ICBO - International Conference of Building Officials
The International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), now known as the International Code Council (ICC), publishes codes that establish minimum performance requirements for all aspects of the construction industry. ICBO is a founding member of the International Code Council (ICC) which was established in 1994 to develop a single set of comprehensive and coordinated national model construction codes.
ICBO Uniform Codes address the abatement of dangerous buildings, administrative, building, energy conservation, fire prevention, housing, mechanical, security, signage, urban-wildland interface and zoning segments of the construction industry.
The IHS ICBO Service
- IHS offers users the ICBO Uniform Building Code (three-volume set) in bound or loose-leaf editions.
- Individual ICBO codes may be ordered from IHS Standards Store in hardcopy.
- Previous revisions of ICBO codes are also available from IHS.
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ICBO Uniform Building Code from IHS
Volume 1
Covers administration; user occupancy; special use and occupancy; general building limitations; types of construction; fire-resistant materials and construction; interior finishes; fire-protection systems; means of egress; accessibility; interior environment; energy conservation; exterior wall coverings; roofing and roof structures; structural design requirements; structural tests and inspections; foundations and retaining walls; concrete; masonry; steel; wood; glass and glazing; gypsum board and plaster; plastic; electrical systems; mechanical systems; plumbing systems; elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators and moving walks; special construction; construction in the public right of way; site work, demolition and construction; existing structures; use of occupancy; detention and correctional facilities; agricultural buildings; requirements for Group R, Division 3 occupancies; requirements for Group R, Division 4 occupancies; barriers for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs; aviation control towers; basement pipe inlets; building security; site accessibility; accessibility for existing buildings; interior environment; ventilation; sound transmission control; energy conservation in new building construction; re-roofing; structural forces; waterproofing and damp-proofing foundations; protection of residential concrete exposed in freezing and thawing; prescriptive masonry construction in high-wind areas; conventional light-frame construction in high-wind areas; minimum plumbing fixtures; flood-resistant construction; membrane structures; patio covers excavation and grading; life-safety requirements for existing buildings other than high-rise buildings; life-safety requirements for existing high-rise buildings; and repairs to buildings and structures damaged by natural disasters.
Volume 2
Addresses structural design requirements; general design requirements; snow loads; wind design; earthquake design soil profile types; structural tests and inspections; foundations and retaining walls; design standard for treated wood foundation systems; design standard for design of slab-on-ground foundations to resist the effects of expansive soils and compressible soils; concrete; design standard for anchorage to concrete; design and construction standard for shotcrete; design standard for reinforced gypsum concrete; unified design provisions; alternative load-factor combination and strength reduction factors; lightweight metals design standard for aluminum structures; masonry; steel; design standard for load and resistance factor design specification for structural steel buildings; design standard for specification for structural steel buildings allowable stress design and plastic design; seismic provisions for structural steel buildings; seismic provisions for structural steel buildings for use with allowable stress design; load and resistance factor design specification for cold-formed steel structural members; specification for design of cold-formed steel structural members; lateral resistance for steel stud wall systems; open web steel joints, design standard for steel storage racks; design standard for structural applications of steel cables for buildings; wood; design specifications for allowable stress design of wood buildings; conventional light-frame construction; design standard for metal plate connected wood truss; design standard for structural glued built-up members - plywood components; design standard for span tables for joists and rafters; design standard for plank-and-beam framing; snow load design; earthquake recording instrumentation; seismic zone tabulation; earthquake regulations for seismic-isolated structures; waterproofing and damp-proofing foundations; protection of residential concrete exposed to freezing and thawing; prescriptive masonry construction in high-wind areas; and conventional light-frame construction in high-wind areas.
