CEBC · California Existing Building Code
When do Chapter 4 repair rules apply?
If you’re fixing damage to your building, Chapter 4 applies: repairs must follow **§ 401.1** and **§ 401.2**, and you may not leave the building in a less‑compliant condition than before. Necessary work on undamaged parts done only to complete the repair is considered part of the repair and not an alteration.
Last reviewed: July 6, 2026
What the code requires — plain English
- Chapter 4 applies to all work that is a repair of an existing building; repairs must follow the Chapter 4 requirements in § 401.
- In particular, § 401.1 establishes the scope (repairs must comply with this chapter and historic‑building repairs have special references) and § 401.2 requires that repair work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair; nondamaged components removed or worked on only because they are necessary to complete the repair are treated as part of the repair and not as an alteration.
The single most important rule: repairs must follow Chapter 4, and they must not reduce the building’s level of code compliance compared with its predamage or pre‑repair condition (see § 401.2).
Requirements in detail
1) Scope — what is a repair under CEBC?
- Repairs are work to return damaged or deteriorated building elements to a safe, functioning condition under § 401.1. Historic buildings and special state applications are handled by referenced state rules; repairs to historic buildings follow Part 8, Title 24, CCR as noted in § 401.1.
2) Core compliance rule
- § 401.2: The repair work “shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair.” Nondamaged components that must be removed or modified solely to accomplish the repair are part of the repair and are not subject to alteration rules.
3) Special subjects called out in § 401.1
- Bleachers, folding/telescopic seating and grandstands: repairs are required to comply with ICC 300 per § 401.1.1.
- State‑owned buildings (including UC, CSU, Judicial Council): some repair requirements in Chapter 4 are replaced by Sections 317–322 as stated in § 401.1.2 (see state‑specific note).
Decision table — when Chapter 4 repair rules apply
| Decision dimension | Key value/trigger | What the Chapter 4 rule says | Code Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work type | Repair (restore damaged element) | Must follow Chapter 4 repair provisions | § 401.1 |
| Effect on compliance | Would the work reduce the building’s prior compliance? | Not allowed — work shall not make the building less complying than before | § 401.2 |
| Work on undamaged adjoining parts | Necessary to perform the repair | Considered part of the repair (not an alteration) | § 401.2 |
| Historic buildings | Repair of historic structures | Follow Part 8, Title 24, CCR (historic rules) | § 401.1 |
| Bleachers/grandstands | Any repair to these assemblies | Must comply with ICC 300 | § 401.1.1 |
| State‑owned/OSHPD buildings | State ownership or OSHPD jurisdiction | Some Chapter 4 provisions replaced by Sections 317–322 (see § 401.1.2) | § 401.1.2 |
Exceptions & special cases
- Historic buildings: repairs must comply with the separate historic rules listed in § 401.1 (Part 8, Title 24 CCR).
- Bleachers/folding or telescopic seating/grandstands are governed by ICC 300 for repairs per § 401.1.1.
- State‑owned buildings: for those buildings the Chapter 4 requirements identified in § 401.1.2 are modified — Sections 317–322 replace certain Chapter 4 requirements for these state applications.
- Flood hazard note (related): repairs that rise to the level of a substantial improvement in flood hazard areas have additional obligations under the CBC (this provision is identified adjacent to Chapter 4 as § 401.3 in the CEBC).
If a particular section or exception for your building is not shown above in the CEBC excerpts available, say so and consult the full CEBC text or your enforcing agency for the state‑specific adoption details; the file excerpts used here provide the controlling language for § 401, § 401.1 and § 401.2.
Common mistakes
- Treating necessary nondamaged work as an “alteration”: per § 401.2, if the nondamaged component is worked on only because it is necessary to repair the damaged component, it is part of the repair — not an alteration. Over‑classifying leads to unnecessary upgrade triggers.
- Assuming repairs may lower code compliance: some think repair gives latitude to reduce safety features; § 401.2 explicitly forbids making the building less complying than before.
