The main functions of the Code Development section include:
1002 Washington Ave., 4th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
| (CE1103) | Alternate Method Guideline |
| (CE1269) | Fabricator Qualification Statement | |
| (CE1281) | Review of Quality System Manual | |
| (CE1282) | Audit of Fabrication Practices General | |
| (CE1283) | Audit of Fabrication Practices Cooler/Freezer Insulated Panels | |
| (CE1285) | Approved Fabricator Guidelines | |
| (CE1286) | Audit of Fabrication Practices Wood Truss | |
| (CE1287) | Audit of Fabrication Practices - Concreting & Pretensioning | |
| (CE1288) | Audit of Fabrication Practices Steel |
Effective May 1, 2026, the Houston Fire Marshal’s Office is the primary contact for submission and verification of ERCC compliance documentation, including approved test results and reporting forms, as well as related inquiries.
| (CE1348) | ERCC Designer/Lead Installation Personnel Qualification Statement |
| (CE 1270) | Special Inspection Qualification Statement |
The Houston Construction Code establishes minimum standards for the construction, alteration, maintenance, repair, and demolition of buildings and other structures to protect the life safety of the public. The Houston amendments, along with the model codes, constitute the City of Houston Construction Code.
The proposed 2021 Houston Construction Code was presented to City Council and Mayor Turner for adoption on October 25, 2023. The 2021 Houston Construction Code went into effect on Monday, January 1, 2024.
| Houston Construction Code Amendments Ordinance (Ord. No. 2023-907) | ||
| Exhibit A | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) | |
| Exhibit B | ASCE 7 Supplement to the 2021 Houston Building Code and Residential Code | |
| Exhibit C | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) | |
| Exhibit D | Administrative Code Provisions for the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) | |
| Exhibit E | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) | |
| Exhibit F | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) | |
| Exhibit G | Houston Amendments to the 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) | |
| Exhibit H | Houston Amendments to the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) | |
| Exhibit I | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (IRC) | |
| Exhibit J | Houston Amendments to the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) | |
| Exhibit L | Fees For One-and Two-Family Residential Dwellings and Townhouses |
Select the links below to download and review the Houston Fire Department's Life Safety Bureau Standards.
| LSB Standard No. 01 | Installation and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers | |
| LSB Standard No. 02 | Inspection and Testing of Fire Protection and Life-Safety Equipment | |
| LSB Standard No. 03 | Fire Department Access | |
| LSB Standard No. 04 | Access Control Gates | |
| LSB Standard No. 05 | Key Boxes | |
| LSB Standard No. 06 | Fire Depository Boxes | |
| LSB Standard No. 07 | High-Rise Fire Safety Plans | |
| LSB Standard No. 08 | Fire Drills | |
| LSB Standard No. 09 | Marking of Fire Hydrants | |
| LSB Standard No. 10 | LP-Gas and Open Flame Use | |
| LSB Standard No. 11 | Roofing Operations | |
| LSB Standard No. 12 | Fireworks Display | |
| LSB Standard No. 13 | Outside Protected Aboveground Tanks for Generators and Fire Pumps | |
| LSB Standard No. 14 | Unattended Service Stations | |
| LSB Standard No. 15 | Mobile Refueling/Wet Hosing | |
| LSB Standard No. 16 | Open Burning and Recreational Fires | |
| LSB Standard No. 17 | Tire Chipping and Shredding Operations | |
| LSB Standard No. 18 | High-Rise Fire Safety Plan Approval | |
| LSB Standard No. 19 | Raw Wood Waste Processing/Recycling Storage and Operations | |
| LSB Standard No. 22 | Tents and Other Membrane Structures | |
| LSB Standard No. 23 | Mid-Rise Atrium Fire Safety Plan Approval | |
| LSB Standard No. 24 | Mid-Rise Atrium Fire Safety Plans | |
| LSB Standard No. 25 | Safety Inspections for Vehicles on Indoor Display |
| (CE1204) | Houston Code Adoption History |
The Code Words are a set of interpretations, written policies, and procedures to aid in the application of the Houston Construction Codes.
These documents compare the changes between the current and previously adopted codes and Houston amendments.
The City of Houston does not have the model codes available. They can be purchased through their respective publisher or viewed online by using the following web links:
The Customer Assistance and Code Development (CACD) group assists the Building Code Enforcement department and the general public by providing training and education on the building codes being enforced in Houston.
The following training and educational items have been developed for staff and the general public to help inform of significant code changes, explain technical or complex code related items, and provide guidance on enforcement of the Houston Construction Code.
The Building Code Enforcement team has made available the following slides from their 2024 training presentations on specific code topics:
Between January and March 2024 the CACD and Construction Code Modernization groups provided a series of trainings to staff and stakeholders covering significant changes to the 2021 code editions and updates to the 2021 Houston amendments. The slides used in these training presentations are provided in the significant change documents below:
The following documents were created to provide additional technical information for certain complex code items and new Houston amendments to the 2021 code editions.
The following documents provide a general overview explaining the basics of residential and commercial permitting at the Houston Permitting Center.
The following organizations offer code-related training. These organizations are not affiliated with the City of Houston. If you are interested in more information regarding training offered through these organizations please contact the organization directly.
The Code Development group is coordinating the Houston Chapter of the International Code Council. This chapter was formed in 2019 as a forum for government code officials and construction industry professionals to come together to discuss community advocacy, education, and training.
Government professionals, trade professionals, and students are welcome to become members. You can join online or email the membership form to [email protected].
Click the link(s) below.
