Alabama building code
Alabama has adopted 2021 IBC. The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Alabama cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- 2021 I-Codes (Alabama State Building Code, eff. 2022-07-01, amended 2025-03-17 with select 2024 provisions) / 2015 IRC + 2015 IECC statewide residential-energy baseline (eff. 2016-10-01) / 2021 IFC statewide fire (eff. 2023-01-01)
- Code authority
- Alabama Division of Construction Management, Dept. of Finance (State Building Code); Alabama Energy and Residential Codes Board rules at Ala. Admin. Code ch. 305-2-4 (residential/energy, authority transferring per Act 2024-443 to Home Builders Licensure Board and Licensing Board for General Contractors); Alabama State Fire Marshal, Dept. of Insurance (fire)
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Building | 2021 IBC | n/a |
| Residential | 2015 Alabama Residential Building Code based on 2015 IRC | n/a |
| Existing buildings | 2021 IEBC | n/a |
| Fire | 2021 IFC | n/a |
| Electrical | 2020 NEC based on 2020 NEC (NFPA 70) | n/a |
| Mechanical | 2021 IMC | n/a |
| Plumbing | 2021 IPC | n/a |
| Accessibility | 2010 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design based on 2010 ADA Standards | n/a |
| Energy Commercial | 2015 IECC or 90.1-2013 IECC / ASHRAE 90.1 based on 2015 IECC / ANSI-ASHRAE-IES 90.1-2013 | n/a |
| Energy Residential | 2015 IECC | n/a |
| Fuel Gas | 2021 IFGC | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Alabama. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- Hurricane wind-borne debris region
- California Coastal Zone
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
Sources
- https://dcm.alabama.gov/bldg_code.aspx
- https://dcm.alabama.gov/PDF/bulletins/04-11-22_Bldg_Code_Adoption_2021_IBC.pdf
- https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/chapter/305-2-4
- https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/chapter/482-2-101
- https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/api/chapter/720-X-7
- https://hblb.alabama.gov/category/news/
- https://www.energycodes.gov/status/states/alabama
- https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/adoptions-map/alabama/
- https://hacr.alabama.gov/alabama-energy-codes/
Common questions
What building code does Alabama use?
Alabama uses 2021 IBC. It is administered by the Alabama Division of Construction Management, Dept. of Finance (State Building Code); Alabama Energy and Residential Codes Board rules at Ala. Admin. Code ch. 305-2-4 (residential/energy, authority transferring per Act 2024-443 to Home Builders Licensure Board and Licensing Board for General Contractors); Alabama State Fire Marshal, Dept. of Insurance (fire).
Do cities in Alabama amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Check a plan set against Alabama code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
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Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.