- Missing special rules for assemblies: e.g., bleacher repairs must follow ICC 300 (not generic repair language) — check § 401.1.1.
- Forgetting state agency adoptions: state or OSHPD jurisdictions may replace or modify Chapter 4 requirements (see § 401.1.2) — always verify local/state adoption.
Worked example — concrete scenario
Scenario: A single‑story commercial building has a 200 sq ft portion of exterior wall and window system severely damaged by impact. To repair, the contractor must remove 200 sq ft of damaged wall plus 30 sq ft of adjacent undamaged wall to make proper tie‑ins.
How CEBC applies:
- This is a repair and therefore Chapter 4 applies (see § 401.1).
- The owner/designer must ensure the repair does not make the building less complying than it was before. If the original window was safety glazing where required, replacement must preserve that level of compliance. § 401.2 prevents downgrading features.
- The 30 sq ft of nondamaged wall removed only to permit the repair is considered part of the repair and is not treated as an alteration subject to alteration upgrade rules (per § 401.2).
Takeaway: The repair can proceed under Chapter 4 so long as the finished building is not less compliant than before, and necessary work on adjacent undamaged materials is treated as repair, not an alteration.
Related provisions (quick list)
- § 401 — General, scope for repairs (primary control point).
- § 401.1 — Scope details; historic building note; references for special assemblies.
- § 401.2 — Compliance requirement: work shall not make the building less complying; nondamaged components rule.
- § 401.1.1 — Repairs to bleachers/folding & telescopic seating/grandstands must comply with ICC 300.
- § 401.1.2 — State‑owned buildings: certain repairs are governed by Sections 317–322 instead.
- § 402, § 403, § 404, § 405 — Chapter 4 subtopics (building elements, fire protection, means of egress, structural repairs) — see Chapter 4 sections for specific trades and materials requirements.
Code references
Grounded in the retrieved California Existing Building Code — click a citation to read the verbatim passage:
CEBC § 1.10.1 High relevance — show source text
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Chapter 3 Provisions for All Compliance Methods.
Chapter 3 guides the use of the three compliance methods of the CEBC and provides requirements that apply globally. The globally applicable requirement include general requirements related to buildings materials and other applicable codes, storm shelters, structural loads, in-situ load tests, accessibility, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detection and exterior wall coverings.
Chapter 3A Provisions for All Compliance Methods.
Chapter 3A controls the compliance options for alteration, repair, addition, evaluation and change of occupancy of existing structures regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers (applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1).
Chapter 4 Repairs.
Chapter 4, a chapter independent of the three compliance methods, governs the repair of existing buildings. The provisions define conditions under which repairs may be made using materials and methods like those of the original construction or the extent to which repairs must comply with requirements for new buildings.
Chapter 4A Repairs.
Chapter 4A governs the repair of existing buildings regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of State- wide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers (applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1).
Chapter 5 Prescriptive Compliance Method.
Chapter 5 provides one of the three main options of compliance available in the CEBC for buildings and structures undergoing alteration, addition or change of occupancy. The base requirements are more administrative in nature. The structural triggers for upgrades are consistent with the Work Area Method.
Chapter 5A Prescriptive Compliance Method.
Chapter 5A provides details for the prescriptive compliance method for alteration, addition and change of occupancy of existing build- ings and structures regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers (applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1).
Chapter 6 Classification of Work.
Chapter 6 provides an overview of the Work Area Method and defines the different classifications of work including alterations, change of occupancy, additions and historic buildings. Detailed requirements for all of these are given in subsequent Chapters 7 through 11.
Chapter 7 Alterations—Level 1.
Chapter 7 provides the technical requirements for those existing buildings that undergo Level 1 alterations as described in Section 602, which includes replacement or covering of existing materials, elements, equipment or fixtures using new materials for the same purpose. This chapter is distinguished from Chapters 8 and 9 by only involving replacement of building components with new components with no reconfiguration of space.
Chapter 8 Alterations—Level 2.
