Building Code Glossary
Lp-gas Container: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define lp-gas container, 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
Lp-gas container is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Liquefied Petroleum Gases. The code's own words are: “Any vessel, including cylinders, tanks, portable tanks and cargo tanks, used for transporting or storing LP-gases.” 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 7 chapters of this corpus, most often in Liquefied Petroleum Gases (IFC 2009), Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009), Tents and Other Membrane Structures (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?
Lp-gas Container — IFC 2009, Liquefied Petroleum Gases:
Any vessel, including cylinders, tanks, portable tanks and cargo tanks, used for transporting or storing LP-gases.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Lp-gas Container is defined once in this corpus, in the Liquefied Petroleum Gases chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
Any vessel, including cylinders, tanks, portable tanks and cargo tanks, used for transporting or storing LP-gases.
Where lp-gas container 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases | IFC 2009 | 81 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 17 |
| Tents and Other Membrane Structures | IFC 2009 | 14 |
| General Requirements | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 3 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about lp-gas container, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Where a single LP-gas container is more than 2,000 gallons (7570 L) in water capacity or the aggregate water capacity of LP-gas containers is more than 4,000 gallons (15 140 L), the installer shall submit construction documents for such installation.
The minimum horizontal separation between an LP-gas container and a Class I, II or IlIA liquid storage tank shall be 20 feet (6096 mm) except in the case of Class I, II or IlIA liquid tanks operating at pressures exceeding 2.5 psig (17.2 kPa) or equipped with emergency venting allowing pressures to exceed 2.5 psig (1 7.2 kPa), in which …
The terms lp-gas container is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what lp-gas container covers:
- Vessel — IFC 2009: A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation.
Lp-gas Container: 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 | Liquefied Petroleum Gases | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Liquefied Petroleum Gases (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Tents and Other Membrane Structures (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | General Requirements (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Vessel | |
| 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
- Vessel: Building Code Definition
- Hood: Building Code Definition
- Fire Code Official: Building Code Definition
- Agent: 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 lp-gas container?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Liquefied Petroleum Gases as: “Any vessel, including cylinders, tanks, portable tanks and cargo tanks, used for transporting or storing LP-gases.” 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 lp-gas container?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Liquefied Petroleum Gases 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.
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