State Building Codes and Regulations
Memo to all Virginia Code Officials from Emory Rodgers, Deputy Director, Division of Building & Fire Regulation >> PDF
Virginia’s state building codes and regulations are administered through the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), and its associated standards and regulations for industrialized or modular buildings, manufactured homes, and amusement devices.
Codes and regulations are adopted by the Board of Housing and Community Development and periodic amendments are utilized to update codes and incorporate new reference standards.
Architects, engineers and builders use these codes and standards to design and construct safe, healthy and durable structures for all uses, from residential to commercial and industrial. Local building officials and inspectors issue permits and conduct inspections to assure that the structures are constructed or assembled and operated according to the codes.
The Division of Building and Fire Safety administers and carries out the building codes and regulations through the programs listed below:
- The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code prescribes building regulations to be complied with when constructing, repairing, renovating, maintaining and/or changing the use of buildings and structures.
- The Industrialized Building Regulations provide for the administration and enforcement of uniform statewide standards for the design, construction, inspection and certification of industrialized or modular buildings, wherever produced.
- The Manufactured Home Safety Regulations and the Virginia Manufactured Housing Licensing and Transaction Recovery Funds regulate codes and regulations for manufactured housing.
- The Virginia Amusement Device Program prescribes uniform statewide regulations for the construction, maintenance, inspection, and operation of amusement devices, whether mobile or affixed to a site.
For more information about the USBC, contact: USBC@dhcd.virginia.gov or call (804) 371-7160.
Division of Building and Fire Regulation’s Code Change Process
The updating of the Division of Building and Fire Regulations codes is undertaken when new nationally-recognized model building and fire codes become available. Since the 2000 editions of the codes, the International Code Council’s I-Codes have served as the basis for Virginia’s building and fire regulations. The Board of Housing and Community Development is now considering proposals for inclusion in the 2009 editions of the codes. A schedule and overview of the code change process is provided, as well as copies of board packages, actual proposals and other related information.
Current Code Change Cycle Information
- 2009 Code Change Cycle >> URL
Past Code Change Cycle Information
- 2006 Code Change Cycle >> URL
Below you will find information outlining the typical steps of the code change cycle process for updating building and fire regulations.
- A Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) is the first step in the regulatory update process. When published in the Virginia Register, a 30 day period is established for the submittal of comments concerning the Board of Housing and Community Development’s intent to update the building and fire codes. Approval for publishing the NOIRA has to be obtained through the Executive Branch of the state government (the Department of Planning and Budget, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade and the Governor’s Office). The NOIRAs are published in the Virginia Register. The Virginia Register is a publication of the Virginia Code Commission used as a clearinghouse for viewing changes to any state agency’s regulations. The Virginia Register may be viewed at http://legis.state.va.us/codecomm/register/REGINDEX.HTM.
- The next step in the code change process is the formulation and publishing of proposed regulations. The Board of Housing and Community Development approves proposed regulations for the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC), Virginia Certification Standards (VCS), Virginia Manufactured Home Safety Regulations (MHSR) and the Virginia Amusement Device Regulations (VADR). Those proposed regulations are considered for approval through the Executive Branch agencies and are published in the Virginia Register once authorized.
- Once the proposed regulations are published, a 60-day public comment period for the submittal of any code change proposals to change the proposed regulations will be observed. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) accepts code change proposals which have been submitted by various work groups and committees and by individuals or organizations. The last day for the acceptance of code change proposals is, based on when the proposed regulations are published. If the deadline changes, it will be announced on this Web page. Any proposals received after the deadline will be held over for the next code change process.
- During the 60-day comment period, the Board of Housing and Community Development is will also conduct a public hearing to permit oral comment to accompany the submittal of code change proposals. The time and location of the hearing will be contained in the notice of public hearing found in the Virginia Register with the proposed regulations.
- After the 60-day comment period ends and the public hearing has been held, DHCD staff will compile public comment and code change proposals. A staff evaluation will be done for each proposal and then a compilation document will be developed. This compilation document will contain all the code change proposals, testimony of the public hearing and the staff evaluations.
- Once the compilation document is available, a second comment period will be established. This comment period provides the opportunity for all interested parties to review all proposals submitted and to review the staff evaluations for all proposals. The Board will accept comments during this period on any proposals and on the staff evaluations. In other words, if you or your group wish to argue against a proposal, you may submit comments requesting the Board to reject the proposal providing any necessary substantiation. If you or your group disagrees with a staff evaluation, then you may submit comments to that effect. You may also submit comment supporting a particular proposal.
- At the end of the second comment period, all comments will be compiled and the Board will consider each proposal. Once the Board’s decisions are made, staff will prepare the final regulations for submittal through the Executive Branch agencies and for final publication in the Virginia Register.
State Building Codes and Regulations News:
The 2006 Virginia Codes are available for purchase from the International Code Council (ICC). All publications are advertised in the 2008 ICC Product Catalog.
The 2006 Virginia Codes incorporate the customized text of the Virginia administrative and technical amendments within the base text of the ICC model codes. Each code discipline consists of a single volume, inclusive of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) amended language, with no need for separate USBC pamphlets that historically accompanied the ICC model codes for enforcement regulations in Virginia.
The 2006 Virginia Codes and the related regulations are also available on the ICC eCodes Web site. Unlimited electronic access will be provided at no charge to Virginia’s customers. Visit: http://ecodes.biz/product.cfm?category_id=94, which will house all Virginia Codes and regulations as they are finalized.
The USBC and its related regulations are also available for viewing and downloading electronically from the DHCD Web site.
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