Section 513C — DETAILED SYSTEM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

513C.6 Parapets.

San Francisco Building Inspection Commission Codes · 2022 edition · ingested 2026-07-08 · San Francisco

513C.6 Parapets. Parapets and appendages not conforming to this chapter shall be removed, or stabilized or braced to ensure that the parapets and appendages remain in their original position.

EXCEPTIONS:

  1. Parapets, appendages and roof-to wall-tension anchors which have already been removed, stabilized or braced to comply with Chapter 5D of this code or previous codes pursuant to an application filed before the effective date of this ordinance need not be reanalyzed or restrengthened.

  2. Parapets whose heights do not exceed 3 times their thicknesses need not be removed, stabilized or braced, provided they are located either immediately adjacent to a normally inaccessible court or yard or another building. In the case of an adjoining building, the top of the parapet of the building under consideration shall not be more than 12 inches (0.305 m) above the top of the parapet of the adjoining building. In order to qualify for this exception, the owner must execute an agreement with the Department to voluntarily abate any hazard that may arise as a result of changed conditions such as demolition of the adjacent building or development or occupancy of the adjoining court or yard. The owner must record the agreement with the County Recorder on a form satisfactory to the Department and supply a copy of the recorded agreement to the Department.

Parapets previously exempted that would not be exempted under Exception 2 above shall be removed, or stabilized or braced when the building is strengthened.

The maximum height of an unbraced unreinforced masonry parapet above the lower of either the level of tension anchors or roof sheathing shall not exceed 1½ times the thickness of the parapet wall. If the required parapet height exceeds this maximum height, a bracing system designed for the forces determined in accordance with San Francisco Building Code Chapter 16 shall support the top of the parapet. Parapet corrective work must be performed in conjunction with the installation of tension roof anchors.

The minimum height of a parapet above any wall anchor shall be 12 inches (0.305 m).

EXCEPTION: If a reinforced concrete beam is provided at the top of the wall, the minimum height above the wall anchor may be 6 inches (170.44 mm).

GoCodebook provides limited public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.