Building Code Glossary
Vessel: Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define vessel, 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
Vessel is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Marinas. The code's own words are: “A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation. Nontransportation vessels, such as houseboats and boathouses, are included in this definition.” 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 38 chapters of this corpus, most often in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions (IFC 2009), Flammable and Combustible Liquids (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?
Vessel — IFC 2009, Marinas:
A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation. Nontransportation vessels, such as houseboats and boathouses, are included in this definition.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Vessel is defined once in this corpus, in the Marinas chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation. Nontransportation vessels, such as houseboats and boathouses, are included in this definition.
Where vessel is used in the code
The term appears in 38 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 96 |
| Flammable and Combustible Liquids | IFC 2009 | 81 |
| Motor Fuel-dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages | IFC 2009 | 43 |
| Flammable Gases and Flammable Cryogenic Fluids | IFC 2009 | 36 |
| Highly Toxic and Toxic Materials | IFC 2009 | 36 |
| Boilers, Water Heaters and Pressure Vessels | IMC 2009 | 36 |
| Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities | IFC 2009 | 18 |
| Cryogenic Fluids | IFC 2009 | 11 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 9 |
| Marinas | IFC 2009 | 8 |
| Exhaust Systems | IMC 2009 | 6 |
| Use and Occupancy Classification | IBC 2009 | 5 |
26 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about vessel, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Pressure vessels shall comply with the ASME Boiler and Pressure vessel Code.
Tanks which are to be reinstalled for flammable or combustible liquid service shall be in accordance with this chapter, ASME Boiler and Pressure vessel Code (Section VIII), API 12-P, API 1615, UL 58 and UL 1316.
A drawing illustrating the location of the vessel support, piping, the method of grounding and bonding, and other requirements specified herein shall be provided to the fire code official for review and approval.
Vessel: 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 | Marinas | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Hazardous Materials-general Provisions (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Flammable and Combustible Liquids (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 | Flammable Gases and Flammable Cryogenic Fluids (IFC 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
- Pier: Building Code Definition
- Float: Building Code Definition
- Marina: Building Code Definition
- Wharf: 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 vessel?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Marinas as: “A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation. Nontransportation vessels, such as houseboats and boathouses, are included in this definition.” 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 vessel?
In this corpus the term is used across 38 chapters, led by Hazardous Materials-general Provisions 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 legal definition of a "vessel"?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IFC 2009 states, in Marinas: “A motorized watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation. Nontransportation vessels, such as houseboats and boathouses, are included in this definition.” 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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