San Diego County Municipal Code Ch. 2 County Adoption

SEC. 92.2.001. ADOPTION OF COUNTY AMENDMENTS TO THE RESIDENTIAL CODE PORTION OF THE…¶

Every three years the State of California adopts a new California Building Code, as part of the California Building Standards Code (CBSC). Under Health and Safety Code section 17958, the CBSC becomes effective as to the County of San Diego 180 days after publication by the California Building Standards Commission. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code sections 17958.5 and 17958.7, a county may adopt modifications or changes to the CBSC that are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological and topographical conditions.

This chapter adopts as the County Residential Code, for the unincorporated area of the County, the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), 2025 California Residential Code portion of CBSC and the County of San Diego's modifications, additions and deletions contained in this chapter that are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. To determine which of these codes governs in any particular case, code amendments adopted by the State of California shall take precedence over the 2024 IRC and the 2024 IRC shall be used for those code sections not adopted by the State. Amendments the County adopts shall take precedence over both the 2024 IRC and 2025 CBSC provisions. Title 9, Division 1, Chapter 1 of the County of San Diego Code of Regulatory Ordinances, which contains provisions for administration and enforcement of this chapter and other construction codes, shall also be considered a part of the County Residential Code.

This chapter is adopted for the protection of the public health and safety. It includes definitions, requirements for permits and inspection for installing or altering systems, regulations for the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, conversion, demolition, equipment use and maintenance of buildings and structures, including their inspection and provides penalties for violation of this chapter. This chapter shall apply to all new construction and to any alterations, repairs, or reconstruction, except as provided for otherwise in this chapter.

(Added by Ord. No. 10146 (N.S.), effective 5-13-11; repealed and reenacted by Ord. No. 10464 (N.S.), effective 4-14-17; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10651 (N.S.), effective 2-28-20; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10829 (N.S.), effective 3-10-23; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10982 (N.S.), effective 4-3-26)

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SEC. 92.2.002. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE.¶

As used in this chapter the "California Residential Code" means Title 24, Part 2.5 of the California Code of Regulations which incorporates, by adoption, the 2024 edition of the IRC with California Amendments.

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SEC. 92.2.003. DELETIONS, REVISIONS, ADDITIONS AND NUMERICAL EXPLANATION.¶

When deletions, revisions and additions are made in this chapter to the California Residential Code, the digits following the first three digits of the section numbers in this chapter refer to the numbering system of the California Building Code: e.g., SEC. 92.2.R311.1 refers to section R311.1 of the California Residential Code.

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SEC. 92.2.004. ADOPTION OF ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS.¶

Title 9, Division 1, Chapter 1 of the County Code shall be used to administer the County Residential Code.

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SEC. 92.2.005. SCOPE.¶

The County Residential Code shall apply to detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures.

Exception: Live/work units complying with the requirements of Section 419 of the County Building Code shall be allowed to be built as one- and two-family dwellings or townhouses. Fire suppression required by Section 419.5 shall conform to the County Fire Code.

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SEC. 92.2.006. APPENDICES.¶

Provisions in the appendices shall not apply unless specifically adopted by the County or State.

SEC. 92.2.R301.2. CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA.

Table R301.2 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

TABLE R301.2

CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA

GROUND SNOW LOAD	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN
GROUND SNOW LOAD	Ultimate design wind speed (mph)	Exposure	Topographic effects	Special wind region	Windborne debris zone
Per County of San Diego guidance documents	110	C	No	No	No

SEISMIC DESIGN CATEGORY
Per USGS ground motion parameter calculator

SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM

Weathering	Frost line depth	Termite
Negligible	Minimum 12-inch footing depth	Per CRC R318

FLOOD HAZARDS
Per County Code, Title 8, Division 11

AIR FREEZING INDEX	MEAN ANNUAL TEMP
1500 or less	Varies - See the National Climatic Data Center

SEC. 92.2.R302.6. DWELLING-GARAGE AND/OR CARPORT FIRE SEPARATION.

Table R302.6 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

TABLE R302.6 DWELLING-GARAGE AND/OR CARPORT SEPARATION

SEPARATION	MATERIAL
From the residence and its attics	Not less than 1/2-inch gypsum board or equivalent applied to the garage side
From all habitable rooms above the garage or carport	Not less than 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board or equivalent
Structure(s) supporting floor/ceiling assemblies used for separation required by this section	Not less than 1/2-inch gypsum board or equivalent
Garages located less than 6 feet from a dwelling unit on the same lot, with the clearance measured as the smallest horizontal dimension between elements of each structure	Not less than 1/2-inch gypsum board or equivalent applied to the interior side of exterior walls that are within this area

SEC. 92.2.R309.6. FIRE SPRINKLERS.

Sec. R309.6 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R309.6 Fire sprinklers. Carports with habitable space above and attached garages shall be protected by a residential fire sprinkler system in accordance with the County Consolidated Fire Code. For the purposes of this section, an attached garage is defined as any garage requiring fire separation from an adjoining or adjacent dwelling on the same lot per Table R302.6. Residential fire sprinklers shall be connected to, and installed in accordance with, a fire sprinkler system that complies with Section R313 or NFPA 13D. Fire sprinklers shall be residential sprinklers or quick-response sprinklers, designed to provide a minimum density of 0.05 gpm/square foot over the area of the garage and/or carport, but not to exceed two sprinklers for hydraulic calculation purposes. Garage doors shall not be considered obstructions with respect to sprinkler placement.

SEC. 92.2.R313. AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

Sec. R313 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

SECTION R313

AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Sec. R313 Automatic fire sprinkler systems. An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall be installed as required in the County Consolidated Fire Code.