A Level 2 alteration is an alteration involving space reconfiguration that could be up to and including 50 percent of the area of the building or addition of a new building system. Level 2 alterations also include the extension or addition of any system or equipment. The purpose of Chapter 8 is to provide detailed requirements and provisions to identify the required improvements in the existing building elements, means of egress, fire protection, structural systems, energy efficiency, and other building systems include electrical, mechanical and plumbing when a building is being altered.
Chapter 9 Alterations—Level 3.
CEBC § 401.1 High relevance — show source text
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4 REPAIRS
User notes:
About this chapter: Chapter 4 provides requirements for repairs of existing buildings. The provisions define conditions under which repairs may be made using materials and methods like those of the original construction or the extent to which repairs must comply with requirements for new buildings.
SECTION 401—GENERAL
401.1 Scope. R epairs shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. Repairs to historic buildings and structures shall comply with Part 8, Title 24, C.C.R. [OSHPD 1R, 2, 4 & 5] Repairs to historic buildings not adopted by OSHPD. Repairs shall comply with the requirements in the California Building Code, Sections 1224.2, 1225.2, 1226.2, 1227.2 and 1228.2 for functional requirements as applicable.
401.1.1 Bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands. Repairs to existing bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands shall comply with ICC 300.
401.1.2 Scope. [BSC] For state-owned buildings, including those owned by the University of California and the California State University and the Judicial Council, the requirements of Sections 405.2.1 and 405.2.3 are replaced by the requirements of Sections 317 through 322.
401.2 Compliance. The work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair was undertaken. Work on nondamaged components that is necessary for the required repair of damaged components shall be considered part of the repair and shall not be subject to requirements for alterations.
[BS] 401.3 Flood hazard areas. In flood hazard areas, repairs that constitute substantial improvement shall require that the building comply with Section 1612 of the California Building Code, or Section R306 of the California Residential Code, as applicable.
SECTION 402—BUILDING ELEMENTS AND MATERIALS
402.1 Glazing in hazardous locations. Replacement glazing in hazardous locations shall comply with the safety glazing requirements of the California Building Code or California Residential Code as applicable.
Exception: Glass block walls, louvered windows and jalousies repaired with like materials.
402.2 Existing materials. [HCD] Existing materials shall comply with Section 302.3.
402.3 New and replacement materials. [HCD & HCD 2] New and replacement materials used for repairs shall comply with Section 302.4.
SECTION 403—FIRE PROTECTION
403.1 General. Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of fire protection provided.
SECTION 404—MEANS OF EGRESS
404.1 General. Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of protection provided for the means of egress.
SECTION 405—STRUCTURAL
[BS] 405.1 General. Structural damage shall be repaired in compliance with this section and Section 401.2.
405.1.1 Structural concrete. Repair of structural concrete shall be permitted to comply with ACI 562 Section 1.7, except where Section 405.2.2, 405.2.3 or 405.2.4.1 requires compliance with Section 304.3.
CEBC § 1.10.1 Medium relevance — show source text
CHAPTER TOPICS Col2 CHAPTER SUBJECTS 1, 2 Administrative Requirements and Definitions 3 Provisions for all Compliance Methods 4 Repairs 5 Prescriptive Compliance Method for Existing Buildings 6–11 Work Area Compliance Method for Existing Buildings 13 Performance Compliance Method for Existing Buildings 14 Relocated Buildings 15 Construction Safeguards 16 Referenced Standards Appendix A Guidelines for Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings Appendix B Supplementary Accessibility Requirements for Existing Buildings Appendix C Guidelines for Wind Retrofit of Existing Buildings Appendix D Board of Appeals Appendix E Temporary Emergency Uses Resource A Guidelines on Fire Ratings of Archaic Materials and Assemblies CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE CORRELATED TOPICS
The CEBC requirements for construction safeguards are directly correlated to the requirements of the CBC. The following table shows chapters of the CBC that are correlated with the CEBC:
CEBC/CBC CORRELATED TOPICS Col2 Col3 CEBC CHAPTER/SECTION CBC CHAPTER/SECTION SUBJECT Chapter 15 Chapter 33 Construction safeguards Chapter 1 Scope and Administration.
