Building Code Glossary
Manufacturer's Installation Instructions: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define manufacturer's installation instructions, 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
Manufacturer's installation instructions is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Printed instructions included with equipment as part of the conditions of listing and labeling.” 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 59 chapters of this corpus, most often in Fuel Gas (IRC 2009), Roof Assemblies (IRC 2009), Chimneys and Vents (IMC 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?
Manufacturer's Installation Instructions — IRC 2009, Definitions:
Printed instructions included with equipment as part of the conditions of listing and labeling.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Manufacturer's Installation Instructions is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
Printed instructions included with equipment as part of the conditions of listing and labeling.
Where manufacturer's installation instructions is used in the code
The term appears in 59 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 | 96 |
| Roof Assemblies | IRC 2009 | 56 |
| Chimneys and Vents | IMC 2009 | 26 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IRC 2009 | 26 |
| Specific Appliances, Fireplaces and Solid Fuel-burning Equipment | IMC 2009 | 25 |
| Chimneys and Vents | IRC 2009 | 22 |
| Water Supply and Distribution | IRC 2009 | 22 |
| Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures | IBC 2009 | 17 |
| Heating and Cooling Equipment | IRC 2009 | 17 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 14 |
| General Regulations | IMC 2009 | 12 |
| Materials | IPC 2009 | 12 |
47 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about manufacturer's installation instructions, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Where a code provision is less restrictive than the conditions of the listing of the equipment or appliance or the manufacturer's installation instructions, the conditions of the listing and the manufacturer's installation instructions shall apply.
Roof assemblies shall be applied in accordance with this chapter and the manufacturer's installation instructions.
The connection shall be made in accordance with the appliance manufacturer's installation instructions.
The terms manufacturer's installation instructions 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 manufacturer's installation instructions covers:
- 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.
Manufacturer's Installation Instructions: 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 | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fuel Gas (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Roof Assemblies (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Chimneys and Vents (IMC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IRC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Equipment | |
| 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
- Equipment: Building Code Definition
- Building: Building Code Definition
- Construction Documents: Building Code Definition
- Registered Design Professional: 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 manufacturer's installation instructions?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “Printed instructions included with equipment as part of the conditions of listing and labeling.” 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 manufacturer's installation instructions?
In this corpus the term is used across 59 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 are the key components 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 manufacturer's installation instructions, which the IRC 2009 defines as “Printed instructions included with equipment as part of the conditions of listing and labeling.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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