Building Code Glossary
Fuel Oil: Building Code Definition
How the IMC 2009 define fuel oil, 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
Fuel oil is a defined term in the International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Kerosene or any hydrocarbon oil having a flash point not less than 100°F (38°C).” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IMC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 7 chapters of this corpus, most often in Building Services and Systems (IFC 2009), Fuel Oil Piping and Storage (IMC 2009), Special Piping and Storage Systems (IRC 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?
Fuel Oil — IMC 2009, Definitions:
Kerosene or any hydrocarbon oil having a flash point not less than 100°F (38°C).
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Fuel Oil is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009:
Kerosene or any hydrocarbon oil having a flash point not less than 100°F (38°C).
Where fuel oil is used in the code
The term appears in 7 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Building Services and Systems | IFC 2009 | 28 |
| Fuel Oil Piping and Storage | IMC 2009 | 28 |
| Special Piping and Storage Systems | IRC 2009 | 8 |
| Scope and Administration | IFC 2009 | 6 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| Industrial Ovens | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IMC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about fuel oil, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The grade of fuel oil used in a burner shall be that for which the burner is approved and as stipulated by the burner manufacturer.
The storage of fuel oil and flammable and combustible liquids shall be in accordance with Chapters 6 and 34 of the International Fire Code.
The maximum amount of fuel oil stored above ground or inside of a building shall be 660 gallons (2498 L).
The terms fuel oil 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 fuel oil covers:
- Flash Point — IBC 2009: The minimum temperature in degrees Fahrenheit at which a liquid will give off sufficient vapors to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface or in the container, but will not sustain combustion.
Fuel Oil: 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 IMC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Building Services and Systems (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fuel Oil Piping and Storage (IMC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Special Piping and Storage Systems (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Scope and Administration (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Flash Point | |
| 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
- Flash Point: Building Code Definition
- Building: Building Code Definition
- Construction Documents: Building Code Definition
- Registered Design Professional: 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 fuel oil?
The International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “Kerosene or any hydrocarbon oil having a flash point not less than 100°F (38°C).” 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 fuel oil?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Building Services and Systems 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 are the specifications for furnace fuel oil?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IMC 2009 states, in Definitions: “Kerosene or any hydrocarbon oil having a flash point not less than 100°F (38°C).” It is defined in IMC 2009. It is not the same as Furnace, which the IRC 2009 defines separately as “A completely self-contained heating unit that is designed to supply heated air to spaces remote from or adjacent to the appliance location.” 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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