Building Code Glossary
Gas Piping: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define gas piping, 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
Gas piping is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Fuel Gas. The code's own words are: “An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IRC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 7 chapters of this corpus, most often in Fuel Gas (IRC 2009), Scope and Administration (IBC 2009), Flammable Gases and Flammable Cryogenic Fluids (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?
Gas Piping — IRC 2009, Fuel Gas:
An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Gas Piping is defined once in this corpus, in the Fuel Gas chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.
Where gas piping 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Gas | IRC 2009 | 45 |
| Scope and Administration | IBC 2009 | 4 |
| Flammable Gases and Flammable Cryogenic Fluids | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Industrial Ovens | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Services | IRC 2009 | 3 |
| Boilers and Water Heaters | IRC 2009 | 2 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about gas piping, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The building shall not be weakened by the installation of any gas piping.
The provisions of the International Fuel Gas Code shall apply to the installation of gas piping from the point of delivery, gas appliances and related accessories as covered in this code.
Exposed noncurrent-carrying metal parts, including metal gas piping systems, that are part of flammable gas supply systems located in a hazardous (electrically classified) location shall be bonded to a grounded conductor in accordance with the provisions of NFPA 70.
The terms gas piping is built out of
The definition above leans on 3 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what gas piping covers:
- Building — IBC 2009: Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
- Fuel Gas — IRC 2009: A natural gas, manufactured gas, liquefiedpetroleum gas or mixtures of these gases.
- Premises — IMC 2009: A lot, plot or parcel of land, including any structure thereon.
Gas Piping: 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 IRC | Fuel Gas | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fuel Gas (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Scope and Administration (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable Gases and Flammable Cryogenic Fluids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Industrial Ovens (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Building | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Fuel Gas | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Premises | |
| 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
- Premises: Building Code Definition
- Fuel Gas: Building Code Definition
- Building: 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 gas piping?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Fuel Gas as: “An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.” 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 gas piping?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Fuel Gas in the IRC 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 ASME code for gas piping?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Fuel Gas: “An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.” It is defined in IRC 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 IRC plumbing code?
Plumbing is a separate defined term. The IRC 2009 defines it as: “For the purpose of this code, plumbing refers to those installations, repairs, maintenance and alterations regulated by Chapters 25 through 33.” That is not the same as gas piping, which the IRC 2009 defines as “An installation of pipe, valves or fittings installed on a premises or in a building and utilized to convey fuel gas.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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