Roof Drain: Building Code Definition

Direct answer

Roof drain is a defined term in the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “A drain installed to receive water collecting on the surface of a roof and to discharge such water into a leader or a conductor.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IPC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 9 chapters of this corpus, most often in Storm Drainage (IPC 2009), Roof Assemblies (IRC 2009), Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures (IBC 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?

Roof Drain — IPC 2009, Definitions:

A drain installed to receive water collecting on the surface of a roof and to discharge such water into a leader or a conductor.

What must be verified before using this guidance?

Roof Drain is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009:

A drain installed to receive water collecting on the surface of a roof and to discharge such water into a leader or a conductor.

Where roof drain is used in the code

The term appears in 9 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.

The term in use

How the code actually writes about roof drain, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:

Roof drains shall have strainers extending not less than 4 inches (102 mm) above the surface of the roof immediately adjacent to the roof drain.

— IPC 2009 §1105.1

The overflow outlet shall discharge at a point not less than 6 inches (152 mm) above the roof or roof drain;

— IPC 2009 §606.5.4

The terms roof drain is built out of

The definition above leans on 3 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what roof drain covers:

• Conductor — IPC 2009: A pipe inside the building that conveys storm water from the roof to a storm or combined bUilding drain.
• Leader — IPC 2009: An exterior drainage pipe for conveying storm water from roof or gutter drains to an approved means of disposal.
• Drain — IRC 2009: Any pipe that carries soil and water-borne wastes in a building drainage system.

Roof Drain: 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.

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
• Conductor: Building Code Definition
• Leader: Building Code Definition
• Drain: 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

• codes.iccsafe.org

• iccsafe.org