Building Code Glossary
Tank, Portable: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define tank, portable, 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
Tank, portable is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions. The code's own words are: “A packaging of more than 60-gallon (227 L) capacity and designed primarily to be loaded into or on or temporarily attached to a transport vehicle or ship and equipped with skids, mountings or accessories to facilitate handling of the tank by mechanical means. It does not include any cylinder having less than a 1,000-pound (454 …” 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 8 chapters of this corpus, most often in Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009), Highly Toxic and Toxic Materials (IFC 2009), Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages (IFC 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?
Tank, Portable — IFC 2009, Hazardous Materials-general Provisions:
A packaging of more than 60-gallon (227 L) capacity and designed primarily to be loaded into or on or temporarily attached to a transport vehicle or ship and equipped with skids, mountings or accessories to facilitate handling of the tank by mechanical means. It does not include any cylinder having less than a 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity, cargo tank, tank car tank or trailers carrying cylinders of more than 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Tank, Portable is defined once in this corpus, in the Hazardous Materials-general Provisions chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A packaging of more than 60-gallon (227 L) capacity and designed primarily to be loaded into or on or temporarily attached to a transport vehicle or ship and equipped with skids, mountings or accessories to facilitate handling of the tank by mechanical means. It does not include any cylinder having less than a 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity, cargo tank, tank car tank or trailers carrying cylinders of more than 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity.
Where tank, portable is used in the code
The term appears in 8 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 54 |
| Highly Toxic and Toxic Materials | IFC 2009 | 34 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 8 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 6 |
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Scope and Administration | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about tank, portable, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Aisles shall be provided and arranged so that no container or portable tank is more than 20 feet (6096 mm) from an aisle.
The terms tank, portable 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 tank, portable covers:
- Handling — IBC 2009: The deliberate transport by any means to a point of storage or use.
- Cylinder — IFC 2009: A pressure vessel designed for pressures higher than 40 psia (275.6 kPa) and having a circular cross section.
Tank, Portable: 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 | Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Highly Toxic and Toxic Materials (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Exhaust Systems (IMC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Handling | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Cylinder | |
| 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 tank, portable?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions as: “A packaging of more than 60-gallon (227 L) capacity and designed primarily to be loaded into or on or temporarily attached to a transport vehicle or ship and equipped with skids, mountings or accessories to facilitate handling of the tank by mechanical means. It does not include any cylinder having less than a 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity, cargo tank, tank car tank or trailers carrying cylinders of more than 1,000-pound (454 kg) water capacity.” 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 tank, portable?
In this corpus the term is used across 8 chapters, led by Flammable and Combustible Liquids 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 a portable tank?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions: “A packaging of more than 60-gallon (227 L) capacity and designed primarily to be loaded into or on or temporarily attached to a transport vehicle or ship and equipped with skids, mountings or accessories to facilitate handling of the tank by mechanical means. It does not include any cylinder having less than a 1,000-pound (454 …” It is defined in IFC 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.
Related pages
- Swimming Pools: Building Code Definition
Swimming Pools — IBC 2009 definition: Any structure intended for swimming, recreational bathing or wading that contains water over 24 inches (610 …
- System: Building Code Definition
System — IFC 2009 definition: An assembly of equipment consisting of a tank, container or containers, appurtenances, pumps, compressors and connecting …
- Tank, Atmospheric: Building Code Definition
Tank, Atmospheric — IFC 2009 definition: A storage tank designed to operate at pressures from atmospheric through 1.0 pound per square inch …
- Tank, Primary: Building Code Definition
Tank, Primary — IFC 2009 definition: A listed atmospheric tank used to store liquid.
- Tank, Stationary: Building Code Definition
Tank, Stationary — IFC 2009 definition: Packaging designed primarily for stationary installations not intended for loading, unloading or attachment to a transport …
- Tank Vehicle: Building Code Definition
Tank Vehicle — IFC 2009 definition: A vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon …