# Carton: Building Code Definition

> How the IFC 2009 define carton, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.

- Canonical: https://harth.build/resources/glossary/carton/
- Last updated: 2026-09-07
- Data source: Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Defined in | IFC 2009 (2009 editions transcribed in this corpus) |
| Primary source | IFC 2009 Definitions (model text, not a jurisdiction's adopted text) |
| Chapters using the term | 9 (counted across the codes hosted here) |
| Wording identical across codes | Single code (compare before citing one code's wording under another) |

## Direct answer

Carton is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 9 chapters of this corpus, most often in Aerosols (IFC 2009), High-piled Combustible Storage (IFC 2009), Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.

*Content and cited inputs reviewed by [Scott Barrington](https://nz.linkedin.com/in/barrington), Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.*

## What does this term mean?

**Carton** — IFC 2009, Definitions:

> A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.

![Labeled code-term definition diagram: Carton: Building Code Definition](https://efwwel0vyt9vy5so.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/images/glossary/carton/diagram-1344.webp)

*How the IFC 2009 define carton, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.*

## What must be verified before using this guidance?

**Carton** is defined once in this corpus, in the [Definitions](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/definitions.md) chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:

> A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.

## Where carton is used in the code

The term appears in 9 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.

| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Aerosols](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/aerosols.md) | IFC 2009 | 23 |
| [High-piled Combustible Storage](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/high-piled-combustible-storage.md) | IFC 2009 | 15 |
| [Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/maryland/ibc-2009/special-detailed-requirements-based-on-use-and-occupancy.md) | IBC 2009 | 4 |
| [Definitions](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/definitions.md) | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| [Flammable and Combustible Liquids](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/flammable-and-combustible-liquids.md) | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| [Hazardous Materials-general Provisions](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/hazardous-materials-general-provisions.md) | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| [Use and Occupancy Classification](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/maryland/ibc-2009/use-and-occupancy-classification.md) | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| [Emergency Planning and Preparedness](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/emergency-planning-and-preparedness.md) | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| [Fruit and Crop Ripening](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/fruit-and-crop-ripening.md) | IFC 2009 | 1 |

### The term in use

How the code actually writes about carton, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:

> Figure 2303.7.4 shall be used to determine the quantity of Group A plastics allowed to be stored in a package or carton or on a pallet without increasing the commodity classification.

— [IFC 2009 §2303.7.4](https://harth.build/resources/building-codes/us-states/rhode-island/ifc-2009/high-piled-combustible-storage.md)


## The terms carton is built out of

The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what carton covers:

- **[Fiberboard](https://harth.build/resources/glossary/fiberboard.md)** — IBC 2009: A fibrous, homogeneous panel made from lignocellulosic fibers (usually wood or cane) and having a density of less than 31 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) (497 kg/m3) but more than 10 pcf (160 kg/m3).

## Carton: what to open, and in what order

Every row is a document this term depends on. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) cover the middle rows.

| Check | Where | Confirmed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Aerosols (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | High-piled Combustible Storage (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Fiberboard | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list | |

**A research aid, not a code determination.** The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.

## Where can you explore related guidance?

- [Explore all glossary guidance](https://harth.build/resources/glossary.md)
- [Fiberboard: Building Code Definition](https://harth.build/resources/glossary/fiberboard.md)
- [Building: Building Code Definition](https://harth.build/resources/glossary/building.md)
- [Construction Documents: Building Code Definition](https://harth.build/resources/glossary/construction-documents.md)
- [Registered Design Professional: Building Code Definition](https://harth.build/resources/glossary/registered-design-professional.md)

## Sources and method

Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.

### Source links

- [codes.iccsafe.org](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes)

- [iccsafe.org](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the code definition of carton?

The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.

### Which parts of the code depend on carton?

In this corpus the term is used across 9 chapters, led by Aerosols in the IFC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.

### What is the definition of a building according to the International Building Code?

Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as carton, which the IFC 2009 defines as “A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

### What does "carton" mean?

In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in Definitions: “A cardboard or fiberboard box enclosing a product.” It is defined in IFC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.

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