Los Angeles County Municipal Code § 1207.8 Fire Code
Los Angeles County Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Los Angeles County
Cite as: Los Angeles County Municipal Code § 1207.8 · Text as of 2026-10-04
1207.8.3 - Clearance to exposures.¶
ESS located outdoors shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 10 feet (3048 mm) from the following exposures:
Lot lines.
Public ways.
Buildings.
Stored combustible materials.
Hazardous materials.
High-piled stock.
Other exposure hazards.
Vegetation, per Table 1207.8 and Section 1207.5.7.
Exceptions:
Where approved by the fire code official, clearances are permitted to be reduced to 3 feet (914 mm) where a 1-hour free- standing fire barrier suitable for exterior use and extending 5 feet (1524 mm) above and 5 feet (1524 mm) beyond the physical boundary of the ESS installation is provided to protect the exposure.
Where approved by the fire code official, clearances to buildings are permitted to be reduced to 3 feet (914 mm) where noncombustible exterior walls with no openings or combustible overhangs are provided on the wall adjacent to the ESS and the fire-resistance rating of the exterior wall is a minimum of 2 hours.
Where approved by the fire code official, clearances to buildings are permitted to be reduced to 3 feet (914 mm) where a weatherproof enclosure constructed of noncombustible materials is provided over the ESS, and it has been demonstrated that a fire within the enclosure will not ignite combustible materials outside the enclosure based on large-scale fire testing complying with Section 1207.1.5.
1207.8.4 - Exterior wall installations.¶
ESS shall be permitted to be installed outdoors on exterior walls of buildings when all of the following conditions are met:
The maximum energy capacity of individual ESS units shall not exceed 20 kWh.
The ESS shall comply with applicable requirements in Section 1207.
The ESS shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and their listing.
Individual ESS units shall be separated from each other by at least 3 feet (914 mm).
The ESS shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 5 feet (1524 mm) from all doors, windows operable openings, HVAC inlets, and other penetrations directly or indirectly into habitable or occupiable spaces, or bathrooms.
The ESS shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 10 feet (3048 mm) from all of the following:
6.1.
Lot lines.
6.2.
Public ways.
6.3.
Other buildings.
6.4.
Stored combustible materials.
6.5.
Hazardous materials.
6.6.
High-piled stock.
6.7.
Other exposure hazards.
6.8.
Vegetation, as specified in Section 1207.5.7.
Exception: Where approved, smaller separation distances in Items 4 and 5 shall be permitted where such distances are documented and approved to be adequate for the ESS model(s) in question based on large-scale fire testing, in accordance with Section 1207.1.5.
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code