Codes - Current and Past
2024 Codes
3/31/25: Please see the correspondence from State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor at the link below providing an update regarding the effective date of the 2024 North Carolina State Building Code.
Please reach out to the Office of the State Fire Marshal if you have any questions regarding this update.
Please refer to the letter at the link below for more information:
Letter re 2024 State Building Code Effective Date
Please refer to the link below for a file that links to the approved rules that compromise 2024 North Carolina State Building Code
2025-0403 Rules Review Commission links to the 2024 North Carolina State Building Code
Current Codes
2018 Codes
The 2018 NC Codes (Effective 1/1/2019) include the 2018 NC Ad-Hoc Committee amendments as adopted by the Building Code Council and approved by the Rules Review Commission along with the 2015 International Codes. Available to FREE VIEW or BUY at the ICC website.
The following 2018 Codes were effective from January 1, 2019 and are currently effective. The 2018 Codes were also available during a transition period from July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.
*The 2020 Electrical Code was effective from November 1, 2021 and is currently effective.
2018 NC Ad-Hoc Committee Amendments
Accessibility Code
| Year Edition | Accessibility Standard | Effective Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 North Carolina Building Code (based on the 2015 IBC) | 2009 ANSI A117.1 | 1/1/2019 |
Electrical Code
The North Carolina Electrical Code consists of an adopted version of the National Electrical Code (NEC) supplemented by North Carolina Amendments.
All editions of the NEC can be accessed through the NFPA website at NEC Access
(Note: NFPA requires an user account be created prior to viewing the Codes)
Past Codes and Amendments
Administrative, Building, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Residential Codes.
2002 Codes
The following 2002 Codes were effective from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2007. The 1996 Codes were also valid during a transition period from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002.
- 2002 Administrative
- 2002 Building
- 2002 Energy Conservation
- 2002 Fire Prevention
- 2002 Fuel Gas
- 2002 Mechanical
- 2002 Plumbing
2006 Codes
The following 2006 Codes were effective from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009. The 2002 Codes were also valid during a transition period from July 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006.
- 2006 Administrative
- 2006 Building
- 2006 Energy Conservation
- 2006 Fire Prevention
- 2006 Fuel Gas
- 2006 Mechanical
- 2006 Plumbing
2009 Codes
The following 2009 Codes were effective from January 1, 2009 through June 1, 2012. The 2006 Codes were also valid during a transition period from January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009.
- 2009 Administrative
- 2009 Building
- 2009 Energy Conservation
- 2009 Fire Prevention
- 2009 Fuel Gas
- 2009 Mechanical
- 2009 Plumbing
2012 Codes
The following 2012 Codes were effective from September 1, 2011 through December 31, 2018. The 2009 Codes were also valid during a transition period from September 1, 2011 through June 1, 2012.
- 2012 Administrative
- 2012 Building
- 2012 Energy Conservation
- 2012 Fire Prevention
- 2012 Fuel Gas
- 2012 Mechanical
- 2012 Plumbing
2018 Codes
The following 2018 Codes were effective from January 1, 2019 and are currently effective. The 2018 Codes were also available during a transition period from July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.
- 2018 Administrative
- 2018 Building
- 2018 Energy Conservation
- 2018 Existing Building
- 2018 Fire
- 2018 Fuel Gas
- 2018 Mechanical
- 2018 Plumbing
Residential Code
The 2002 Residential Code was effective from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2006. The 1996 Residential Code was also valid during a transition period from January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002.
The 2006 Residential Code was effective from June 1, 2007 through July 1, 2009. The 2002 Residential Code was also valid during a transition period from June 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007.
The 2009 Residential Code was effective from January 1, 2009 through June 1, 2012. The 2006 Residential Code was also valid during a transition period from January 1, 2009 through July 1, 2009.
The 2012 Residential Code was effective from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2018. The 2009 Residential Code was also valid during a transition period from January 1, 2012 through June 1, 2012.
The 2018 Residential Code was effective from January 1, 2019 and is currently effective. The 2018 Residential Code was also available during a transition period from July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.