Chapter 1 establishes the limits of applicability of the code and describes how the code is to be applied and enforced. The provisions of Chapter 1 establish the authority and duties of the code official appointed by the authority having jurisdiction and also establish the rights and privileges of the design professional, contractor and property owner.
Chapter 2 Definitions.
Chapter 2 is the repository of the definitions of terms used in the body of the code. The user of the code should be familiar with and consult this chapter because the definitions are essential to the correct interpretation of the code and because the user may not be aware that a term is defined.
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Chapter 3 Provisions for All Compliance Methods.
Chapter 3 guides the use of the three compliance methods of the CEBC and provides requirements that apply globally. The globally applicable requirement include general requirements related to buildings materials and other applicable codes, storm shelters, structural loads, in-situ load tests, accessibility, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detection and exterior wall coverings.
Chapter 3A Provisions for All Compliance Methods.
Chapter 3A controls the compliance options for alteration, repair, addition, evaluation and change of occupancy of existing structures regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers (applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1).
Chapter 4 Repairs.
Chapter 4, a chapter independent of the three compliance methods, governs the repair of existing buildings. The provisions define conditions under which repairs may be made using materials and methods like those of the original construction or the extent to which repairs must comply with requirements for new buildings.
Chapter 4A Repairs.
Chapter 4A governs the repair of existing buildings regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of State- wide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers (applications listed in Sections 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1).
CEBC § 317.2 Medium relevance — show source text
317.2 Scope. All alterations, structurally connected additions and/or repairs to existing structures or portions thereof shall, at a minimum, be designed and constructed to resist the effects of seismic ground motions as provided in this section. The structural system shall be evaluated by a registered design professional and, if not meeting or exceeding the minimum seismic design performance requirements of this section, shall be retrofitted in compliance with these requirements.
Exception: Those structures for which Section 317.3 determines that assessment is not required, or for which Section 317.4 determines that retrofit is not needed, then only the requirements of Section 317.11 apply.
317.3 Applicability.
317.3.1 Existing state-owned buildings. [BSC, DSA-SS] For existing state-owned structures including all buildings owned by the University of California and the California State University, the requirements of Section 317 apply whenever the structure is to be retrofitted, repaired or modified and any of the following apply: 1. Total construction cost, not including cost of furnishings, fixtures and equipment, or normal maintenance, for the building exceeds 25 percent of the construction cost for the replacement of the existing building. The changes are cumulative for past modifications to the building that occurred after adoption of the 1995 California Building Code and did not require seismic retrofit.
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PROVISIONS FOR ALL COMPLIANCE METHODS
2. There are changes in risk category. 3. The modification to the structural components increases the seismic forces in or strength requirements of any structural component of the existing structure by more than 10 percent cumulative since the original construction, unless the component has the capacity to resist the increased forces determined in accordance with Section 319. If the building’s seismic base shear capacity has been increased since the original construction, the percent change in base shear may be calculated relative to the increased value.
4. Structural elements need repair where the damage has reduced the lateral-load-resisting capacity of the structural system by more than 10 percent. 5. Changes in live or dead load increase story shear by more than 10 percent.
317.3.2 Public school buildings. [DSA-SS] For public schools, the provisions of Section 317 apply when required in accordance with Sections 4-307 and 4-309(c) of the California Administrative Code.
317.3.3 Community college buildings. [DSA-SS/CC] For community colleges, the provisions of Section 317 apply when required in accordance with Sections 4-307 and 4-309(c) of the California Administrative Code.
317.4 Evaluation required. If the criteria in Section 317.3 apply to the project under consideration, the design professional of record shall provide an evaluation in accordance with Section 317 to determine the seismic performance of the building in its current configuration and condition. If the structure's seismic performance as required by Section 317.5 is evaluated as satisfactory and the peer reviewer(s), when Method B of Section 321 is used, concur, then no structural retrofit is required.
