Building Code Glossary
Tank Vehicle: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define tank vehicle, 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 vehicle is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions. The code's own words are: “A vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon or built as an integral part thereof, used for the transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, LP-gas or hazardous chemicals. Tank vehicles include self-propelled vehicles and full trailers and semitrailers, with or without motive power, and carrying part or …” 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 9 chapters of this corpus, most often in Flammable and Combustible Liquids (IFC 2009), Aviation Facilities (IFC 2009), Liquefied Petroleum Gases (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 Vehicle — IFC 2009, Hazardous Materials-general Provisions:
A vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon or built as an integral part thereof, used for the transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, LP-gas or hazardous chemicals. Tank vehicles include self-propelled vehicles and full trailers and semitrailers, with or without motive power, and carrying part or all of the load.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Tank Vehicle is defined once in this corpus, in the Hazardous Materials-general Provisions chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon or built as an integral part thereof, used for the transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, LP-gas or hazardous chemicals. Tank vehicles include self-propelled vehicles and full trailers and semitrailers, with or without motive power, and carrying part or all of the load.
Where tank vehicle 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.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 292 |
| Aviation Facilities | IFC 2009 | 11 |
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases | IFC 2009 | 11 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 9 |
| Manufacture of Organic Coatings | IFC 2009 | 6 |
| Scope and Administration | IFC 2009 | 6 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 6 |
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 2 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about tank vehicle, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The fill pipe shall be provided with a means for making a direct connection to the tank vehicle's fuel delivery hose so that the delivery of fuel is not exposed to the open air during the filling operation.
Additional procedures shall be established by the fueling-system operator to prevent overfilling of the tank vehicle used in the defueling operation.
The unattended parking of LP-gas tank vehicle shall be in accordance with Sections 3811.2.1 and 3811.2.2.
The terms tank vehicle 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 tank vehicle covers:
- Combustible Liquids — IMC 2009: Any liquids having a flash point at or above 100°F (38°C), and that are divided into the following classifications:
Tank Vehicle: 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 | Aviation Facilities (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Liquefied Petroleum Gases (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Combustible Liquids | |
| 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
- Combustible Liquids: Building Code Definition
- Container: Building Code Definition
- System: Building Code Definition
- Chemical: 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 tank vehicle?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions as: “A vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon or built as an integral part thereof, used for the transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, LP-gas or hazardous chemicals. Tank vehicles include self-propelled vehicles and full trailers and semitrailers, with or without motive power, and carrying part or all of the load.” 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 vehicle?
In this corpus the term is used across 9 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 considered a tank vehicle?
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 vehicle other than a railroad tank car or boat, with a cargo tank mounted thereon or built as an integral part thereof, used for the transportation of flammable or combustible liquids, LP-gas or hazardous chemicals. Tank vehicles include self-propelled vehicles and full trailers and semitrailers, with or without motive power, and carrying part or …” 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.
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