P101 General — 2025 California Building Code

Where provided in Group R occupancies, sleeping lofts shall comply with the provisions of this code, except as modified by this appendix. Sleeping lofts constructed in compliance with this appendix shall be considered a portion of the story below. Such sleeping lofts shall not contribute to either the building area or number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The sleeping loft floor area shall be included in determining the fire area.

The following sleeping lofts are exempt from compliance with this appendix:

1. Sleeping lofts with a maximum depth of less than 3 feet (914 mm).
2. Sleeping lofts with a floor area of less than 35 square feet (3.3 m [2] ).
3. Sleeping lofts not provided with a permanent means of egress.

Sleeping lofts shall comply with the following:

1. The sleeping loft floor area shall be less than 70 square feet (6.5 m [2] ).
2. The sleeping loft ceiling height shall not exceed 7 feet (2134 mm) for more than one-half of the sleeping loft floor area.

The provisions of this appendix shall not apply to sleeping lofts that do not comply with Items 1 and 2.

The clear height below the sleeping loft floor construction shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm). The ceiling height above the finished floor of the sleeping loft shall be not less than 3 feet (914 mm). Portions of the sleeping loft with a sloped ceiling measuring less than 3 feet (914 mm) from the finished floor to the finished ceiling shall not contribute to the sleeping loft floor area.

The aggregate area of all sleeping lofts and mezzanines within a room shall comply with Section 505.2.1.

Exception: The area of a single sleeping loft shall not be greater than two-thirds of the area of the room in which it is located, provided that no other sleeping lofts or mezzanines are open to the room in which the sleeping loft is located.