Florida Building Code Reference

Site, climate, wind, flood, occupancy limits, light/ventilation, egress, glazing, and fire safety basics for homes.

• §R301.2.1Wind Design Criteria

  Homes must be designed for the ultimate design wind speed at the site. Inland Florida is typically 130–150 mph; the HVHZ (Miami-Dade/Broward) is 170+ mph. Roof, wall, and opening pressures follow ASCE 7.

• §R301.2.1.2Protection of Openings

  In Wind-Borne Debris Regions (much of coastal Florida), all glazed openings must be impact-rated or covered by code-approved shutters/panels.

• §R302Fire-Resistant Construction

  Walls less than 5 ft from a property line generally need 1-hour fire resistance; attached garages need a separation (typically 1/2-inch gypsum on the garage side, 5/8-inch Type X under habitable rooms above).

• §R310Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings

  Every sleeping room below the 4th story needs at least one window/door usable as an emergency escape — min 5.7 sq ft (5.0 grade-floor), 24 in. high, 20 in. wide, sill no more than 44 in. above floor.

• §R311Means of Egress

  At least one egress door 3 ft x 6 ft 8 in. Stairs: min 36 in. wide, max 7-3/4 in. riser, min 10 in. tread. Handrails 34–38 in. above stair nosings.

• §R312Guards

  Guards required where a walking surface is more than 30 in. above the floor or grade below; min 36 in. tall (42 in. for decks in many jurisdictions); openings must reject a 4-inch sphere.

• §R313Automatic Fire Sprinklers

  Florida deletes the IRC sprinkler mandate for one- and two-family homes; sprinklers are optional unless the local jurisdiction adds them.

• §R314Smoke Alarms

  Required in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every story including basements. Interconnected and hardwired with battery backup in new construction; battery-only is allowed when replacing in existing construction without removing finish.

• §R315Carbon Monoxide Alarms

  Required outside sleeping areas in homes with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage.

• §R317Decay & Termite Protection

  Florida requires termite protection (chemical soil treatment, bait system, or termite-resistant materials) and pressure-treated or naturally durable wood for sills and members near grade. New homes get a termite-treatment notice on the electrical panel.

Footings, foundation walls, slabs, and waterproofing.

• §R403Footings

  Footings sized per soil bearing capacity; min 12 in. wide and 6 in. thick for typical 1-story. Frost depth in Florida is effectively 0, so footings can be at grade with proper edge insulation.

• §R406Foundation Waterproofing/Damp-Proofing

  Below-grade walls enclosing habitable space must be damp-proofed; waterproofed where a high water table or hydrostatic pressure is present.

Wood and engineered floor framing, deck framing.

• §R507Exterior Decks

  Decks must be designed for 40 psf live load + 10 psf dead. Ledger boards must be flashed and bolted (not nailed). Posts ≥ 6x6 above 6 ft. Guards required where deck is >30 in. above grade.

Wood, masonry, and cold-formed steel walls; wall bracing.

• §R602.10Wall Bracing

  Braced wall lines limit how much shear a wall must resist in wind. Florida prescribes minimum bracing length per wind speed and exposure category.

• §R609Exterior Windows and Doors

  All windows and doors must carry a Florida Product Approval (FL #) or Miami-Dade NOA showing tested design pressure and (in WBD regions) impact rating.

Roof framing, trusses, sheathing, and uplift connections.

• §R802.11Roof Tie-Down

  Every rafter/truss must be positively connected to the wall plate with hurricane straps/clips sized for uplift; the load path must continue to the foundation.

Roof coverings, underlayment, and re-roofing.

• §R905Requirements for Roof Coverings

  Asphalt shingles must be rated for the site's wind speed (e.g., ASTM D7158 Class H or D3161 Class F). Tile, metal, and modified bitumen each have their own attachment and fastener schedules.

• §R908Re-Roofing

  When re-roofing, the deck must be re-nailed to current uplift requirements, and a secondary water barrier (peel-and-stick or sealed seams) is required statewide.

Masonry and factory-built chimneys/fireplaces.

Cross-reference to the Florida Energy Conservation Code.

• §N1101Scope

  Insulation, fenestration U-factor/SHGC, duct sealing, and HVAC efficiency are governed by the Energy Conservation volume.

Cross-reference to the Florida Fuel Gas Code.

Cross-reference to the Florida Plumbing Code (chapters 26–33).

Defers to NFPA 70 (NEC) with Florida amendments.

• §E3401Applicability

  Residential electrical work follows the National Electrical Code, with Florida-specific rules for service equipment elevation in flood zones and bonding for swimming pools.

Branch circuits, receptacles, and lighting outlets.

• §E3901Receptacle Outlets

  Habitable rooms need a receptacle within 6 ft of any wall point; kitchen countertops need a receptacle every 4 ft and within 24 in. of the counter end. Outdoor, garage, bathroom, kitchen, and laundry receptacles must be GFCI-protected. Bedrooms and most living areas need AFCI protection.

List of every standard the residential code incorporates (ASTM, ASCE, ICC, NFPA).