Building Code Glossary
Common Path OF Egress Travel: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009, IFC 2009 define common path of egress travel, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · 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.
Direct answer
Common path OF egress travel is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Means of Egress. The code's own words are: “That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance.” The IFC 2009 carries the same definition word for word, so the term means the same thing in each. The term is used in 6 chapters of this corpus, most often in Means of Egress (IBC 2009), Means of Egress (IFC 2009), Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings (IFC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Common Path OF Egress Travel — IBC 2009, Means of Egress:
That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Two of the I-Codes in this corpus define Common Path OF Egress Travel, in identical words.
| Code | Where it is defined | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| IBC 2009 | Means of Egress | That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance. |
| IFC 2009 | Means of Egress | That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance. |
Where common path of egress travel is used in the code
The term appears in 6 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Means of Egress | IBC 2009 | 24 |
| Means of Egress | IFC 2009 | 21 |
| Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| Definitions | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| General Building Heights and Areas | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about common path of egress travel, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
In occupancies other than Groups H-l, H-2 and H-3, the common path of egress travel shall not exceed 75 feet (22 860 mm).
In occupancies other than Groups H-1, H-2 and H-3, the common path of egress travel shall not exceed 75 feet (22 860 mm).
The common path of egress travel shall not exceed the distances given in Table 4604.18.2.
The terms common path OF egress travel is built out of
The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what common path OF egress travel covers:
- Exit Access — IBC 2009: That portion of a means of egress system that leads from any occupied portion of a building or structure to an exit.
- Shall — IRC 2009: The term, when used in the code, is construed as mandatory.
Common Path OF Egress Travel: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IBC | Means of Egress | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | Means of Egress | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Means of Egress (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Means of Egress (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IBC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Exit Access | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Shall | |
| 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
- Exit Access: Building Code Definition
- Public Way: Building Code Definition
- Stairway: Building Code Definition
- Guard: Building Code Definition
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 publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of common path of egress travel?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Means of Egress as: “That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance.” 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 common path of egress travel?
In this corpus the term is used across 6 chapters, led by Means of Egress in the IBC 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 path of travel to an exit in a building?
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 common path OF egress travel, which the IBC 2009 defines as “That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall …” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
What is the common path of egress travel?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Means of Egress: “That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance.” It is defined in IBC 2009, 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.
What is the common path of egress travel distance for a fully sprinklered office building?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Means of Egress: “That portion of exit access which the occupants are required to traverse before two separate and distinct paths of egress travel to two exits are available. Paths that merge are common paths of travel. Common paths of egress travel shall be included within the permitted travel distance.” It is defined in IBC 2009, IFC 2009. It is not the same as Building, which the IBC 2009 defines separately as “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” 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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