About the BC Building Code

On this page

• Purpose of the code
• Code categories 
• Different building types 
• Registered professionals
• Acknowledgements and copyright

Purpose of the code 

The code sets minimum requirements for: 

• Safety 
• Health 
• Accessibility 
• Fire and structural protection of buildings 
• Energy and water efficiency

The code applies to all buildings in B.C. except in: 

• The City of Vancouver 
• Treaty First Nations that do not reference the Building Code in their agreements 
• Federal lands 

BC Codes are based on the National Model Codes.  

Code categories 

The code is organized into 3 categories. 

Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements  

• Outlines the main objectives and functional statements for technical building requirements so code users know what they need to achieve in the code  
• Provides options for alternative solutions to meet the performance objectives of the acceptable requirements 

Division B: Acceptable Solutions  

• Outlines the design and construction requirements for each building type and specifies what solutions are acceptable  
• Explains the purpose of the design and construction requirements by stating the objectives and intended function to be achieved  

Division C: Administrative Provisions  

• Outlines administrative requirements under the code, such as requirements for drawings and documentation, as well as providing guidance for alternative solutions to the code  
• Outlines what work requires people with specific qualifications  

How the BC Building Code applies to different buildings 

Building requirements vary based on the size and use of a building. Each building category has general characteristics that help determine its requirements. There are no strict rules defining which types of buildings belong in each category. For example, acceptable solutions for housing and small buildings are grouped together and found in Part 9 of Division B.

The BC Building Code has specific rules for designing and constructing a building, based on its size and intended use. For example, rules for housing and small buildings are in Part 9 of Division B. Whereas, Part 3 of Division B generally covers larger and more complex buildings. 

Registered professionals 

Registered professionals (architects and engineers) are: 

• Always required for complex buildings (Part 3 buildings in the Code) 
• Sometimes required for small buildings (Part 9 buildings in the Code)  

You can find the rules about when registered professionals are required in Subsection 2.2.7. of Division C in the BC Building Code.

The Architects Act and the Professional Governance Act may have additional requirements for registered professionals on projects. 

Because buildings have many different systems and technologies specific to their size and use, designers need to be aware of multiple parts of the code to determine what rules apply to a project.  

More information about the how the code applies is available in BC Building Code 2024 (PDF, 16.6 MB) preface.  

BC Building Code acknowledgements and copyright  

• Copyright 2024 Province of British Columbia (portions) 
• Copyright 2020 National Research Council (portions) 

All rights reserved. This Publication contains material that is copyrighted by both the National Research Council of Canada and the Province of British Columbia and reproduced herein under a license agreement.  

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Province of British Columbia and Codes Canada, National Research Council.  

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