SEC. 92.2.R318.1. MEANS OF EGRESS.

Sec. R318.1 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R318.1 Means of egress. All dwellings and accessory structures shall be provided with means of egress comprising a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel complying with Section R318 from all portions of the dwelling or accessory structure to the exterior. The means of egress from any portion of a dwelling shall not require travel through a garage. The means of egress from all dwellings and accessory structures shall open directly to a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

SEC. 92.2.R318.2. DOORS.

Sec. R318.2 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R318.2 Doors. Doors serving occupiable spaces within dwelling units and accessory structures shall meet all of the following criteria:

Side-hinged swinging;

Exceptions:

Horizontal sliding doors are allowed for exterior doors not required for egress and interior doors.
Private garages may use overhead vehicle doors as the only exit.
Minimum clear width of 32 inches when measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees;

Exception: The minimum width requirement shall not apply to exterior doors not required for egress and interior doors

Minimum clear height of 78 inches when measured between the top of the threshold and the bottom of the stop; and
Readily openable without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

SEC. 92.2.R318.3. FLOORS AND LANDINGS AT DOORS.

Sec. R318.3 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R318.3 Floors and landings at doors. There shall be a landing or floor on each side of each door. The width of each landing shall not be less than the door served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of 36 inches measured in the direction of travel. Exterior landings shall be permitted to have a slope not to exceed 1/4 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent).

Exceptions:

A floor or landing is not required at the top of an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed garage, provided a door does not swing over the stairs.
Exterior balconies less than 60 square feet and only accessible from a door are permitted to have a landing less than 36 inches measured in the direction of travel.

Sec. R318.3.1 Floor elevations at doors. Landings or floors at doors shall not be more than 1-1/2 inches lower than the top of the threshold.

Exception: A landing or floor shall not be more than 7-3/4 inches below the top of the threshold provided the door does not swing over the landing or floor.

When exterior landings or floors serving a required means of egress are not at grade, such landings or floors shall be provided with access to grade by means of one or more ramps in accordance with Section R318.8 or one or more stairways in accordance with Section R318.7.

Sec. R318.3.2 Storm and screen doors. Storm and screen doors shall be permitted to swing over all exterior stairs and landings.

SEC. 92.2.R318.4. VERTICAL EGRESS.

Sec. R318.4 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R318.4 Vertical egress. Egress from occupiable levels without a grade-level exterior door complying with Section R318.2 and Section R318.3 shall be by one or more ramps in accordance with Section R318.8 or one or more stairways in accordance with Section R318.7 or both. For occupiable levels located more than one story above or more than one story below a grade-level exterior egress door, the maximum travel distance from any occupied point to a stairway or ramp that provides egress from such level shall not exceed 50 feet.

SEC. 92.2.R325.8. REQUIRED HEATING.

Section R325.8 of the California Residential Code is revised to read:

Sec. R325.8 Required heating. Every dwelling unit shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a minimum room temperature of 68°F at a point 3 feet above the floor and 2 feet from exterior walls in all habitable rooms at the design temperature. The installation of one or more portable space heaters shall not be used to achieve compliance with this section.

SEC. 92.2.R332. SOLAR- AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE-READY BUILDINGS.

Section R332 is added to the California Residential Code to read:

SECTION R332

SOLAR- AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE- CAPABLE BUILDINGS

Sec. R332 Solar- and electric vehicle- capable buildings. Solar- and electric vehicle-capable construction shall be provided as specified in Section 92.1.3120 of the County Building Code.

(Added by Ord. No. 10380 (N.S.), effective 5-8-15, operative 7-1-15; repealed and reenacted by Ord. No. 10464 (N.S.), effective 4-14-17; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10651 (N.S.), effective 2-28-20; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10829 (N.S.), effective 3-10-23; repealed and adopted by Ord. No. 10982 (N.S.), effective 4-3-26)

SEC. 92.2.R902. ROOF CLASSIFICATION.

Sec. R902 of the California Residential Code is revised in its entirety to read:

SECTION R902

ROOF CLASSIFICATION

Sec. R902 Roof classification. Roofing shall be as provided in section 92.1.705A and 92.1.1505 of the County Building Code.

SEC. 92.2.RAPPBB. APPENDIX BB.

Appendix BB of the California Residential Code is adopted in its entirety as part of the County Residential Code.

APPENDIX BB

TINY HOUSES

RAPPBB 101.1 Scope. This appendix shall be applicable to tiny houses used as single dwelling units. Tiny houses shall comply with this code except as otherwise stated in this appendix.

(Adopted by Ord. No. 10982 (N.S.), effective 4-3-26)

SEC. 92.2.RAPPBF. APPENDIX BF.

Appendix BF of the California Residential Code is adopted and revised in its entirety to read:

APPENDIX BF

PATIO COVERS

RAPPBF 101.1 Patio covers. Patio covers shall conform to the requirements of Appendix I of the County Building Code.

(Adopted by Ord. No. 10982 (N.S.), effective 4-3-26)

SEC. 92.2.RAPPBJ. APPENDIX BJ.

Appendix BJ of the California Residential Code is adopted in its entirety as part of the County Residential Code.

APPENDIX BJ

STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION

RAPPBJ 101.1 Scope. This appendix provides prescriptive and performance-based requirements for the use of baled straw as a building material. Other methods of strawbale construction shall be subject to approval in accordance with section 92.1.104.11 of the County Building Code. Buildings using strawbale walls shall comply with this code except as otherwise stated in this appendix.

(Adopted by Ord. No. 10982 (N.S.), effective 4-3-26)

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