Accessibility Code
| Year Edition | Accessibility Standard | Effective Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 North Carolina State Building Code, Volume I-C |
7/1/1999 | Included previous state accessibility, Federal ADAAG, and Fair Housing Act requirements. | |
| 2002 North Carolina State Building Code, Volume I-C | 1/1/2002 | ||
| 2004 North Carolina Accessibility Code [Renamed as a separate code instead of being identified as NCSBC, Vol. I-C] |
1/1/2006 until 12/31/2009 | Certified by the US Department of Justice as complying with the ADA for Title II requirements on March 17, 2005, documented in a letter from Wan J. Kim, AAG, USDOJ, on 11/28/2005. | |
| 2006 North Carolina Building Code (based on the 2003 IBC) | 2004 North Carolina Accessibility Code | NCBC Chapter 11 effective on 1/1/2010 | NCBC Ch. 11, deleted from 1/1/2002 through 12/31/2009 while NC had a certified accessibility code, became enforceable on 1/1/2010. |
| 2009 North Carolina Building Code (based on the 2006 IBC) | 2003 ANSI A117.1 | 1/1/2010 | |
| 2012 North Carolina Building Code (based on the 2009 IBC) | 2009 ANSI A117.1 | 1/6/2012 | |
| 2018 North Carolina Building Code (based on the 2015 IBC) | 2009 ANSI A117.1 | 1/1/2019 | Proposed effective date. |
Electrical Code
The 2002 Electrical Code was effective from January 1, 2002 through March 15, 2005.
The 2005 Electrical Code was effective from March 15, 2005 through June 1, 2008.
The 2008 Electrical Code was effective from June 1, 2008 through July 3, 2011.
The 2011 Electrical Code was effective from July 3, 2011 through April 1, 2016.
The 2014 Electrical Code was effective from April 1, 2016 through June 11, 2018.
The 2017 Electrical Code was effective from June 12, 2018 and is currently effective.
There were no transition periods between various editions of the Electrical Code.
Existing Buildings Code
The 1995 Existing Building Code was effective from June 14, 1994 through February 28, 2015. There were minor revisions in 1997, 1998, and 1999. Effective January 1, 2003, the NC Building Code Council replaced Chapters 5 and 6 of the Existing Building Code with Sections 3405 and 3409 of the 2002 Building Code. Table 501 of Chapter 5 may continue to be used for relative hazard categories and classification.
The 2015 NC Existing Building Code became effective March 1, 2015 through December 31, 2018.
Rehabilitation Code
The 2006 NC Rehabilitation Code was effective from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2009.
The 2009 NC Rehabilitation Code was effective from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2014.
The 2012 NC Rehabilitation Code became effective January 1, 2015 through February 28, 2018.
Mechanical - Front Cover
Mechanical - Forward, Table of Contents & Chapter 1
Mechanical - Chapter 2
Mechanical - Chapter 3
Mechanical - Chapter 4
Mechanical - Chapter 5
Mechanical - Chapter 6
Mechanical - Chapter 7
Mechanical - Chapter 8
Mechanical - Chapter 9
Mechanical - Chapter 10
Mechanical - Chapter 11
Mechanical - Chapter 12 & 13
Mechanical - Chapter 14
Mechanical - Chapter 15
Mechanical - Chapter 16
Mechanical - Chapter 17
Mechanical - Chapter 18
Mechanical - Chapter 19
Mechanical - Chapter 20
Mechanical - Chapter 21
Mechanical - Appendices List
Mechanical - Appendix A & B
Mechanical - Appendix C & D
Mechanical - Appendix E
Mechanical - Appendix F
Mechanical - Appendix G
Mechanical - Appendix H
Mechanical - Appendix I
Mechanical - Appendix J
Mechanical - Accumulative Supplements
Mechanical - Accumulative Supplements
Mechanical - Index
2006 NC Rehabilitation Code
The 2006 NC Accessibility Code includes the 1999 NC Accessibility Code with 2002 NC Amendments incorporated. The 2004 NC Amendments are available below to complete your Code.
