Building Code Glossary
Height, Building: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IFC 2009 define height, building, 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
Height, building is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in General Building Heights and Areas. The code's own words are: “The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.” The IRC 2009, IFC 2009 carry the same definition word for word, so the term means the same thing in each. The term is used in 13 chapters of this corpus, most often in General Building Heights and Areas (IBC 2009), Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy (IBC 2009), Existing Structures (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, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Height, Building — IBC 2009, General Building Heights and Areas:
The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Three of the I-Codes in this corpus define Height, Building, in identical words.
| Code | Where it is defined | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| IBC 2009 | General Building Heights and Areas | The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. |
| IRC 2009 | Definitions | The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. |
| IFC 2009 | Definitions | The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface. |
Where height, building is used in the code
The term appears in 13 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| General Building Heights and Areas | IBC 2009 | 32 |
| Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy | IBC 2009 | 23 |
| Existing Structures | IBC 2009 | 17 |
| Structural Design | IBC 2009 | 6 |
| Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures | IBC 2009 | 3 |
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 3 |
| Exterior Walls | IBC 2009 | 2 |
| Safeguards During Construction | IBC 2009 | 2 |
| Concrete | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
1 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about height, building, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The bUilding height and area shall not exceed the limits specified in Table 503 based on the type of construction as determined by Section 602 and the occupancies as determined by Section 302 except as modified hereafter.
Residential aircraft hangars shall not exceed 2,000 square feet (186 m2) in area and 20 feet (6096 mm) in building height.
The value for building height shall be the lesser value determined by the formula in Section 3412.6.1.1.
The terms height, building 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 height, building covers:
- Grade Plane — IBC 2009: A reference plane representing the average of finished ground level adjoining the building at exterior walls.
- Grade — IRC 2009: The finished ground level adjoining the building at all exterior walls.
Height, Building: 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 | General Building Heights and Areas | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IRC | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | General Building Heights and Areas (IBC 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 | Existing Structures (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Structural Design (IBC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Grade Plane | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Grade | |
| 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?
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 height, building?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in General Building Heights and Areas as: “The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.” 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.
Do the I-Codes define height, building the same way?
In the 2009 editions transcribed here, yes: IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IFC 2009 carry the same wording, so the term means the same thing in each. Later editions do diverge on some terms, so confirm against the adopted edition rather than assuming the alignment holds.
Which parts of the code depend on height, building?
In this corpus the term is used across 13 chapters, led by General Building Heights and Areas 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 IBC definition of a high-rise building?
High-rise Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “A building with an occupied floor located more than 75 feet (22 860 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.” That is not the same as height, building, which the IBC 2009 defines as “The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
What is the height limit for a building?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in General Building Heights and Areas: “The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.” It is defined in IBC 2009, IRC 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.
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