Areas. Plumbing systems shall be
    5. 301.5 Alternative Engineered Design. An alternative
    6. 301.6 One- and Two-Family Dwellings. [HCD 1] The
    7. 301.7 OSHPD 1R [OSHPD 1R]. For OSHPD 1R, refer to
    8. 302.1 General. Iron, steel, copper, and copper alloy pipe
    9. 303.1 General. It shall be unlawful for a person to cause,
    10. 304.1 General. Plumbing fixtures, drains, appurtenances,
    11. 305.1 Unlawful Practices. It shall be unlawful for a person to…
    12. 306.1 Detrimental Wastes. Wastes detrimental to the public sew…
    13. 306.2 Safe Discharge. Sewage or other waste from a
    14. 307.1 System. Except as otherwise provided in this code,
    15. 307.2 Ownership. No subdivision, sale, or transfer of ownershi…
    16. 308.1 General. Piping, fixtures, or equipment shall not be
    17. 309.1 Engineering Practices. Design, construction, and
    18. 309.2 Concealing Imperfections. It is unlawful to conceal crac…
    19. 309.3 Burred Ends. Burred ends of pipe and tubing shall
    20. 309.4 Installation Practices. Plumbing systems shall be
    21. 309.5 Sound Transmission. Plumbing piping systems
    22. 309.6 Dead Legs. Dead legs shall have a method of flushing.
    23. 310.1 Fittings. No double hub fitting, single or double tee
    24. 310.2 Drainage and Vent Piping. No drainage or vent
    25. 310.3 Waste Connection. No waste connection shall be
    26. 310.4 Use of Vent and Waste Pipes. Except as hereinafter provi…
    27. 310.5 Obstruction of Flow. No fitting, fixture and piping
    28. 310.6 Dissimilar Metals. Except for necessary valves,
    29. 310.7 Direction of Flow. Valves, pipes, and fittings shall
    30. 310.8 Screwed Fittings. Screwed fittings shall be ABS,
    31. 310.9 [OSHPD 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Drainage piping over oper-
    32. 310.10 [OSHPD 1, 3, 4 & 5] Floor drains, waste traps, san-
    33. 310.11 [SFM] For applications listed in Section 1.11.0 regu-
    34. 310.12 [OSHPD 1, 2, 4 & 5] Services/Systems and Util-
    35. 310.13 Telephone and Data Equipment Rooms
    36. 311.1 General. The drainage system of each new building
    37. 312.1 General. Piping passing under or through walls shall
    38. 312.2 Installation. Piping in connection with a plumbing
    39. 312.3 Building Sewer and Drainage Piping. No building sewer or…
    40. 312.4 Corrosion, Erosion, and Mechanical Damage.
    41. 312.5 Protectively Coated Pipe. Protectively coated pipe
    42. 312.6 Freezing Protection. No water, soil, or waste pipe
    43. 312.7 Fire-Resistant Construction. Piping penetrations
    44. 312.8 Waterproofing of Openings. Joints at the roof
    45. 312.9 Steel Nail Plates. Plastic and copper or copper alloy
    46. 312.10 Sleeves. Sleeves shall be provided to protect piping th…
    47. 312.11 Structural Members. A structural member weakened or imp…
    48. 312.12 Rodentproofing. Strainer plates on drain inlets
    49. 313.1 General. Piping, fixtures, appliances, and appurtenances…
    50. 313.2 Material. Hangers and anchors shall be of sufficient
    51. 313.3 Suspended Piping. Suspended piping shall be supported at…
    52. 313.4 Alignment. Piping shall be supported in such a manner as…
    53. 313.5 Underground Installation. Piping in the ground
    54. 313.6 Hanger Rod Sizes. Hanger rod sizes shall be not
    55. 313.7 Gas Piping. Gas piping shall be supported by metal
    56. 313.8 [OSHPD 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Refer to Title 24, Part 2 of the
    57. 314.1 Trenches. Trenches deeper than the footing of a
    58. 314.2 Tunneling and Driving. Tunneling and driving shall
    59. 314.3 Open Trenches. Excavations required to be made
    60. 314.4 Excavations. Excavations shall be completely backfilled …
    61. 315.1 Unions. Approved unions shall be permitted to be
    62. 315.2 Prohibited Joints and Connections. A fitting or
    63. 316.1 General. Where different sizes of pipes and fittings
    64. 317.1 General. Food or drink shall not be stored, prepared,
    65. 318.1 General. Tests in accordance with this code, which
    66. 318.2 Pressure Tests (10 psi or less). Required pressure tests…
    67. 318.3 Pressure Tests (greater than 10 psi to 100 psi).
    68. 318.4 Pressure Tests (exceeding 100 psi). Required
    69. 318.5 Pressure Range. Test gauges shall have a pressure
    70. 319.1 General. Such piping shall be in accordance with the
    71. 320.1 General. Where pressure piping systems are rehabilitated…
  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
  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 STANDARDS
  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
  31. Appendix N — IMPACT OF WATER TEMPERATURE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR …

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