Chapter 3 — GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 301 — GENERAL
2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
301.1 Scope. ¶
The provisions of this chapter shall govern the occupancy and maintenance of all structures and premises for precautions against fire and the spread of fire and general requirements of fire safety.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.14] Fire Hazard.
No person, including but not limited to the State and its political subdivisions, operating any occupancy subject to California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations shall permit any fire hazard, as defined in this article, to exist on premises under their control, or fail to take immediate action to abate a fire hazard when requested to do so by the enforcing agency.
Note: “Fire Hazard” as used in California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations means any condition, arrangement, or act which will increase, or may cause an increase of, the hazard or menace of fire to a greater degree than customarily recognized as normal by persons in the public service of preventing, suppressing or extinguishing fire; or which may obstruct, delay or hinder, or may become the cause of obstruction, delay or hindrance to the prevention, suppression, or extinguishment of fire.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.19(a) through (g)] Housekeeping.
Every building or portion of a building governed by California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1 regulations shall be maintained in a neat orderly manner, free from any condition that would create a fire or life hazard or a condition which would add to or contribute to the rapid spread of fire. Provisions shall be made for the proper storage and disposal of waste materials and rubbish consistent with the following:
(a) All basements, cellars, floors, closets, attics, and other similar places not open to continuous observation shall be kept free from combustible litter and rubbish at all times.
Note: Such storage may be permitted in these areas only when protected by approved automatic extinguishing systems or fire-resis- tive separations.
(b) All combustible waste material and rubbish shall be stored in approved containers or shall be stored in a manner approved by the enforcing agency as being consistent with standard fire prevention practices until such waste material and rubbish is removed from the premises or otherwise disposed of in a proper manner. (1) Containers with a capacity exceeding 5.33 cubic feet (40 gallons) (0.15 m [3] ) shall comply with the provisions of California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 9, Section 304.3.
(2) Wastebaskets and linen containers in Group I-2 and I-3 occupancies shall comply with the provisions of California Code of Regula- tions Title 24, Part 9, Section 808.
(c) Approved self-closing metal containers or listed disposal containers by an approved testing or listing agency shall be provided and maintained in all rooms or locations where oily rags, oily waste, paint rags or similar materials subject to spontaneous ignition are used or are stored temporarily. Such containers shall be emptied daily.
(d) Ashes shall not be placed in, on or near combustible material, but shall be placed in approved metal containers, until removed from the premises or otherwise properly disposed of.
(e) No dry vegetation shall be permitted to exist within 20 feet of any building or occupancies subject to California Code of Regula- tions, Title 19, Division 1 regulations.
(f) Except when permitted by the enforcing agency, boiler rooms, mechanical rooms, transformer and switchgear vaults and electri- cal panel rooms, shall not be used for storage.
(g) Electric motors, filters on heating equipment and grease hoods shall be checked periodically and kept clean and maintained in a safe operating condition.
301.2 Permits. ¶
Permits shall be required as set forth in Section 105.5 for the activities or uses regulated by Sections 306, 307, 308, 315, 320, 321 and 322 .
on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
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Ask AI about this code▸ Contents — 2025 California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)
- Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
- Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
-
▸ Chapter 3 — GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Overview- Section 301 — GENERAL
- Section 302 — DEFINITIONS
- Section 303 — ASPHALT KETTLES
- Section 304 — COMBUSTIBLE WASTE MATERIAL
- Section 305 — IGNITION SOURCES
- Section 306 — MOTION PICTURE PROJECTION ROOMS AND FILM
- Section 307 — OPEN BURNING, RECREATIONAL FIRES AND PORTABLE OU…
- Section 308 — OPEN FLAMES
- Section 309 — POWERED INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT
