Building Code Glossary
Location, Damp: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define location, damp, 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
Location, damp is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Electrical Definitions. The code's own words are: “Location protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns and some …” 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 Devices and Luminaires (IRC 2009), Wood (IBC 2009), Swimming Pools (IRC 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?
Location, Damp — IRC 2009, Electrical Definitions:
Location protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns and some cold-storage warehouses.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Location, Damp is defined once in this corpus, in the Electrical Definitions chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
Location protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns and some cold-storage warehouses.
Where location, damp 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Devices and Luminaires | IRC 2009 | 12 |
| Wood | IBC 2009 | 6 |
| Swimming Pools | IRC 2009 | 6 |
| Building Planning | IRC 2009 | 4 |
| Electrical Definitions | IRC 2009 | 1 |
| General Requirements | IRC 2009 | 1 |
| Power and Lighting Distribution | IRC 2009 | 1 |
Location, Damp: 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 | Electrical Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Devices and Luminaires (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Wood (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Swimming Pools (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Building Planning (IRC 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
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- Outlet: Building Code Definition
- Bathroom: 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 location, damp?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Electrical Definitions as: “Location protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns and some cold-storage warehouses.” 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 location, damp?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Devices and Luminaires 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 considered a damp location?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Electrical Definitions: “Location protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns and some …” 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.
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