Updated : 04/22/2024

Overview

Santa Barbara County adopted parts of the 2013 California Building Standards Code: the California Building Code, California Residential Code, California Electrical Code, California Plumbing Code, California Mechanical Code, California Energy Code, California Historical Building Code, California Existing Building Code, California Green Building Standards Code, California Building Standards Administrative Code, effective January 9, 2014, and the California Fire Code. Santa Barbara County, Cal., Ordinance 4871 (Dec. 10, 2013) and Ordinance 4870 (Dec. 10, 2013); Santa Barbara County, Cal., Muni Code ch.10 – Building Regulations; Santa Barbara County, Cal., Muni Code § 15-1.

Helpful resources for Santa Barbara County, California include the following.

• PLRB, Ordinance and Law Coverage Discussion for California

Residential Building Code

California adopted a statewide mandatory residential code that will control; however, local governments are free to make laws more strict (with some limitations).See PLRB, California Building Codes for more information on state level codes.

Santa Barbara County adopted the 2012 IRC, locally. Note that adoptions usually come with amendments. So, it is important to review those amendments in addition to the unamended model code.

You can find a copy of the model code here.

You can find information about amendments to the model code here.

Auto Search - beta:

2022 California Residential Code (2021 IRC)(Santa Barbara County, CA Sec. 15-3. - Amendments to the 2022 California Fire Code and portions of the 2021 International Fire Code.)

...required is added to read as follows: Concurrent with provisions in the California Fire Code, California Building Code, California Residential Code, and in the Santa Barbara County Code, automatic fire sprinkler systems shall be installed and maintained in the locations specified as follows:...

Drip Edge

Drip Edge: Yes

Ice Barrier

Comments

Santa Barbara County adopted Appendices H [Patio Covers], J [Existing Buildings and Structures] and K [Sound Transmission]. Santa Barbara County, Cal., Muni Code § 10-2.2.2.R. the county's amendments did not reference Table R301.2(1) Climatic and Geographic Desgn Criteria.

Some of the Santa Barbara County amendments to the 2013 California Residential Code include the following:

A. The entire Chapter I, Division II, Scope and Administration of the 2013 California Residential Code is deleted and replaced with Article I of this chapter.

B. Section R301.2.1 of the 2013 California Residential Building Code is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph to the end of the section. The basic wind speed of 95 miles per hour (3 second gust) (ASD) shall be used in Special Wind Region of the County of Santa Barbara, defined herein. The Special Wind Region of the County is generally bounded as follows: on the east by a north-south line running through El Capitan Point, on the north by the ridge of the Coast Range, on the west by the coast from the southerly boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base south to Point Conception, and on the south by the coast line from Point Conception to El Capitan Point.

….

E.  Section R327.1.3 of the 2013 California Residential Code is hereby amended as follows:

R327.1 Application. New buildings, additions, alterations, and repairs located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or any Wildland Urban Interface Areas designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date shall comply with the provisions of this chapter.

Exceptions:

1. Buildings of an accessory character classified as a Group U occupancy and not exceeding 120 square feet in floor area, when located at least 30 feet from an applicable building.
2. Buildings of an accessory character classified as Group U occupancy of any size located at least 50 feet from an applicable building
3. Buildings classified as a Group U Agricultural Building, as defined in Section 202 of this code (see also Appendix C — Group U Agricultural Buildings), when located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.

F.  The first paragraph of section R327.1.3. of the 2013 California Residential Code is hereby replaced as follows, rest of this section remains intact:

R327.1.3.1 Application date and where required. New buildings, additions, alterations, and repairs for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008 located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland Urban Interface Area shall comply with all sections of this chapter, including all of the following areas:

G.  Section R327.2 of the 2013 California Residential Code (Definitions) is hereby amended by adding the following definitions:

High Fire Hazard Area is an area of the County of Santa Barbara designated by the Building Official as having a high propensity for wild fire due to the existence of excessive wild brush fuel, lack of adequate water for fire suppression, or lack of adequate access to firefighting equipment and is shown on map entitled "High Fire Hazard Area Map" on file in the County of Santa Barbara Building and Safety Division of the Planning and Development Department. This area is to be considered a Wildland-Urban Interface Area.

H.  Section R327.2 of the 2013 California Residential Code (Definitions) is hereby amended by modifying the following definition:

 Local Agency Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone is an area shown as "Santa Barbara County Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map in Local Responsibility Area", on file in the office of the State Fire Marshal, herein designated and based on the recommendation of the CDF Director pursuant to Government Code Section 51178 and where the County of Santa Barbara is responsible for fire protection.

