Building and Construction Codes

• International Codes
• New York State Codes
• Other Codes

Building codes can be defined as "Regulations governing building design and construction, established by regulatory authorities.  Building codes are promulgated and administered by various levels of government, and originate also from a number of quasi-governmental and private organizations."1

"The basis of building code development is to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public. Model codes have no force of law unto themselves. Only after adoption by a governmental agency are they enforceable…"2  Each state in the United States has a separate and distinct code adoption process.  Many states have adopted various International Codes, but some states have their own building codes.  New York State has adopted the 2003 edition of the International Building Code.

The New York State Library has a collection of current and older editions of the International Codes, national model codes and New York State building codes.  For more information on NYSL holdings, call the Reference Desk at 518-474-5355 or send an email to refserv@nysed.gov.  

International Codes

The International Code Council (ICC) was established in 1994 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes.  The founders of the ICC are the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) and the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI).

The three model codes, the BOCA National Building Code, the Uniform Building Code and the Southern Building Code, were reformatted into a common format. The requirements in each model code for similar design situations were compared. After numerous drafts, multiyear reviews by the model code agencies and code users, and public hearings, the ICC published a single model code in 2000.  The International Codes are "kept up to date through the review of proposed changes submitted by code enforcing officials, industry representatives, design professionals and other interested parties." 3 New editions of the International Codes will be published at regular intervals, usually every three years.

The ICC also publishes volumes of Commentary that supplement the International Codes. Each volume of Commentary provides basic knowledge and facts relating to a particular Code and is meant to be used in conjunction with that Code. The Commentary includes a statement of the objective and intent for each section of the Code and usually includes a discussion about why that requirement commands the conditions set forth in the Code.

For more information on International Codes, contact the International Code Council at:

International Code Council
5203 Leesburg Pike, Suite 600,
Falls Church, VA 22041-3401
Telephone: 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233)
E-mail: webmaster@iccsafe.org
Website: http://www.iccsafe.org  

New York State Building and Construction Codes

"Beginning in the late 1940's, New York State began developing a code known as the State Building Construction Code, which provided standards for the construction of buildings and installation of equipment therein.  Developing and maintaining the State Building Construction Code eventually became the responsibility of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR).  In the 1960's, DHCR began developing a second code, the State Building Conservation and Fire Prevention Code, to address fire safety practices in buildings.  Both of these codes were applicable in a municipality only when affirmatively adopted by the governing body."4 ("The decision as to whether to adopt and enforce a building and/or fire prevention code had been left to the discretion of local governments in New York State."4) 

"In 1978, the State Legislature added Article 11 to the Energy Law to provide for a comprehensive energy conservation construction code applicable to all public and private buildings in New York State (including buildings located in the City of New York)."4  "In 1981, the New York State Legislature enacted legislation directing the development and implementation of an integrated building and fire code for the state."4  "The New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Uniform Code) took effect January 1, 1984 and prescribed minimum standards for both fire prevention and building construction.  It is applicable in every municipality of the state, except for the City of New York, which was permitted to retain its own code." 4

"Effective January 1, 2003, the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code consists of several subunits each based on a model code developed by the International Code Council".4 The subunits are Building Code of New York State, Fire Code of New York State, Fuel Gas Code of New York State, Mechanical Code of New York State, Plumbing Code of New York State, Property Maintenance Code of New York State and Residential Code of New York State. These publications, along with the State Energy Conservation Construction Code, are incorporated by reference in Title 19 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR).  These regulations contain the legally enforceable requirements for construction, fire prevention, energy conservation, plumbing and maintenance of buildings and structures.

Current New York State codes combine language from the 2003 International Code volumes and New York State modifications developed by the State Fire Prevention and Building Council and the Department of State's Administrative Task Group.  In adapting the International Codes for use by the State of New York, certain sections, tables and figures were deleted and certain new text was added.  These changes were intended to remove certain information not applicable within New York State, conform with statutory requirements of the Uniform Code Act and other legislation, and incorporate New York initiatives into the code.

The New York State Library has current and older editions of the New York State building and construction codes.  Listed below are the current editions of the New York State codes available at the New York State Library. Many of the older building and construction codes have been digitized and made available through the Library's Digital collections.

The Library holds three copies of the New York State codes listed below.

• Copy 1 is located in the Ready Reference collection and must be used on-site.
• Copy 2 and 3 are located in the New York State Documents collection (D) and are available for loan.

For more information on New York State Codes, contact the Division of Code Enforcement and Administration, Department of State at:

New York State Department of State
Division of Code Enforcement and Administration
41 State Street, Albany, NY 12231
Telephone: 518-474-4073
E-mail: codes@dos.state.ny.us
Website:  http://www.dos.ny.gov/

Selected related codes and standards

The New York State Library has a large collection of other current and older construction/building codes and related standards. Listed below is a sample of some of the codes and related standards available in the NYSL collection. (See also Standards and Specifications.) For more information on these items or other standards available at the NYSL, call the Reference Desk at 518-474-5355 or send an email to refserv@nysed.gov.

1. A Dictionary of Environmental & Civil Engineering edited by Len Webster.
2. Building Codes Illustrated: A Guide to Understanding the International Building Code
   by Francis D.K. Ching and Steven R. Winkel. Wiley: 2003.
3. International Building Code. International Code Council: 2003.
4. Building Code of New York State. New York State, Department of State, Division of Code Enforcement and Administration.  International Code Council and NYS Department of State: August 2007.