Building Codes
The San Francisco Building Codes are amendments to the California Building Standards Codes (California Code of Regulations, Title 24) and are used in conjunction with the state's codes.
Print copies of both the current San Francisco and California Building Codes are available at the Government Information Center (GIC). They are also online here: San Francisco Codes Online & California Building Codes Online
A compilation of California building regulations and statutes for access compliance is available online via the Division of the State Architect.
Historic Building Codes
Most of the San Francisco historic building codes are held at the Government Information Center, but some are held in the History Center (6th floor of the Main).
- Building laws going back to 1903 (in General Orders and Ordinances of the Board of Supervisors 1904, General ordinances of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco 1907, 1910, 1915, and other publications).
- Official building laws, City and County of San Francisco 1921 (online, located in the History Center)
- Building Code 1928, 1930, 1934 (online)
- Building laws, City and County of San Francisco 1928, 1930, 1934 (online, located in the History Center)
- Building Code 1946, 1956 [Aug. 1960 printing], 1956 amended through Aug. 1962, 1956 amended through Feb. 1965, 1969, 1969 amended through July 1970, 1969 amended through Oct. 1972, 1975, 1975 amended through Nov. 1982 (Partially online)
- Building code 1948, 1952 (online)
- Building code 1988, 1992, 1992 v.1 amended through June 1995, 1995, 1995 v.1 amended through Dec. 1997 (Not online)
- California building code. [San Francisco ed.] 1998, 1998 amended through June 2002, 2001 amended through Feb 2007, 2010 amended through Sept. 2013, 2013 (Not online)
- The History and Legal Basis of Building Code Development, Adoption and Enforcement As It Applies To San Francisco – An article by consulting engineer Robert J. Bossi, which offers a historical look at building codes in general, and how San Francisco and the State of California began to regulate building construction.
National and International Codes
The Business, Science and Technology Center (4th floor at the Main) has paper copies of the International fire code, International building code, and the National electrical code.
Other Resources
- Information Sheets from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection - These are guides that interpret different parts of the building code to help with compliance.
- Administrative Bulletins from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection - Administrative Bulletins document the procedures to be followed by Department of Building Inspection (DBI) staff and other agencies that are involved with the regulatory functions of DBI.
- Interpretation of Regulations from the Division of the State Architect
- DSA Academy - Division of the State Architect classes that promote consistent knowledge and application of the California Building Codes (CBC) as well as regulations needed for successful plan review, and construction of projects.
- ICC (International Code Council) - The International Code Council is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.