_**317.5 Minimum seismic design performance levels for structural and nonstructural components.
CEBC § 105.2 Medium relevance — show source text
401 A .2 Compliance. The work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair was undertaken. Work on nondamaged components that is necessary for the required repair of damaged components shall be considered part of the repair and shall not be subject to requirements for alterations.
401 A .3 Flood hazard areas. In flood hazard areas, repairs that constitute substantial improvement shall require that the building comply with Section 1612 A of the California Building Code .
SECTION 402 A —BUILDING ELEMENTS AND MATERIALS
402 A .1 Glass replacement. The installation or replacement of glass shall be as required for new installations in accordance with the California Building Code.
SECTION 403 A —FIRE PROTECTION
403 A .1 General. Fire protection shall comply with the California Building Standards Code.
SECTION 404 A —MEANS OF EGRESS
404 A .1 General. Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of protection provided for the means of egress.
SECTION 405 A —STRUCTURAL
405 A .1 General. Structural damage shall be repaired in compliance with this section and Section 401 A .2.
Exception: Routine maintenance required by Chapter 3A, ordinary repairs exempt from permit in accordance with California Building Code Section 105.2, and abatement of wear due to normal service conditions shall not be subject to the requirements for repairs in this section.
405 A .1.1 Structural concrete. Repair of structural concrete shall be permitted to comply with ACI 562 Section 1.7, except where Section 405.2.2, 405.2.3 or 405.2.4.1 requires compliance with Section 304.3.
405 A .2 Repairs to damaged buildings. Repairs to damaged buildings shall comply with this section.
405 A .2.1 Repairs for less than substantial structural damage. Unless otherwise required by this section, for damage less than substantial structural damage, the damaged elements shall be permitted to be restored to their predamage condition. New struc- tural members and connections used for this repair shall comply with the detailing provisions of this code for new buildings of similar structure, purpose and location.
405 A .2.1.1 Snow damage. Structural components whose damage was caused by or related to snow load effects shall be repaired, replaced or altered to satisfy the requirements of Section 1608 of the California Building Code .
405 A .2.2 Disproportionate earthquake damage. A building assigned to Seismic Design Category D, E or F that has sustained disproportionate earthquake damage shall be subject to the requirements for buildings with substantial structural damage to vertical elements of the lateral force-resisting system.
CEBC § 1.2 Medium relevance — show source text
1.2_|X|||||||||||||||||||||||| |401.2|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |401.3|X|||||||||||||||||||||||| |402|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |402.2||||X|X|||||||||||||||||||| |402.3||||X|X|||||||||||||||||||| |403|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |404|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |405.2.1 – 405.2.5||||†|†|||||||||||||||||||| |405.2.3.1|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |405.2.6|X|||||||||||||||||||||||| |406|||X||||||||†|†||†|†|||||||||| |406.1|X|||||||||||||||||||||||| |407.1|X||X|X|X|||||||||||||||||||| |408|||X|||||||||||||||||||||| |408.1|X|X||X|X|||||||||||||||||||| |408.2|X|X||X|X|||||||||||||||||||| |408.3||||†|†||||||||||||||||||||
The state agency does not adopt sections identified with the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.
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4 REPAIRS
User notes:
About this chapter: Chapter 4 provides requirements for repairs of existing buildings. The provisions define conditions under which repairs may be made using materials and methods like those of the original construction or the extent to which repairs must comply with requirements for new buildings.
SECTION 401—GENERAL
401.1 Scope. R epairs shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. Repairs to historic buildings and structures shall comply with Part 8, Title 24, C.C.R. [OSHPD 1R, 2, 4 & 5] Repairs to historic buildings not adopted by OSHPD. Repairs shall comply with the requirements in the California Building Code, Sections 1224.2, 1225.2, 1226.2, 1227.2 and 1228.2 for functional requirements as applicable.
401.1.1 Bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands. Repairs to existing bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands shall comply with ICC 300.
401.1.2 Scope. [BSC] For state-owned buildings, including those owned by the University of California and the California State University and the Judicial Council, the requirements of Sections 405.2.1 and 405.2.3 are replaced by the requirements of Sections 317 through 322.
