International Codes and Accessibility
The Code Council’s International-Codes, or I-Codes, provide requirements for accessibility for buildings and their associated sites. These requirements are adopted by states or local jurisdictions as part of their minimum building and safety requirements. Local code officials enforce the codes by executing plan reviews and inspections.
The Code Council has published two pamphlets on accessibility:
- Building Codes and Accessibility Requirements (pdf available as soon as we have website set up)
- Accessible Means of Egress (pdf available as soon as we have website set up)
Click the button below for additional Code Council resources on assessibility.
The scoping requirements (what, where and how many) are found in the International Building Code (IBC) for new construction, and the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) for existing buildings being altered. The technical requirements (how to) are in the referenced standard ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (ICC A117.1).
Check with your local jurisdiction to see which editions of the codes and standards have been adopted in your jurisdiction. The Code Council holds open hearings for the development of the codes and standards. Here's more information on code development and information on ICC A117.1 development. The Code Council also has commentaries for the codes and standards that include the code text followed by additional information on the research, reasoning or history of the requirement. These commentaries are available for purchase at the Code Council store.