Volume 3
Covers noncombustible material - tests; proscenium fire safety curtains; fire tests of building construction; fire tests of door assemblies; tinclad fire doors; fire tests of window assemblies; fire tests of through-penetration; thickness, density determination and cohesion/adhesion for spray-applied fire resistive material; methods for calculating fire resistance of steel, concrete, wood, concrete masonry and clay masonry construction; horizontal sliding fire doors used in a means of egress; test method for surface-burning characteristics of building materials; standard test method for evaluating room fire growth contribution of textile wall covering; installation of sprinkler systems; standpipe systems; installation of sprinkler systems in Group R occupancies four stories or less; power operated egress doors; stairway identification; exit ladder device panic hardware; kraft waterproof building paper; vinyl siding; roofing aggregates; test standard for determining the fire retardancy of roof assemblies; wood shakes; wood shingles; roof tile; modified bitumen, thermoplastic and thermoset membranes used for roof coverings; automatic smoke and heat vents; soils classification; expansion index test; welding reinforced steel, metal inserts and connections in reinforced concrete construction; mill-mixed gypsum concrete and poured gypsum roof diaphragms; building brick, facing brick and hollow brick (made from clay or shale); calcium silicate face brick (sand-lime brick); concrete building brick; hollow and solid load-bearing concrete masonry units; nonload-bearing concrete masonry units; in-place masonry shear tests; tests of anchors in unreinforced masonry walls; pointing of unreinforced masonry walls; unburned clay masonry units and standard methods of sampling and testing unburned masonry units; joint reinforcement for masonry; cement, masonry; quicklime for structural purposes; hydrated lime for masonry purposes; mortar cement; mortar for unit masonry and reinforced masonry other than gypsum; field tests specimens for mortar; test method for compressive strength of masonry prisms; method of sampling and testing grout; grout for masonry; standard test method for flexural bond strength of mortar cement; material specification for structural steel; classification, definition, methods of grading and development of design values for all species of lumber; construction and industrial plywood; performance standard for wood-based structural-use panels; fire-retardant-treated wood tests on durability and hygroscopic properties; fire-retardant-treated wood; flat glass; safety glazing; plastic cement; metal suspension systems for acoustical tile and for lay-in panel ceilings; test method to determine potential heat of building materials; test method for the evaluation of thermal barriers; room fire test standard for interior of foam plastic systems; method of test for the evaluation of flammability characteristics of exterior, nonload-bearing wall panel assemblies using foam plastic insulation; chamber method of test for measuring the density of smoke from the burning or decomposition of plastic materials; ignition properties of plastics; method of test for determining classification of approved light-transmitting plastics; room fire test standard for garage doors using foam plastic insulation; method of test for the evaluation of flammability characteristics of exterior, nonload-bearing wall assemblies containing combustible components using the intermediate-scale, multistory test apparatus; and flame-retardant membranes.
Selected ICBO codes available from IHS
Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings
Addresses enforcement, notices and orders of building official, appeal, procedures for conduct of hearing appeals, enforcement of the order of the building official or the board of appeals, performance of work of repair or demolition, and recovery of cost of repair or demolition.
Uniform Administrative Code
Covers organization and enforcement, and permits and inspection.
Uniform Code for Building Conservation
Addresses enforcement and permits; minimum standards for existing buildings; minimum provisions for change of occupancy; historic structures; requirements for Group R occupancies; seismic strengthening provisions for unreinforced masonry bearing wall buildings; life-safety requirements for existing high-rise buildings; accessibility; energy conservation; earthquake hazard reduction in existing tilt-up concrete wall buildings; and prescriptive provisions for seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood-framed residential buildings.
