Fire Code

2025 FIRE CODE This electronic version of the Fire Code was last updated to include changes made by legislation through Ordinance 122-266, File No. 260359, approved June 26, 2026, effective July 27, 2026. See the Comprehensive Ordinance Table for information regarding amendments to other portions of the San Francisco Municipal Code.

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Comprehensive Ordinance List PREFACE TO THE 2025 SAN FRANCISCO FIRE CODE Ordinance 39-26 (File No. 251247, approved March 12, 2026, effective April 12, 2026, operative April 12, 2026) repealed the former Fire Code in its entirety and enacted this 2025 Fire Code. Section 2 of that Ordinance provides, in part: The State of California adopts a new California Fire Code every three years. The California Fire Code consists of a model code, the International Fire Code, with amendments made by various State agencies with jurisdiction over the California Fire Code. The California Building Standards Commission issues the California Fire Code. The California Building Standards Commission recently issued the new California Fire Code (the “2025 California Fire Code”), which is based on the 2024 International Fire Code, and which will go into effect on January 1, 2026. A copy of the 2025 California Fire Code is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in File No. 251247 and is incorporated herein by reference. Local jurisdictions are required to enforce the California Fire Code, but may enact more restrictive building standards than those set in the California Fire Code where those more restrictive standards are reasonably necessary due to local conditions caused by climate, geology, or topography. Such local amendments to building standards are not effective until the required findings are locally adopted and sent to the California Building Standards Commission.

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The 2025 San Francisco Fire Code incorporates by reference, except as expressly deleted, modified, or amended herein, the 2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, California Code of Regulations, Part 9), including appendices adopted by the State. In addition, the 2025 San Francisco Fire Code incorporates by reference, except as expressly deleted, modified, or amended herein, those portions of the 2024 International Fire Code that were not adopted by the California Building Standards Commission in the 2025 California Fire Code. The 2025 San Francisco Fire Code also includes amendments specific to San Francisco. Section 4 of Ordinance 39-26 further provides, in part: (c) The following provisions supplement, modify, amend, or delete specified provisions of the 2025 California Fire Code and the 2024 International Fire Code. The prefix “[For SF]” denotes a 2025 San Francisco Fire Code provision that replaces all or part of a corresponding section from the 2025 California Fire Code or 2024 International Fire Code. Where a 2025 San Francisco Fire Code provision has no analog in the 2025 California Fire Code or 2024 International Fire Code, it does not appear with a “[For SF]” prefix. A legislative history, referencing the ordinance number and approval date of enacting and amending ordinances, is included following sections that have been enacted or amended after the initial adoption of this 2025 Fire Code. The legislative history also references the ordinance’s Board of Supervisors file number (for ordinances passed after March, 1999) and effective date (for ordinances passed after March, 2011). This Code may contain various Editor’s Notes (explaining the disposition of or cross referencing various provisions), and/or Codification Notes (documenting scrivener’s errors and the like found in the under-lying ordinances). Such notes have been inserted by the publisher for the convenience of the user or as historical references. They have not been approved or adopted by the City and County of San Francisco, and are of no legal force or effect.