Building Code Glossary
Repair: Building Code Definition
How the IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IECC 2009 define repair, 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
Repair is a defined term in the International Building Code (IBC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.” The IRC 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 71 chapters of this corpus, most often in Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages (IFC 2009), Existing Structures (IBC 2009), Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy (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?
Repair — IBC 2009, Definitions:
The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Three of the I-Codes in this corpus define Repair, and the wording is not identical — read the version that governs your question.
| Code | Where it is defined | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| IBC 2009 | Definitions | The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance. |
| IRC 2009 | Definitions | The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance. |
| IECC 2009 | Definitions | The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building. |
Where repair is used in the code
The term appears in 71 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 96 |
| Existing Structures | IBC 2009 | 51 |
| Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy | IBC 2009 | 44 |
| Scope and Administration | IRC 2009 | 44 |
| Scope and Administration | IBC 2009 | 42 |
| Fire Protection Systems | IFC 2009 | 33 |
| Scope and Administration | IFC 2009 | 29 |
| Fire Protection Systems | IBC 2009 | 24 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 24 |
| Scope and Administration | IPC 2009 | 20 |
| Fuel Gas | IRC 2009 | 20 |
| Explosives and Fireworks | IFC 2009 | 18 |
59 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about repair, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Automotive motor fuel-dispensing facilities, marine motor fuel-dispensing facilities, fleet vehicle motor fuel-dispensing facilities, aircraft motor-vehicle fuel-dispensing facilities and repair garages shall be in accordance with this chapter and the International BUilding Code, International Fuel Gas Code and International Mechanical Code.
The provisions of this chapter shall control the alteration, repair, addition and change of occupancy of existing structures.
Repair garages shall be constructed in accordance with the International Fire Code and Sections 406.6.1 through 406.6.6.
Repair compared with Roof Repair
These two are the closest pair in the 2009 I-Codes: about 56 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 | |
|---|---|
| Repair (IBC 2009) | ofany, ofan, building, purpose |
| Roof Repair (IBC 2009) | roof, purposes |
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 repair and roof repair.
The terms repair is built out of
The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what repair covers:
- Building — IBC 2009: Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
- Existing — IFC 2009: Buildings, facilities or conditions that are already in existence, constructed or officially authorized prior to the adoption of this code.
Repair: 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 IECC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Existing Structures (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Scope and Administration (IRC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Building | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Existing | |
| 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?
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 repair?
The International Building Code (IBC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.” 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 repair the same way?
No. IBC 2009, IRC 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 repair?
In this corpus the term is used across 71 chapters, led by Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages 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.
What is the definition of repair?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IBC 2009 states, in Definitions: “The reconstruction or renewal ofany part ofan existing building for the purpose of its maintenance.” It is defined in IBC 2009, IRC 2009, IECC 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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