….

N.  Section R902.1 of the 2013 California Residential Code is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:

Use of Wood roofing materials is prohibited except approved Class A or B fire-retardant-treated wood roofing materials are permitted to effect repairs for roofs of similar existing wood roofing material where such repairs do not exceed 25 percent of the existing roof area within any given 12 month period.

 

Existing Buildings

Existing buildings, meaning buildings that were built in accordance to code at the time of construction, typically merit extra consideration in a current updated code.

Santa Barbara County adopted Appendix J [Existing Buildings and Structures] of the 2013 California Residential Code. Santa Barbara County, Cal., Muni Code § 10-2.2.2.R.

Commercial Building Code

Santa Barbara County adopted the 2012 IBC, statewide with limitations. Note that adoptions usually come with amendments. So, it is important to review those amendments in addition to the unamended model code.

You can find a copy of the code here.You can find information about amendments to the model code here.

Auto Search - beta:

2022 California Bldg. Code, Part 2 (2021 IBC)(Santa Barbara County, CA Municipal Code)

...Adoption not found...

Comments

Santa Barbara County adopted Appendix C [Agricultural Buildings]. The County amended the 2013 California Building Code and amended Appendix C [Agricultural Buildings]. Santa Barbara County, Cal., Muni Code § 10.2.1.2.

Some of the Santa Barbara County amendments to the 2013 California Building Code include the following:

B.  Section 701A.3 of the 2013 California Building Code is hereby replaced in its entirety to read as follows:

701A.3 Applications. New buildings, additions, alterations, and repairs located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or any Wildland Urban Interface Areas designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date shall comply with the provisions of this chapter.

           Exceptions:

1. Buildings of an accessory character classified as a Group U occupancy and not exceeding 120 square feet in floor area, when located at least 30 feet from an applicable building.
2. Buildings of an accessory character classified as Group U occupancy of any size located at least 50 feet from an applicable building
3. Buildings classified as a Group U Agricultural Building, as defined in Section 202 of this code (see also Appendix C — Group U Agricultural Buildings), when located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.

C.  Section 702A of the 2013 California Building Code (Definitions) is hereby amended by modifying the following definition:

Local Agency Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone is an area shown as "Santa Barbara County Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map in Local Responsibility Area", on file in the office of the State Fire Marshal, herein designated and based on the recommendation of the CDF Director pursuant to Government Code Section 51178 and where the County of Santa Barbara is responsible for fire protection.

D.  Section 702A of the 2013 California Building Code (Definitions) is hereby amended by adding the following definitions:

High Fire Hazard Area is an area of the County of Santa Barbara designated by the Building Official as having a high propensity for wild fire due to the existence of excessive wild brush fuel, lack of adequate water for fire suppression, or lack of adequate access to firefighting equipment and is shown on map entitled "High Fire Hazard Area Map" on file in the County of Santa Barbara Building and Safety Division of the Planning and Development Department. This area is to be considered a Wildland-Urban Interface Area.

E.  Section 1505.1 of the 2013 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:

Use of Wood roofing materials is prohibited except approved Class A or B fire-retardant-treated wood roofing materials are permitted to effect repairs for roofs of similar existing wood roofing material where such repairs do not exceed 25 percent of the existing roof area within any given 12 month period.

F.  Section 1505.1.4 of the California Building Code is hereby amended by adding a second paragraph to read as follows:

Roofing for structures in a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area shall be class A or B roofing assemblies.

G.  Section 1609.1.1 of the 2013 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph to the end of the section.

The basic wind speed of 95 miles per hour (3 second gust) (ASD) shall be used in Special Wind Region of the County of Santa Barbara, defined herein. The Special Wind Region of the County is generally bounded as follows: on the east by a north-south line running through El Capitan Point, on the north by the ridge of the Coast Range, on the west by the coast from the southerly boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base south to Point Conception, and on the south by the coast line from Point Conception to El Capitan Point.

Existing Buildings

Santa Barbara County adopted Chapter 34 of 2013 California Building Code in its entirety, and only amended Section 3401.1 with replaced text to read as follows:

3401.1 Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall control the alteration, repair, addition and change of occupancy of existing structures, including residential occupancies that regulated under 2013 California Residential Code.