Building Code Glossary
Highway: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define highway, 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
Highway is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Explosives and Fireworks. The code's own words are: “A public street, public alley or public road.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 8 chapters of this corpus, most often in Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 2009), Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009), Liquefied Petroleum Gases (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?
Highway — IFC 2009, Explosives and Fireworks:
A public street, public alley or public road.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Highway is defined once in this corpus, in the Explosives and Fireworks chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A public street, public alley or public road.
Where highway is used in the code
The term appears in 8 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Explosives and Fireworks | IFC 2009 | 17 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 14 |
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| General Requirements | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Accessibility | IBC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Fire Service Features | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about highway, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
When blasting is done in a congested area or in close proximity to a structure, railway or highway, or any other installation, precautions shall be taken to minimize earth vibrations and air blast effects.
Wells shall not be drilled within 75 feet (22860 mm) of any dedicated public street, highway or nearest rail ofan operating railway.
LP-gas containers carried as part of service equipment on highway mobile vehicles need not be considered in the total storage capacity in Section 3809.1 0, provided such vehicles are stored in private garages and do not carry more than three LP-gas containers with a total aggregate LP-gas capacity not exceeding 100 pounds (45.4 kg) per vehicle.
Highway: 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 IFC | Explosives and Fireworks | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Liquefied Petroleum Gases (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | General Requirements (IFC 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
- Explosive Material: Building Code Definition
- Blasting Agent: Building Code Definition
- Special Industrial Explosive Device: Building Code Definition
- Small Arms Primers: 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 highway?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Explosives and Fireworks as: “A public street, public alley or public road.” 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 highway?
In this corpus the term is used across 8 chapters, led by Explosives and Fireworks 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 is the legal definition of a highway?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in Explosives and Fireworks: “A public street, public alley or public road.” It is defined in 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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