2004 NC Accessibility Amendments
2006 NC Administrative Code and Policies
Chapter 1, 2006 NC Administrative Code
Chapter 2, 2006 NC Administrative Policies
Chapter 3, Referenced Statutes
Appendix A, Permit Application Information
Appendix B, Building Code Summary
Appendix C, Code Change Proposal
2009 NC/ICC 2006 - APPROVED
2009 NC Rehab Code
The 2009 NC Rehab Code includes the 2009 NC Building Code with the 2003 ANSI A117.1.
The Base Documents for the 2009 NC Codes are the 2006 I-Codes. The attached 2009 NC Amendments are replacements to the Sections printed in the Base Documents.
The following amendments were approved by the NC Building Code Council on March 11, 2008. The effective date is: January 1, 2009
Building Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Energy Conservation Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Fire Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Fuel Gas Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Mechanical Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Plumbing Code – 2009 NC Amendments
Residential Code – 2009 NC Amendments
2009-2011 Cumulative Amendments
The 2006 NC Codes remain in effect for permits issued until June 30, 2009 (6-month overlap).
The North Carolina Building Codes are promulgated by the North Carolina Building Code Council (BCC) and are interpreted and enforced by the Engineering and Codes Section. The code is made up by modifications to the International Codes. This year, the 2012 North Carolina Codes are the 2009 International Codes with amendments made by the BCC.
The following documents represent a summary of the BCC amendments:
Building Code – 2012 (Chapters 1-15, 34-end) NC Amendments
Building Code – 2012 (Chapters 16-33) NC Amendments
Fire Code – 2012 NC Amendments
Fuel Gas Code – 2012 NC Amendments
Mechanical Code – 2012 NC Amendments
Plumbing Code – 2012 NC Amendments
Residential Code – Townhouse Sprinkler Amendment
2012 NC Residential Code, Part 4 Energy Conservation (Adopted 12/14/2010)
2012 NC Energy Conservation Code (Adopted 12/14/2010)
Energy Conservation Code – HVAC System Verification Amendment
2012–2017 Accumulative Supplement to the 2012 NC Codes (Effective 1/1/2017)
2012–2015 Approved Cumulative Amendments (Effective 1/1/2015)
2014–2016 Approved Cumulative Amendments (Effective 1/1/2016)
2015–2017 Approved Cumulative Amendments (Effective 1/1/2017)
2016–2018 Approved Cumulative Amendments (Effective 1/1/2018)
R602.10 Code and Commentary for 2012 NC Residential Code - final 03-06-13.pdf
2012 NCECC, 2012 NCRC, Duct Leakage to the Outside
2012 NC Residential Code, Chapters 5 & 8, Southern Pine Span Tables
2012 NC Building Code, Chapter 23, Southern Pine Span Tables
The public hearing for the 2012 NC Building, Energy Conservation, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing and Residential Codes was June 15, 2010. The written public comment period expired on July 16, 2010. The Building, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes were adopted September 14, 2010 and the effective date is September 1, 2011. The Energy Conservation and Residential Codes were adopted December 14, 2010 and the effective date is January 1, 2012.
The 2009 NC Codes other than the Residential and Energy codes remain in effect for permits issued until June 1, 2012. (overlap with the 2012 codes). The 2009 Residential and Energy codes remain in effect until March 1, 2012.
National Fire Protection Association
Visit the NFPA web site for read-only access to the NFPA codes and standards referenced in our state's statutes and/or regulations.
The 2015 NC Existing Building Code has been adopted by the BCC and approved by the RRC with a March 1, 2015 effective date. The 1995 NC Existing Building Code will expire on March 1, 2015. The NC Rehabilitation Code will remain effective until March 1, 2018 (3-year overlap).
2015 NC Amendments to the 2012 IEBC – Effective March 1, 2015
2015 NC Existing Building Code – NC Amendments Only with Commentary
Effective March 1, 2005 through May 31, 2008
Effective June 1, 2008 through July 2, 2012
Effective July 3, 2012 through March 31, 2016