- Section 310 — SMOKING
- Section 311 — VACANT PREMISES
- Section 312 — VEHICLE IMPACT PROTECTION
- Section 313 — FUELED EQUIPMENT
- Section 314 — INDOOR DISPLAYS
- Section 315 — GENERAL STORAGE
- Section 316 — HAZARDS TO FIREFIGHTERS
- Section 317 — VEGETATIVE AND LANDSCAPED ROOFS
- Section 318 — LAUNDRY CARTS
- Section 319 — ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (3D PRINTING)
- Section 320 — BATTERY STORAGE
- Section 321 — ARTIFICIAL COMBUSTIBLE VEGETATION
- Section 322 — POWERED MICROMOBILITY DEVICES
- Section 323 — ROAD TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND OTHER LIMITED ACCESS H…
- Chapter 4 — EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS
- Chapter 5 — FIRE SERVICE FEATURES
- Chapter 6 — BUILDING SERVICES AND SYSTEMS
- Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
- Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISH, DECORATIVE MATERIALS AND FURNISHI…
- Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
- Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
- Chapter 11 — CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
- Chapter 12 — ENERGY SYSTEMS
- Chapter 20 — AVIATION FACILITIES
- Chapter 21 — DRY CLEANING
- Chapter 22 — COMBUSTIBLE DUST-PRODUCING OPERATIONS
- Chapter 23 — MOTOR FUEL-DISPENSING FACILITIES AND REPAIR GARAGES
- Chapter 24 — FLAMMABLE FINISHES
- Chapter 25 — FRUIT AND CROP RIPENING
- Chapter 26 — FUMIGATION AND INSECTICIDAL FOGGING
- Chapter 27 — SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION FACILITIES
- Chapter 28 — LUMBER YARDS AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL, SOLID BIOMASS A…
- Chapter 29 — MANUFACTURE OF ORGANIC COATINGS
- Chapter 30 — INDUSTRIAL OVENS
- Chapter 31 — TENTS, TEMPORARY SPECIAL EVENT STRUCTURES AND OTH…
- Chapter 32 — HIGH-PILED COMBUSTIBLE STORAGE
- Chapter 33 — FIRE SAFETY DURING CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION
- Chapter 34 — TIRE REBUILDING AND TIRE STORAGE
- Chapter 35 — WELDING AND OTHER HOT WORK
- Chapter 36 — MARINAS
- Chapter 37 — COMBUSTIBLE FIBERS
- Chapter 38 — RESERVED
- Chapter 39 — PROCESSING AND EXTRACTION FACILITIES
- Chapter 40 — STORAGE OF DISTILLED SPIRITS AND WINES
- Chapter 41 — TEMPORARY HEATING AND COOKING OPERATIONS
- Chapter 48 — MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION STUDIO S…
- Chapter 49 — REQUIREMENTS FOR WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRE AR…
- Chapter 50 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS—GENERAL PROVISIONS
- Chapter 51 — AEROSOLS
- Chapter 52 — RESERVED
- Chapter 53 — COMPRESSED GASES
- Chapter 54 — CORROSIVE MATERIALS
- Chapter 55 — CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
- Chapter 56 — EXPLOSIVES AND FIREWORKS
- Chapter 57 — FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
- Chapter 58 — FLAMMABLE GASES AND FLAMMABLE CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
- Chapter 59 — FLAMMABLE SOLIDS
- Chapter 60 — HIGHLY TOXIC AND TOXIC MATERIALS
- Chapter 61 — LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
- Chapter 62 — ORGANIC PEROXIDES
- Chapter 63 — OXIDIZERS, OXIDIZING GASES AND OXIDIZING CRYOGENI…
- Chapter 64 — PYROPHORIC MATERIALS
- Chapter 65 — PYROXYLIN (CELLULOSE NITRATE) PLASTICS
- Chapter 66 — UNSTABLE (REACTIVE) MATERIALS
- Chapter 67 — WATER-REACTIVE SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS
- Chapter 80 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
- Appendix Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON US…
- Appendix A — BOARD OF APPEALS
- Appendix B — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS
- Appendix BB — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS
- Appendix C — FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
- Appendix CC — FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION
- Appendix D — FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROADS
- Appendix E — HAZARD CATEGORIES
- Appendix F — HAZARD RANKING
- Appendix G — CRYOGENIC FLUIDS—WEIGHT AND VOLUME EQUIVALENTS
- Appendix H — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PLANS AND HAZARDOU…
- Appendix I — FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS—NONCOMPLIANT CONDITIONS
- Appendix J — BUILDING INFORMATION SIGN
- Appendix K — CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING AMBULATORY…
- Appendix L — REQUIREMENTS FOR FIREFIGHTER AIR REPLENISHMENT SY…
- Appendix M — HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS—RETROACTIVE AUTOMATIC SPRINKL…
- Appendix N — INDOOR TRADE SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS
- Appendix O — VALET TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION IN GROUP R-2…
- Appendix P — TEMPORARY HAUNTED HOUSES, GHOST WALKS AND SIMILAR…
- Appendix Q — COMMUNITY WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE (WUI) FIRE HAZ…