was published and updated every three years by the

International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO). The ICBO has merged with the

Building Officials and Code Administrators International (BOCA) and the Southern Building

Code Congress International (SBCCI) to form the International Code Council (ICC). 

The ICC

now publishes the International Building Code, but the bulk of the State's exam refers to the

California Building Code which is based on the UBC with California supplements. 

UBCBuildingClassifications

One of the main ways a building is classified in the Uniform Building Code is by occupancy-the

building's use or the type of activity intended for it. Meeting the requirements for these

classifications can have a big impact on your bid, and most city/county planners and zoning

officials are keenly interested in these classifications. 

Some have divisions as

well [for example, A-i, A-21, bringing the total to 32 different occupancy classifications. It

isn't necessary to memorize all 32, but it is a good idea to know what the main groups are and

the divisions under the R group. 

The general guideline for determining the class is the degree of hazard associated with the

building.

The main concern is the safety of people in the building, not the preservation of

property. Therefore, hazards are rated much higher for buildings where a lot of people may

congregate than for most houses. Hazard to life is greater in taller buildings and in buildings

with a larger area (defined as a space at one-story level entirely separate and enclosed by fire

barriers; without fire barriers, the area is defined as the entire floor space).

A-2, A-3, etc.; and A is more

hazardous than B, E, H, etc. Again, the main rule is the more people, the higher the hazard

rating. 

Any building where people assemble in large numbers. High hazard due not

only to high occupancy but also to the fact that people will typically be

unfamiliar with the building. Examples include theaters, assembly rooms

with stages, and stadiums. [Divisions A-i, A-2, A-2.1, A-3, A-4.]