Building Code Glossary
Labeled: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IFC 2009, IMC 2009, IECC 2009 define labeled, 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
Labeled is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Equipment, materials or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets …” The IRC 2009, IFC 2009, IMC 2009, IECC 2009 define the same term with different wording, so the controlling text depends on which code governs the question in front of you — the comparison below sets the versions side by side. The term is used in 61 chapters of this corpus, most often in Fuel Gas (IRC 2009), Exhaust Systems (IMC 2009), Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
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?
Labeled — IBC 2009, Definitions:
Equipment, materials or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Five of the I-Codes in this corpus define Labeled, and the wording is not identical — read the version that governs your question.
| Code | Where it is defined | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| IBC 2009 | Definitions | Equipment, materials or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose. |
| IRC 2009 | Definitions | Equipment, materials or products to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark ofa nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose. |
| IFC 2009 | Definitions | Equipment, materials or products to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose. |
| IMC 2009 | Definitions | Equipment, materials or products to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose. |
| IECC 2009 | Definitions | Equipment, materials or products to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose. |
Where labeled is used in the code
The term appears in 61 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 | 46 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 44 |
| Fire and Smoke Protection Features | IBC 2009 | 32 |
| Duct Systems | IMC 2009 | 28 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 26 |
| Chimneys and Vents | IRC 2009 | 23 |
| Specific Appliances, Fireplaces and Solid Fuel-burning Equipment | IMC 2009 | 22 |
| Structural Tests and Special Inspections | IBC 2009 | 16 |
| Chimneys and Vents | IMC 2009 | 14 |
| General Regulations | IMC 2009 | 13 |
| Definitions | IMC 2009 | 12 |
| Chimneys and Fireplaces | IRC 2009 | 10 |
49 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about labeled, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Appliances regulated by this code shall be listed and labeled for the application in which they are used unless otherwise approved in accordance with Section R1 04.11.
Transition ducts used to connect the dryer to the exhaust duct system shall be a single length that is listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2158A.
Floor fire door assemblies shall be labeled by an approved agency.
Labeled compared with Listed
These two are the closest pair in the 2009 I-Codes: about 46 per cent of their defining words are the same. The code states both and compares neither, so the difference is worth naming.
| Wording unique to it | |
|---|---|
| Labeled (IBC 2009) | affixed, label, seal, symbol, identifying, mark, nationally, recognized, testing, laboratory, agency, above |
| Listed (IBC 2009) | services, included, list, published, acceptable, code, official, listed, listing, states, service |
Everything else in the two definitions is shared. If a project turns on which of the two applies, those words are the whole of the test — and a local amendment that edits one of them without editing the other moves the boundary between labeled and listed.
The terms labeled 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 labeled covers:
- Identified — IRC 2009: (As applied to equipment.) Recognizable as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, etc., where described in a particular code requirement.
- Equipment — IRC 2009: All piping, ducts, vents, control devices and other components of systems other than appliances that are permanently installed and integrated to provide control of environmental conditions for buildings.
- Label — IBC 2009: An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer that contains the name of the manufacturer, the function and performance characteristics of the product or material, and the name and identification of an approved agency and that indicates that the …
Labeled: 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 | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IRC | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IMC | Definitions | |
| Read the definition in the adopted IECC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fuel Gas (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Exhaust Systems (IMC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Duct Systems (IMC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Identified | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Equipment | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Label | |
| 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
- Identified: Building Code Definition
- Equipment: Building Code Definition
- Label: 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 labeled?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “Equipment, materials or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.” 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 labeled the same way?
No. IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IFC 2009, IMC 2009, IECC 2009 all define the term, but the wording is not identical, and a difference in wording can change which requirements are triggered. The comparison table above sets the versions side by side so you can read the one that governs your question.
Which parts of the code depend on labeled?
In this corpus the term is used across 61 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 definition of a building code?
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 labeled, which the IBC 2009 defines as “Equipment, materials or products to which has been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of …” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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