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Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING

Section R314 — MEZZANINES

2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

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

R314.1 General. Mezzanines shall comply with Sections R314.2 through R314.5.

Exception: Sleeping lofts in dwelling units and sleeping units shall be permitted to comply with Section R315, subject to the limitations in Section R315.2.

R314.2 Mezzanines.

The clear height above and below mezzanine floor construction shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).

R314.3 Area limitation.

The aggregate area of a mezzanine or mezzanines shall be not greater than one-third of the floor area of the room or space in which they are located. The enclosed portion of a room shall not be included in a determination of the floor area of the room in which the mezzanine is located.

Exception: The aggregate area of a mezzanine located within a dwelling unit equipped with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section R309 shall not be greater than one-half of the floor area of the room, provided that the mezzanine meets all of the following requirements:

  1. Except for enclosed closets and bathrooms, the mezzanine is open to the room in which such mezzanine is located.
  2. The opening to the room is unobstructed except for walls not more than 42 inches (1067 mm) in height, columns, beams and posts.
  3. The exceptions to Section R314.5 are not applied.

R314.4 Means of egress.

The means of egress for mezzanines shall comply with the applicable provisions of Section R318.

R314.5 Openness.

Mezzanines shall be open and unobstructed to the room in which they are located except for walls not more than 42 inches (1067 mm) in height, columns, beams and posts.

Exception: Mezzanines, or portions of the mezzanines, are not required to be open to the room in which they are located, provided that the enclosed spaces on the mezzanine are not greater than 10 percent of the mezzanine area.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. ▸ Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING
    Overview
    1. Section R300 — SITE DRAINAGE
    2. Section R301 — DESIGN CRITERIA
    3. Section R302 — FIRE-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
    4. Section R303 — FOAM PLASTIC
    5. Section R304 — PROTECTION OF WOOD AND WOOD-BASED PRODUCTS AGAI…
    6. Section R305 — PROTECTION AGAINST SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES
    7. Section R306 — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
    8. Section R307 — STORM SHELTERS
    9. Section R308 — SITE ADDRESS
    10. Section R309 — AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
    11. Section R310 — SMOKE ALARMS
    12. Section R311 — CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS
    13. Section R312 — MINIMUM ROOM AREAS
    14. Section R313 — CEILING HEIGHT
    15. Section R314 — MEZZANINES
    16. Section R315 — SLEEPING LOFTS
    17. Section R316 — HABITABLE ATTICS
    18. Section R317 — GARAGES AND CARPORTS
    19. Section R318 — MEANS OF EGRESS
    20. Section R319 — EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE OPENINGS
    21. Section R320 — HANDRAILS
    22. Section R321 — GUARDS AND WINDOW FALL PROTECTION
    23. Section R322 — ACCESSIBILITY
    24. Section R323 — ELEVATORS AND PLATFORM LIFTS
    25. Section R324 — GLAZING
    26. Section R325 — LIGHT, VENTILATION AND HEATING
    27. Section R326 — SANITATION
    28. Section R327 — TOILET, BATH AND SHOWER SPACES
    29. Section R328 — AGING-IN-PLACE DESIGN AND FALL PREVENTION
    30. Section R329 — SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
    31. Section R330 — ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
    32. Section R331 — STATIONARY ENGINE GENERATORS
    33. Section R332 — STATIONARY FUEL CELL POWER SYSTEMS
    34. Section R333 — RESERVED
    35. Section R334 — CONSTRUCTION WASTE REDUCTION, DISPOSAL AND RECY…
    36. Section R335 — SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR LICENSED 24-HOUR CARE FA…
    37. Section R336 — LARGE FAMILY DAY-CARE HOMES
    38. Section R337 — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR…
    39. Section R338 — ELECTRIC VEHICLE
    40. Section 339 — RESERVED
    41. Section R340 — POLLUTANT CONTROL
  4. Chapter 4 — FOUNDATIONS
  5. Chapter 5 — FLOORS
  6. Chapter 6 — WALL CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — WALL COVERING
  8. Chapter 8 — ROOF-CEILING CONSTRUCTION
  9. Chapter 9 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES
  10. Chapter 10 — CHIMNEYS AND FIREPLACES
  11. Chapter 44 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  12. Appendix AA — BOARD OF APPEALS
  13. Appendix AB — PERMIT FEES
  14. Appendix AC — RESERVED
  15. Appendix BA — RESERVED
  16. Appendix BB — TINY HOUSES
  17. Appendix BC — RESERVED
  18. Appendix BD — RESERVED
  19. Appendix BE — RADON CONTROL METHODS
  20. Appendix BF — PATIO COVERS
  21. Appendix BG — SOUND TRANSMISSION
  22. Appendix BH — AUTOMATIC VEHICULAR GATES
  23. Appendix BI — LIGHT STRAW-CLAY CONSTRUCTION
  24. Appendix BJ — STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION
  25. Appendix BK — COB CONSTRUCTION (MONOLITHIC ADOBE)
  26. Appendix BL — HEMP-LIME (HEMPCRETE) CONSTRUCTION
  27. Appendix BM — 3D-PRINTED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
  28. Appendix BN — EXTENDED PLATE WALL CONSTRUCTION
  29. Appendix BO — EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
  30. Appendix CA — RESERVED
  31. Appendix CB — RESERVED
  32. Appendix CC — RESERVED
  33. Appendix CD — RESERVED
  34. Appendix CE — RESERVED
  35. Appendix CF — RESERVED
  36. Appendix CG — NONSEWERED SANITATION SYSTEMS
  37. Appendix CH — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL
  38. Appendix CI — SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT
  39. Appendix CJ — EMERGENCY HOUSING
  40. Appendix CK — AREAS PROTECTED BY THE FACILITIES OF THE CENTRAL…

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