California Building Standards Commission Withdraws 2003 Code Recommendations

Decision Clears Way for State Agencies to Proceed with International Building, Fire and Residential Codes

Sacramento, CA — The California Building Standards Commission voted 8-2 on Wednesday, March 16, to rescind its code recommendations of July 2003. The Commission's action will allow state agencies to move forward with the adoption of building codes that are the best fit for California, including the International Building Code (IBC), the International Fire Code (IFC) and the International Residential Code (IRC), in updating the State's building codes. The state agencies will bring proposed code amendments back to the Building Standards Commission for approval—a process that is estimated to take about two years. This approach is consistent with how California has adopted building codes in the past.

"Today's decision sets a course that will help ensure the highest level of building and fire safety in places where Californians live, work and play," said James Lee Witt, CEO of the International Code Council. "We applaud the California Building Standards Commission for undertaking a detailed analysis of the codes and making public safety interests its first priority."

The Building Standards Commission's action followed a unanimous 7-0 recommendation issued on March 8 by the Commission's Coordinating Council, made up of the State's code-writing agencies, in support of the IBC, IFC and IRC. Public testimony in support of the IBC, IRC and IFC before both the Coordinating Council and the Building Standards Commission registered overwhelmingly in favor of using the I-Codes in California. More than 500 private and non-profit entities, as well as individuals, support the I-Codes in California.

The I-Codes are the most widely recognized building codes in the country. The IBC is adopted and enforced in 44 states at the state or local level and Washington DC. The Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Commerce, General Services Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and National Parks Service also use the IBC.

The International Code Council has extensive experience working with California state and local government agencies. The Uniform Codes currently used in California are the predecessors of the I-Codes. The International Code Council's 100-plus employees at offices in Sacramento and Whittier provide technical, training, certification and other support services.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.