Building Code Glossary
Meter: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define meter, 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
Meter is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Fuel Gas. The code's own words are: “The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.” 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 91 chapters of this corpus, most often in Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009), Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009), Fuel Gas (IRC 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?
Meter — IRC 2009, Fuel Gas:
The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Meter is defined once in this corpus, in the Fuel Gas chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.
Where meter is used in the code
The term appears in 91 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 130 |
| Fire and Smoke Protection Features | IBC 2009 | 104 |
| Fuel Gas | IRC 2009 | 93 |
| Means of Egress | IBC 2009 | 67 |
| Wall Construction | IRC 2009 | 59 |
| Means of Egress | IFC 2009 | 53 |
| Existing Structures | IBC 2009 | 44 |
| Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy | IBC 2009 | 42 |
| Wood | IBC 2009 | 40 |
| Structural Design | IBC 2009 | 39 |
| Building Planning | IRC 2009 | 36 |
| Commercial Energy Efficiency | IECC 2009 | 35 |
79 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about meter, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Piping from multiple meter installations shall be marked with an approved permanent identification by the installer so that the piping system supplied by each meter is readily identifiable.
The size of water service mains, branch mains and risers shall be determined according to water supply demand [gpm (Lim)], available water pressure [psi (kPa)] and friction loss caused by the water meter and developed length of pipe [feet (m)], including equivalent length of fittings.
Individual meter socket enclosures shall not be considered service equipment.
Meter: 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 | Fuel Gas | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Soils and Foundations (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fire and Smoke Protection Features (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Fuel Gas (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Means of Egress (IBC 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
- Code Official: Building Code Definition
- Code: Building Code Definition
- Fuel Gas: Building Code Definition
- Vent: 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 meter?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Fuel Gas as: “The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.” 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 meter?
In this corpus the term is used across 91 chapters, led by Soils and Foundations in the IBC 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 meter in measurement?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Fuel Gas: “The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.” 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.
What does IRC mean in 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 meter, which the IRC 2009 defines as “The instrument installed to measure the volume of gas delivered through it.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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