State Building Codes and Regulations
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 2006 Code Change Cycle
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 2006 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.
2006 Code Change Cycle Information >> URL
State Building Codes and Regulations News:
2006 Virginia Codes soon available
The 2006 Virginia Codes are now becoming available for purchase from the International Code Council (ICC). All publications are advertised in the 2008 ICC Product Catalog. Several of the publications not yet in print are available for pre-order, including the complete sets.
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 will consist 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.
For a limited time, ICC is offering a reduced price schedule for the Virginia Codes. ICC will honor the reduced prices that are listed on the attachment through July 31, 2008 in order that localities may order in this or the next fiscal year, as budgets permit.
If you have previously purchased the Virginia Codes at the full member or list price, ICC will honor the reduced price and provide a refund of the price differential. Please contact the ICC sales department for complete instructions.
The 2006 Virginia Codes and the related regulations will also be 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.
Please be advised that each locality will receive one copy per building, fire, and property maintenance official of the USBC and related regulations, in pamphlet style, directly from DHCD. As in the previous years, the USBC and related regulations will also be available for viewing and downloading electronically from the DHCD Web site.
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