401.2 Compliance. The work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair was undertaken. Work on nondamaged components that is necessary for the required repair of damaged components shall be considered part of the repair and shall not be subject to requirements for alterations.
CEBC § 3A-9 Medium relevance — show source text
305A In-Situ Load Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-9
306A Accessibility for Existing Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-9
307A Smoke Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-9
308A Carbon Monoxide Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-9
309A Reserved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A-10
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CONTENTS
310A Compliance Alternatives for Services/Systems and Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3A-10
311A Compliance Alternatives for Means of Egress. . . . . 3A-11
312A Removal of Hospital SPC and Freestanding Buildings from General Acute Care Service. . . 3A-12
313A Earthquake Monitoring Instruments for Existing Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3A-14
CHAPTER 4 REPAIRS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
401 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
402 Building Elements and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
403 Fire Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
404 Means of Egress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
405 Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
406 Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
407 Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
408 Plumbing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
CEBC § 4-3 Medium relevance — show source text
CHAPTER 4 REPAIRS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
401 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
402 Building Elements and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
403 Fire Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
404 Means of Egress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
405 Structural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
406 Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
407 Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
408 Plumbing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
CHAPTER 4A [OSHPD 1] REPAIRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
401A General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
402A Building Elements and Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
403A Fire Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
404A Means of Egress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
405A Structural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-3
406A Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-4
407A Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A-4
CEBC § 1.11. Medium relevance — show source text
The state agency does not adopt sections identified with the following symbol: The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.
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4 A REPAIRS
User notes:
About this chapter: Chapter 4A governs the repair of existing buildings regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development, which include hospitals and correctional treatment centers [applications listed in Section 1.10.1 (OSHPD 1)].
SECTION 401 A —GENERAL
401 A .1 Scope. Repairs shall comply with the requirements of this chapter. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to existing structures for applications listed in Section 1.10.1 [OSHPD 1] regulated by the Department of Health Care Access and Information/Office of Statewide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD).
401 A .1.1 Bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands. Repairs to existing bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands shall comply with ICC 300.
401 A .2 Compliance. The work shall not make the building less complying than it was before the repair was undertaken. Work on nondamaged components that is necessary for the required repair of damaged components shall be considered part of the repair and shall not be subject to requirements for alterations.
401 A .3 Flood hazard areas. In flood hazard areas, repairs that constitute substantial improvement shall require that the building comply with Section 1612 A of the California Building Code .
SECTION 402 A —BUILDING ELEMENTS AND MATERIALS
402 A .1 Glass replacement. The installation or replacement of glass shall be as required for new installations in accordance with the California Building Code.
SECTION 403 A —FIRE PROTECTION
403 A .1 General. Fire protection shall comply with the California Building Standards Code.
SECTION 404 A —MEANS OF EGRESS
404 A .1 General. Repairs shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of protection provided for the means of egress.
SECTION 405 A —STRUCTURAL
405 A .1 General. Structural damage shall be repaired in compliance with this section and Section 401 A .2.
Exception: Routine maintenance required by Chapter 3A, ordinary repairs exempt from permit in accordance with California Building Code Section 105.2, and abatement of wear due to normal service conditions shall not be subject to the requirements for repairs in this section.
CEBC § 101.4.5 Medium relevance — show source text
[A] 101.4.5 Fire prevention. The provisions of the California Fire Code shall apply to matters affecting or relating to structures, processes and premises from the hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices; from conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; and from the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression, automatic sprinkler systems and alarm systems or fire hazards in the structure or on the premises from occupancy or operation.
[A] 101.4.6 Energy. The provisions of the California Energy Code shall apply to all matters governing the design and construction of buildings for energy efficiency.
2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE 1-23
on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.
ADMINISTRATION
[A] 101.4.7 Existing buildings. The provisions of the California Existing Building Code shall apply to matters governing the repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition to and relocation of existing buildings.
