Chapter 15.05 — RESIDENTIAL CODE

The City Council adopts and incorporates by reference, as though set forth in full in this section, the 2025 Edition of the California Residential Code, including Appendix BF, and all national codes and standards referenced therein, based on the 2024 International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council.

The various parts of these codes and standards, along with the additions, amendments, and deletions adopted in this chapter, shall constitute and be known as the Newport Beach Residential Code. A copy of the 2025 California Residential Code, printed in code book form, shall be kept on file in the office of the Building Official pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 18942(e)(1) and made available for public inspection. (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R101.1 is amended to read as follows:

Section R101.1 Title. These provisions shall be known as the Residential Code for One-and Two-family Dwellings of Newport Beach and shall be cited as such and will be referenced to herein as “this code.”

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.030. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Sections R102 through R114 are deleted in their entirety. All administrative provisions including enforcement, permit process, fees, and inspections for these chapters are contained in the Administrative Code under Chapter 15.02. (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R115 is added to read as follows:

SECTION R115 – Existing Buildings For existing One-and Two-family dwellings, the Existing Building Code as adopted under section 15.14 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code shall be the applicable code.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section 15.05.060 is amended to read as follows:

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City of Newport Beach, CA § 15.05.060 NEWPORT BEACH CODE § 15.05.070

Section R301.1.1.1 is deleted in its entirety.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R301.1.3 is amended to read as follows:

Section R301.1.3 Engineered Design. Where a building of otherwise conventional construction contains structural elements exceeding the limits of Section R301 or otherwise not conforming to this code, these elements shall be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practices. The extent of such design need only demonstrate compliance of nonconventional elements with other applicable provisions and shall be compatible with the performance of the conventional framed system. Engineered design in accordance with the California Building Code is permitted for buildings and structures and parts thereof, included in the scope of this code. R301.1.3.1 California Licensed Architect or Engineer. When any portion of any structure deviates from substantial compliance with conventional framing requirements for wood frame construction found in this code, the Building Official shall require the construction documents to be approved and stamped by a California licensed architect or engineer for that irregular or nonconforming portion of work. Notwithstanding other sections of law, the law establishing these provisions is found in California Business and Professions Code Sections 5537 and 6737.1. R301.1.3.2 Wood Frame Structures Greater than Two-Stories. The Building Official shall require construction documents to be approved and stamped by a California licensed architect or engineer for all dwellings of wood frame construction of more than two stories in height or having a basement. Notwithstanding other sections of law, the law establishing these provisions is found in California Business and Professions Code sections 5537 and 6737.1. R301.1.3.3 Structures other than Wood Frame. The Building Official shall require floor, wall or roof-ceiling structural elements in dwellings designed of cold formed steel, concrete, and masonry prescribed by this code to be approved and stamped by a California licensed architect or engineer. Notwithstanding other sections of law, the law establishing these provisions is found in California Business and Professions Code sections 5537 and 6737.1.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2023-22 § 694, 2023; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

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City of Newport Beach, CA

BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION § 15.05.080

Table R301.2 is amended by completing the table to read as follows:

TABLE R301.2
CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA

WIND DESIGN SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM ICE
BARRIER
SEISMIC UNDERLAY- AIR MEAN
Speed d Topographic Special wind Windborne DESIGN Frost line MENT FLOOD FREEZING ANNUAL

GROUND SNOW LOAD o (mph) effects k region l debris zone m CATEGORY f Weathering a depth b Termite c REQUIRED h HAZARDS g INDEX i TEMP j

ZERO 95 NO NO NO D0, D1, D2, NEGLIGIBLE NA VERY NO SEE 0 60.7
OR E HEAVY FOOTNOTE g

MANUAL J DESIGN CRITERIA n

Indoor winter design dry- Indoor winter design dry- Outdoor winter design dry- Healing temperature
Elevation Altitude correction factor c Coincident wet bulb bulb temperature bulb temperature bulb temperature difference

10 FEET 1.0 67 70 70 43 30°

Indoor summer design Indoor summer design Indoor summer design dry- Outdoor summer design Cooling temperature
Latitude Daily range relative humidity relative humidity bulb temperature dry-bulb temperature difference

