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Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING

Section R309

California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

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

R309.1 Floor surface.

Garage floor surfaces shall be of approved noncombustible material.

The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.

R309.2 Carports.

Carports shall be open on not less than two sides. Carport floor surfaces shall be of approved noncombustible material. Carports not open on two or more sides shall be considered to be a garage and shall comply with the provisions of this section for garages.

The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.

Exception: Asphalt surfaces shall be permitted at ground level in carports.

R309.3 Flood hazard areas.

Garages and carports located in flood hazard areas as established by Table R301.2 shall be constructed in accordance with Section R322.

R309.4 Automatic garage door openers.

Automatic garage door openers, if provided, shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 325. See Health and Safety Code Sections 19890, 19891 and 19892 for additional provisions for resi- dential garage door openers.

R309.5 Fire sprinklers

location on property . Private garages shall be protected by fire sprinklers where the garage wall has been designed based on Table R302.1(2), Note a. Sprinklers in garages shall be connected to an automatic sprinkler system that complies with Section R313 . Garage sprinklers shall be residential sprinklers or quick-response sprinklers, designed to provide a density of 0.05 gpm/ft 2 . Garage doors shall not be considered obstructions with respect to sprinkler placement.

R309.6 Fire sprinklers, attached garages and carports with habitable space above.

habitable space above. Attached garages and carports with habitable space above shall be protected by fire sprinklers in accordance with this section and Section R313. Protection shall be provided in accordance with one of the following:

1. Residential sprinklers installed in accordance with their listing. 2. Extended coverage sprinklers discharging water not less than their listed flow rate for Light Hazard in accordance with NFPA 13. 3. Quick-response spray sprinklers at light hazard spac- ing in accordance with NFPA 13 designed to discharge at 0.05 gpm/ft 2 density (minimum). The system demand shall be permitted to be limited to the number of sprinklers in the compartment but shall not exceed two sprinklers for hydraulic calculation purposes. Garage

doors shall not be considered obstructions and shall be permit- ted to be ignored for placement and calculation of sprinklers.

Exception: An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall not be required when additions or alterations are made to existing carports and/or garages that do not have an automatic residential fire sprinkler system installed in accordance with this section.

R309.7 Extension garage door springs.

Every extension garage door spring sold or offered for sale, whether new or sold as a replacement, or installed in any garage or carport which is accessory to a dwelling covered by this code, shall conform to the requirements for garage door springs located in Section 1210 of the California Building Code.

R309.8 Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

Newly constructed one- and two-family dwellings and town- houses with attached private garages shall comply with EV infrastructure requirements in accordance with the Califor- nia Green Building Standards Code, Chapter 4, Division 4.1.

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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. Appendix AF — RADON CONTROL
  3. Appendix AI — PRIVATE SEWAGE
  4. Appendix AJ — EXISTING
  5. Appendix AK — SOUND
  6. Appendix AO — AUTOMATIC
  7. Appendix AR — LIGHT STRAW-CLAY
  8. Appendix AS — STRAWBALE
  9. Appendix AU — COB CONSTRUCTION
  10. Appendix AV — BOARD
  11. Appendix AW — 3D-PRINTED BUILDING
  12. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND APPLICATION
  13. Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING
  14. Chapter 4 — FOUNDATIONS
  15. Chapter 5 — FLOORS
  16. Chapter 6 — WALL CONSTRUCTION
  17. Chapter 7 — WALL COVERING
  18. Chapter 8 — ROOF-CEILING CONSTRUCTION
  19. Chapter 9 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES
  20. Chapter 10 — CHIMNEYS AND FIREPLACES
  21. Chapter 44 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  22. Appendix AH — PATIO COVERS
  23. Appendix AL — PERMIT FEES
  24. Appendix AQ — TINY HOUSES
  25. Appendix AT — SOLAR-READY PROVISIONS—DETACHED ONE- AND
  26. Appendix AX — SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT
  27. Appendix AY — AREAS PROTECTED BY THE FACILITIES
  28. Appendix AZ — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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