[OSHPD 1] The provisions of Chapters 2, 3A, 4A and 5A of the California Existing Building Code shall apply to all matters governing the repairs, alterations, change of occupancy, additions and relocation of existing structures and portions thereof under OSHPD jurisdic- tion. All references to Chapters 3, 4 and 5 of the California Existing Building Code shall be replaced by equivalent provisions in Chapters 3A, 4A and 5A.
[OSHPD 1R, 2, 4 & 5] The provisions of the California Existing Building Code, Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 shall apply to all matters govern- ing the repairs, alterations, change of occupancy, additions and relocation of existing structures and portions thereof under OSHPD jurisdiction.
101.4.8 Wildland-urban interface. The provisions of Part 7, the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code shall apply to buildings and structures built in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) or a Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
SECTION 102—APPLICABILITY
[A] 102.1 General. Where there is a conflict between a general requirement and a specific requirement, the specific requirement shall be applicable. Where, in any specific case, different sections of this code specify different materials, methods of construction or other requirements, the most restrictive shall govern.
[A] 102.2 Other laws. The provisions of this code shall not be deemed to nullify any provisions of local, state or federal law.
[A] 102.3 Application of references. References to chapter or section numbers, or to provisions not specifically identified by number, shall be construed to refer to such chapter, section or provision of this code.
[A] 102.4 Referenced codes and standards. The codes and standards referenced in this code shall be considered to be part of the requirements of this code to the prescribed extent of each such reference and as further regulated in Sections 102.4.1 through 102.4.4.
[A] 102.4.1 Conflicts. Where conflicts occur between provisions of this code and referenced codes and standards, the provisions of this code shall apply.
CEBC § 71.4 Medium relevance — show source text
reinforcement: verti-
cal, four5/8″ rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at
7″ pitch; cover: 11/2″.|71.4
tons|2 hrs|||7|2, 7|2| |C-11-RC-20|11″|11″ square columns; gravel concrete (4530
psi); reinforcement: vertical, four5/8″
rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″ with1/2″ plaster.|58.8
tons|2 hrs|||7|2, 3, 9|2| |C-11-RC-21|11″|11″ square columns; gravel concrete (3520
psi); reinforcement: vertical, four5/8″
rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|Vari-
able|1 hr
24 min|||7|1, 8|11/4| |C-11-RC-22|11″|11″ square columns; aggregate concrete
(3710 psi); reinforcement: vertical, four5/8″
rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|58.8
tons|2 hrs|||7|2, 3,
10|2| |C-11-RC-23|11″|11″ square columns; aggregate concrete
(3190 psi); reinforcement: vertical, four5/8″
rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|58.8
tons|2 hrs|||7|2, 3,
10|2| |C-11-RC-24|11″|11″ square columns; aggregate concrete
(4860 psi); reinforcement: vertical, four
5/8″ rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|86.1
tons|1 hr
20 min|||7|1|11/3| |C-11-RC-25|11″|11″ square columns; aggregate concrete
(4850 psi); reinforcement: vertical, four 5/8″
rebars; horizontal,3/8″ ties at 7″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|58.8
tons|1 hr
59 min|||7|1|13/4| |C-11-RC-26|11″|11″ square columns; aggregate concrete
(3834 psi); reinforcement: vertical, four 5/8″
rebars; horizontal,5/16″ ties at 41/2″ pitch;
cover: 11/2″.|71.4
tons|53 min|||7|1|3/4|For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 pound per square inch = 0.00689 MPa, 1 ton = 8.896 kN.
CEBC § 317.3.2 Medium relevance — show source text
2. There are changes in risk category. 3. The modification to the structural components increases the seismic forces in or strength requirements of any structural component of the existing structure by more than 10 percent cumulative since the original construction, unless the component has the capacity to resist the increased forces determined in accordance with Section 319. If the building’s seismic base shear capacity has been increased since the original construction, the percent change in base shear may be calculated relative to the increased value.
4. Structural elements need repair where the damage has reduced the lateral-load-resisting capacity of the structural system by more than 10 percent. 5. Changes in live or dead load increase story shear by more than 10 percent.
317.3.2 Public school buildings. [DSA-SS] For public schools, the provisions of Section 317 apply when required in accordance with Sections 4-307 and 4-309(c) of the California Administrative Code.
317.3.3 Community college buildings. [DSA-SS/CC] For community colleges, the provisions of Section 317 apply when required in accordance with Sections 4-307 and 4-309(c) of the California Administrative Code.
317.4 Evaluation required. If the criteria in Section 317.3 apply to the project under consideration, the design professional of record shall provide an evaluation in accordance with Section 317 to determine the seismic performance of the building in its current configuration and condition. If the structure's seismic performance as required by Section 317.5 is evaluated as satisfactory and the peer reviewer(s), when Method B of Section 321 is used, concur, then no structural retrofit is required.
317.5 Minimum seismic design performance levels for structural and nonstructural components. Following the notations of ASCE 41, the seismic requirements for design and assessment are based upon a prescribed Seismic Hazard Level (BSE-1N, BSE-2N, BSE-1E, BSE-R or BSE-C), a specified structural performance level (S-1 through S-5) and a nonstructural performance level (N-A through N-E). The minimum seismic performance criteria are given in Table 317.5 according to the Building Regulatory Authority and the Risk Category as determined in Chapter 16 of the California Building Code or by the regulatory authority. The building shall be evaluated in accordance with a Tier 3 Systematic Evaluation and Retrofit per ASCE 41 Chapter 6 for both the Level 1 and Level 2 performance levels, and the more restrictive requirements shall apply.
Exception: If the floor area of an addition is greater than the larger of 50 percent of the floor area of the original building or 1,000 square feet (93 m [2] ), then the Table 317.5 entries for BSE-R (or BSE-1E) and BSE-C are replaced by BSE-1N and BSE-2N, respectively.
|TABLE 317.5—SEISMIC PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS2,
Frequently asked questions
When does work qualify as a “repair” (Chapter 4) rather than an “alteration”?
Work that restores damaged or deteriorated elements to their prior condition is a repair and falls under § 401.1; if the work changes configuration, occupancy, or increases scope beyond restoring function you may be in alteration territory.
If I must replace adjacent undamaged material to finish a repair, do I have to bring everything up to current new‑construction code?
No — § 401.2 treats nondamaged components that are necessary to complete a repair as part of the repair and not subject to alteration upgrade rules; however the finished work must not make the building less complying than before.
Do historic buildings follow the same Chapter 4 rules?
Historic buildings are still required to comply with Chapter 4, but § 401.1 directs repairs to follow the historic‑building rules found in Part 8, Title 24 CCR where applicable.
Are there special standards for bleacher or grandstand repairs?
Yes — repairs to bleachers, folding and telescopic seating and grandstands must comply with ICC 300 per § 401.1.1.
What about state‑owned buildings (UC/CSU/ Judicial Council)?
For state‑owned buildings some Chapter 4 repair requirements are replaced by Sections 317–322 as noted in § 401.1.2; always verify the applicable state adoption and replacements.
More in California Existing Building Code
- Administration and Definitions (Scope, enforcement, code official duties, definitions)
- Provisions for All Compliance Methods (general requirements that apply to all compliance options; Chapter 3 / 3A)
- Seismic retrofit and evaluation (Appendix A and seismic provisions/sections for evaluation and retrofit)
- Referenced Standards and Appendices (Chapter 16 and Appendices A–E, Resource A)
- Repairs (Chapter 4 — repair-specific rules for materials, means of egress, structural, MEP, etc.)
- Alterations — Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 (technical requirements for each alteration level; Chapters 7–9)
- Change of Occupancy and Additions (requirements for occupancy changes and additions; Chapters 10–11)
- Compliance Methods — Prescriptive, Work Area, Performance (Chapters 5, 6–11, 13)
- Relocated Buildings (requirements for buildings moved or relocated; Chapter 14)
- Construction Safeguards (site safety, means of egress and life-safety during construction; Chapter 15)
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