Building Code Glossary
Cover: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009 define cover, 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
Cover is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Masonry. The code's own words are: “Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IBC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 140 chapters of this corpus, most often in Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009), Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures (IBC 2009), Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 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, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Cover — IBC 2009, Masonry:
Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Cover is defined once in this corpus, in the Masonry chapter of the International Building Code (IBC) 2009:
Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.
Where cover is used in the code
The term appears in 140 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Fire and Smoke Protection Features | IBC 2009 | 147 |
| Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures | IBC 2009 | 138 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 118 |
| Commercial Energy Efficiency | IECC 2009 | 84 |
| Foundations | IRC 2009 | 84 |
| Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy | IBC 2009 | 81 |
| Wall Construction | IRC 2009 | 72 |
| Roof Assemblies | IRC 2009 | 70 |
| Exterior Walls | IBC 2009 | 59 |
| Fire Protection Systems | IFC 2009 | 59 |
| Building Planning | IRC 2009 | 57 |
| Flammable Finishes | IFC 2009 | 50 |
128 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about cover, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
For members having a single tendon or more than one tendon installed with equal concrete cover measured from the nearest surface, the cover shall not be less than that set forth in Table 720.1 (1).
Openings for manual gauging, if independent of the fill pipe, shall be provided with a liquid-tight cap or cover.
Heated pools shall be equipped with a vapor retardant pool cover on or at the water surface.
Cover: 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 | Masonry | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Commercial Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009) | |
| 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
- Chimney: Building Code Definition
- Tile: Building Code Definition
- Fireplace: Building Code Definition
- Masonry: 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 cover?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Masonry as: “Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.” 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 cover?
In this corpus the term is used across 140 chapters, led by Fire and Smoke Protection Features 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 does building cover mean?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Masonry: “Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.” It is defined in IBC 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.
What is covered by building codes?
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 cover, which the IBC 2009 defines as “Distance between surface of reinforcing bar and edge of member.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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