Table R301.2 footnote g is amended to read as follows:

Section Table R301.2 Footnote g. Refer to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as printed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) dated March 21, 2019; Flood Insurance Study (FIS Profile) effective date of revision: March 21, 2019; Community number: 060227; Map: 06059; Panels: 264, 267, 268, 269, 286, 288, 289, 377, 381, 382, 384, 401, 402, 403, 404, 406 and 408; Suffix “K”; Initial NFIP map date: March 15, 1974; and Initial FIRM date: September 1, 1978.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R301.2.4 is amended to read as follows:

Section R301.2.4 Floodplain Construction. Buildings and structures constructed in whole or in part in flood hazard areas as established in Table R301.2, and substantial improvement and repair of substantial damage of buildings and structures located in whole or in part in flood hazard areas, shall be designed and constructed in accordance with Chapter 15.50, Floodplain Management, and Section R306. Buildings and structures that are located in more than one flood hazard area, including A Zones, Coastal A Zones and V Zones, shall comply with the provisions associated with the most restrictive flood hazard area. Buildings and structures located in whole or in part in identified floodways shall be designed and constructed in accordance with ASCE 24. R301.2.4.1 Alternate Provisions. As an alternate to the requirements in Section R306 and Chapter 15.50, Floodplain Management, ASCE 24 is permitted subject to the limitations of this code and the limitations therein.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2023-22 § 695, 2023; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R317.3 is amended to read as follows:

Section R317.3 Flood Hazard Areas. Garages and carports located in flood hazard areas as established by Table R301.2, shall be constructed in accordance with Section 306R306 and Chapter 15.50, Floodplain Management.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2023-22 § 696, 2023; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.120. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.130. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.140. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

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City of Newport Beach, CA § 15.05.150 BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION § 15.05.230

§ 15.05.150. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.160. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.170. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section 15.05.180 is amended to read as follows:

Section R309 is deleted in its entirety and replaced by California Building Code Section 903.2.8 as amended in Section 15.04.090.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R308.1 is amended to read as follows:

Section R308.1 Address Identification. Buildings shall be provided with approved address identification. The address identification shall be legible and placed in a position that is visible from the street or road fronting the property, and alley if adjacent to the property.

Address identification characters shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters. Numbers shall not be spelled out. Each character shall be not less than four (4) inches (102 mm) in height with a stroke width of not less than 0.5 inch (12.7 mm). Where required by the fire code official, address identification shall be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response. Where access is by means of a private road and the building address cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other sign or means shall be used to identify the structure. Address identification shall be maintained.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Code Chapter 15.50, Floodplain Management.

Section 15.05.200 is amended to read as follows:

Section R306 is amended to include Chapter 15.50, Floodplain Management.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2023-22 § 697, 2023; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.210. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.220. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

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City of Newport Beach, CA § 15.05.230 NEWPORT BEACH CODE § 15.05.290

Section R341 is added to read as follows:

SECTION R341—SOUND TRANSMISSION R341.1 General. Wall and floor-ceiling assemblies separating dwelling units including those separating adjacent townhouse units shall provide air-borne sound insulation for walls and both air-borne and impact sound insulation for floor-ceiling assemblies per Section 1206 of the 2025 California Building Code, Title 24, Part 2.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section 15.05.240 is amended to read as follows:

Section R401.4 is deleted in its entirety and replaced by California Building Code Section 1803, Geotechnical Investigations.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.250. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section R405.1 is amended by adding exceptions to read as follows:

Exceptions:

1. A drainage system is not required when the foundation is installed on well-drained ground or sand-gravel mixture soils according to the Unified Soil Classification System, Group I Soils, as detailed in Table R405.1.
2. A foundation drainage system is not permitted for basement walls extending below high tide of the Newport Bay water elevation.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.270. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

§ 15.05.280. (Reserved) (Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

Section 15.05.290 is amended to read as follows:

Section R902 is deleted in its entirety and replaced by California Building Code Section 1505 as amended in Sections 15.04.110 through 15.04.120.

(Ord. 2022-26 § 4, 2022; Ord. 2025-23 § 4, 2025)

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City of Newport Beach, CA