The new BC Building and Plumbing Code will be effective December 10, 2018 and will apply to building permits applied for on or after that date. The BC Fire Code is anticipated to be adopted in the fall of 2018 and effective December 10, 2018. Buildings with permits in place under the previous 2012 BC Building Code will generally not be affected by the adoption of the new code.

The BC Building and Plumbing Code is based substantially on the model National Building and Plumbing Codes of Canada (National Codes). The 2015 National Codes adopted 600 technical changes to improve clarity, introduce new concepts, and expand existing requirements.  Some of the new requirements in the National Codes include:

• updates to airborne sound transmission ratings,
• seismic design and climatic data, and
• updates to stairs, ramps, handrails and guards, including an increase to the run dimensions for residential dwellings.

For more information about the changes introduced in the 2015 National Codes, please visit the Codes Canada website.

The 2018 BC Building and Plumbing Code includes most of the 2015 National Code requirements and some variations specific to British Columbia. Some important BC-specific code changes introduced in the 2018 BC Building Code include:

• increasing building accessibility for persons with disabilities,
• improving the energy efficiency of buildings to require compliance with new building energy efficiency codes and standards,
• providing a variation to the National Building Code requirements for mid-rise combustible buildings to require 10 per cent street frontage and exterior cladding with increased fire resistance, and
• updating radon data, based on recent studies.

For more information about the 2018 BC Building and Plumbing Code, please visit our website. Online resources include:

• Summary of changes
• General technical bulletin
• Accessibility bulletin
• Mid-rise combustible construction bulletin

Please note that the online version of the 2018 BC Building and Plumbing Code will be available for purchase in the coming weeks at www.bccodes.ca. The Building and Safety Standards Branch will notify code users when the online version is published.  The print version is expected at a later date, and code users will be notified when it becomes available.

The Building and Safety Standards Branch is working with partners to deliver education and support code users in learning about the new requirements. Additional code resources will be posted to our website, in the coming months.

If you have any questions, please email Building.Safety@gov.bc.ca.

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