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Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING

Section R337.1

California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

SCOPE, PURPOSE AND APPLICATION

R337.1.1 Scope. This chapter applies to building materi- als, systems and or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a Wild- land-Urban Interface Fire Area as defined in Section R337.2A.

R337.1.2 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to estab- lish minimum standards for the protection of life and property by increasing the ability of a building located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area to resist the intrusion of flame or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire and contributes to a systematic reduction in conflagration losses.

R337.1.3 Application. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date shall comply with the provisions of this chapter.

Exceptions:

1. Buildings of an accessory character classified as a Group U occupancy and not exceeding 120 square feet in floor area, when located at least 30 feet from an applicable building.

2. Buildings of an accessory character classified as Group U occupancy of any size located least 50 feet from an applicable building.

3. Buildings classified as a Group U Agricultural Building, as defined in Section 202 of this code (see also Appendix C – Group U Agricultural Buildings), when located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.

4. Additions to and remodels of buildings originally constructed prior to the applicable application date.

5. Group C, special buildings conforming to the limitations specified in Section 450.4.1 of the California Building Code.

For the purposes of this section and Section R337.10, applicable building includes all buildings that have resi- dential, commercial, educational, institutional, or similar occupancy type use.

R337.1.3.1 Application date and where required. New buildings for which an application for a building per- mit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008, located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland Interface Fire Area shall comply with all sections of this chapter, including all of the following areas:

1. All unincorporated lands designated by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection as State Responsibility Area (SRA) including:

1.1. Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zones

1.2. High Fire Hazard Severity Zones

1.3. Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zones

2. Land designated as Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by cities and other local agencies.

3. Land designated as Wildland Interface Fire Area by cities and other local agencies.

Exceptions:

1. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, for which an application for a build- ing permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.

2. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility

128 2019 CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE

Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.

100735044

Areas or any Wildland Interface Fire Area designated by cities and other local agen- cies for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after December 1, 2005 but prior to July 1, 2008, shall only comply with the following sections of this chapter:

2.1. Section R337.5 – Roofing

2.2. Section R337.6 – Vents

R337.1.4 Inspection and certification. Building permit applications and final completion approvals for buildings within the scope and application of this chapter shall com- ply with the following:

1. Building permit issuance. The local building official shall, prior to construction, provide the owner or applicant a certification that the building as pro- posed to be built complies with all applicable state and local building standards, including those for materials and construction methods for wildfire exposure as described in this chapter. Issuance of a building permit by the local building official for the proposed building shall be considered as complying with this section.

2. Building permit final. The local building official shall, upon completion of construction, provide the owner or applicant with a copy of the final inspec- tion report that demonstrates the building was con- structed in compliance with all applicable state and local building standards, including those for materi- als and construction methods for wildfire exposure as described in this chapter. Issuance of a certificate of occupancy by the local building official for the proposed building shall be considered as complying with this section.

R337.1.5 Vegetation management compliance. Prior to building permit final approval, the property shall be in compliance with the vegetation management requirements prescribed in California Fire Code Section 4906, includ- ing California Public Resources Code 4291 or California Government Code Section 51182. Acceptable methods of compliance inspection and documentation shall be deter- mined by the enforcing agency and shall be permitted to include any of the following:

1. Local, state, or federal fire authority or designee authorized to enforce vegetation management requirements.

2. Enforcing agency.

3. Third party inspection and certification authorized to enforce vegetation management requirements.

4. Property owner certification authorized by the enforcing agency.

R337.1.6 Application to accessory buildings and miscel- laneous structures. New accessory buildings and miscel- laneous structures specified in Section R337.10 shall comply only with the requirements of that section.

BUILDING PLANNING

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▸Contents — California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND APPLICATION
  3. ▸Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING
    Overview
    1. Section R300
    2. Section R301
    3. Section R302
    4. Section R303
    5. Section R304
    6. Section R305
    7. Section R306
    8. Section R307
    9. Section R308
    10. Section R309
    11. Section R310
    12. Section R311
    13. Section R312
    14. Section R313
    15. Section R314
    16. Section R315
    17. Section R316
    18. Section R317
    19. Section R318
    20. Section R319
    21. Section R320
    22. Section R321
    23. Section R322
    24. Section R323
    25. Section 324
    26. Section R325
    27. Section R334
    28. Section R335
    29. Section R326
    30. Section R327
    31. Section R336
    32. Section R337
    33. Section R337.1
    34. Section R337.2
    35. Section R337.3
    36. Section R337.4
    37. Section R337.5
    38. Section R337.6
    39. Section R337.7
    40. Section R337.8
    41. Section R337.9
    42. Section R337.10
    43. Section R340
    44. Section R338
  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 F — RADON CONTROL METHODS
  13. Appendix H — PATIO COVERS
  14. Appendix I — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL
  15. Appendix J — EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
  16. Appendix K — SOUND TRANSMISSION
  17. Appendix L — PERMIT FEES
  18. Appendix O — AUTOMATIC VEHICULAR GATES
  19. Appendix Q — TINY HOUSES
  20. Appendix R — LIGHT STRAW-CLAY CONSTRUCTION
  21. Appendix S — STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION
  22. Appendix T — SOLAR-READY PROVISIONS—DETACHED ONE- AND
  23. Appendix V — SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT
  24. Appendix W — AREAS PROTECTED BY THE FACILITIES
  25. Appendix X — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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