Uniform Fire Code
Covers fire department access and water supply; fire-protection systems and equipment; general safety precautions; maintenance of means of egress and emergency escapes; emergency procedures; airports, heliports and helistops; places of assembly; bowling alleys; cellulose nitrate plastics (pyroxylin), storage and handling; storage and handling of combustible fibers; repair garages; wood products; temporary membrane structures, tents and canopies; cellulose nitrate motion picture film; automobile wrecking yards; covered mall buildings; dry cleaning; application of flammable finishes; fruit-ripening processes; fumigation and thermal insecticide fogging; magnesium; hot work; manufacture of organic coatings; semiconductor fabrication facilities; motor vehicle fuel-dispensing stations; oil-burning equipment; industrial baking and drying ovens; refrigeration; stationary lead-acid battery systems; compressed gases; cryogenic fluids; prevention of dust explosions; explosive materials; fireworks and pyrotechnic special effects material; flammable combustible liquids, hazardous materials; high-piled combustible storage; liquefied petroleum gases; motion picture projection; electrical equipment and wiring; fire safety during construction, alteration or demolition of a building; aerosol products; existing buildings; life-safety requirements for existing buildings other than high rise; life-safety requirements for existing high-rise buildings; stairway identification; special hazards; suppression and control of hazardous fire areas; protection of flammable and combustible liquid tanks in locations subject to flooding; marinas; rifle ranges; hazardous materials management plans and hazardous materials inventory statements; protected above-ground tanks for motor vehicle fuel-dispensing stations outside buildings; secondary containment for underground tank systems containing flammable or combustible liquids; site assessments for determining potential fire and explosion risks from underground flammable or combustible liquid tank leaks; ozone gas-generating equipment; storage of flammable and combustible liquids in tanks located within below-grade vaults; fire-flow requirements for buildings; fire hydrant locations and distribution; inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire-protection systems; basement pipe inlets; special combustion hazards; interior floor finish; Christmas trees; nationally recognized standards of good practice; hazardous materials classifications; hazard ranking; emergency relief venting for fire exposure for above-ground tanks; model citation program; recommended separation distances for explosive materials; cryogenic fluids weight and volume equivalents; and refrigerant groups and properties.
Uniform Housing Code
Addresses permits and inspections, space and occupancy standards, structural requirements, mechanical requirements, exits, fire protection, substandard buildings, notices and orders of the building official, appeal, procedures for conduct of hearing appeals, enforcement of the order of the building official or the board of appeals, performance of work of repair or demolition, and recovery of cost of repair or demolition.
Uniform Mechanical Code
Covers ventilation air supply; exhaust systems; duct system; combustion air; chimneys and vents; special fire-burning equipment; boiler/water heaters; refrigeration; hydronics; fuel-gas piping; special piping and storage systems; solar systems; uniform building code, uniform mechanical code and uniform fire code standards; galvanized sheet metals; flash point by Pensky-Martens closed tester; standard for metal ducts; test method for fire and smoke characteristics of electrical cable, optical fiber raceways and plastic sprinkler pipe; standard for installation of factory-made air ducts; standard test method of concentration limits of flammability of chemicals; methods for system identification; and sizing of venting systems serving appliances equipped with draft hoods and appliances listed for use with Type B vents.
Uniform Security Code
Addresses security provisions, tests for doors and locking hardware used for security, and tests for window assemblies.
Uniform Sign Code
Covers permits/fees/inspections, design and construction, fin signs, pole signs, ground signs, roof signs, wall signs, projecting signs, combination signs, marquees, electric signs and temporary signs.
Urban-Wildland Interface Code
Addresses urban-wildland interface areas, urban-wildland interface area requirements, special building construction regulations, fire-protection requirements, vegetation management plan, fire hazard severity plan, fire danger rating system and characteristics of fire-resistive vegetation.
Uniform Zoning Code
Covers organization and enforcement, A Zones, R Zones, C and CM Zones, development regulations, sign regulations, nonconforming structures and uses, conditional uses and planned unit development.
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IHS also offers standards from these organizations
Aerospace Industries Association of America, Inc. (AIA)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
American Petroleum Institute (API)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
American Society for Quality (ASQ)
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)
ASTM International (ASTM)
Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)
American Welding Society (AWS)
British Standards Institution (BSI)
Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
CSA International (CSA)
Canadian Standards Association/American National Standard (CSA/AM)
Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN)
Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA)
Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
General Motors (GM)
Government Electronics & Information Technology Association (GEIA)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC)
Industrial Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Japanese Standards Association (JSA)
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
RTCA, Inc.
SAE International
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
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