Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-901 General.
14R-9-901 General.
The provisions of Section 901 of IEBC are adopted by reference without modification.
ALTERATIONS - LEVEL 3
Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 14R, ch. 14R-9
in effectMunicipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-902 Special use and occupancy.
14R-9-902 Special use and occupancy.
The provisions of Section 902 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications:
1. Revise Section 902.1 to read:
"902.1 High-rise buildings.
High-rise buildings shall comply with the requirements of Sections 902.1.1 and 902.1.2."
2. Revise Section 902.1.1 to read:
"902.1.1 Recirculating air or exhaust systems.
Where a story is served by a recirculating air or exhaust system with a capacity greater than 15,000 cubic feet per minute (701 m3/s), that system shall be equipped with smoke and heat detection devices installed in accordance with the Chicago Mechanical Code."
3. Revise Section 902.1.2 to read:
"902.1.2 Elevators.
Where there is an elevator or elevators for public use, not fewer than one elevator serving the work area shall comply with this section. Existing elevators with a travel distance of 25 feet (7620 mm) or more above or below the main floor or other level of a building and intended to serve the needs of emergency personnel for fire- fighting or rescue purposes shall be provided with emergency operation in accordance with Chapter 4 of the Chicago Conveyance Device Code. New elevators shall be provided with Phase I emergency recall operation and Phase II emergency in-car operation in accordance with Chapter 3 of the Chicago Conveyance Device Code."
4. Revise Section 902.2, including its exceptions, to read:
"902.2 Boiler and furnace equipment rooms.
Boiler and furnace equipment rooms adjacent to or within Group E, I and R occupancies, other than for equipment within and serving a single dwelling unit, shall be enclosed as required by Section 509 of the Chicago Building Code."
(Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 17)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-903 Building elements and materials.
14R-9-903 Building elements and materials.
The provisions of Section 903 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications:
1. Revise Section 903.1 by replacing "floor" with "story" and "floors" with "stories."
2. Revise Section 903.2 to read:
"903.2 Fire partitions in townhouses.
Fire separation in Group R townhouses shall be in accordance with Section 903.2.1."
3. Revise Section 903.2.1, excluding the exception, to read:
"903.2.1 Separation required.
Where the work area is in any multi-story side-by-side attached dwelling unit in Group R-3 or R-5 or any Group R-2 townhouse, walls separating the dwelling units that are not continuous from the foundation to the underside of the roof sheathing shall be improved to provide a continuous fire separation using construction materials consistent with the existing wall or complying with the requirements for new structures. Work shall be performed on the side of the dwelling unit wall that is part of the work area."
4. Revise Section 903.3 by replacing "floor" with "story" and "floor of exit discharge" with "level of exit discharge."
5. Insert a new Section 903.4 to read:
“903.4 Low-sloped roof edges and openings.
Low-sloped roofs and openings in low-sloped roofs shall be made to comply with Section 1516 of the Chicago Building Code.”
(Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 10-9-24, p. 18818, § 3)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-904 Fire protection.
14R-9-904 Fire protection.
The provisions of Section 904 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications:
1. Revise Section 904.1.1 to read:
"904.1.1 High-rise buildings.
In high-rise buildings, an automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout work areas. If a new fire pump or risers are required, the new components of the system shall be sized for future installation of an automatic sprinkler system for the entire building."
1.1. Revise Section 904.1.3 by replacing each occurrence of "occupancy used" with "occupancy where the area used."
2. Revise Section 904.1.4 to read:
"904.1.4 Other required automatic sprinkler systems.
In buildings and areas listed in Table 903.2.11.8 of the Chicago Building Code, other than live/work units, work areas that have exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant or that have exits or corridors serving an occupant load greater than 30 shall be provided with an automatic sprinkler system if the work area is required to be provided with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with the Chicago Building Code applicable to new construction."
3. Revise Section 904.2 and its subsections to read:
"904.2 Fire alarm and detection systems.
Fire alarm and detection shall be provided as required by Sections 904.2.1 and 904.2.2 in accordance with Section 907 of the Chicago Building Code as required for new construction.
904.2.1 Manual fire alarm systems.
Where required by the Chicago Building Code, a manual fire alarm system shall be provided throughout the work area. Alarm notification appliances shall be provided on such stories and shall be activated as required by the Chicago Building Code.
Exceptions:
1. Alarm-initiating and notification appliances shall not be required to be installed in tenant spaces entirely outside of the work area.
2. Visual alarm notification appliances are not required, except where an existing alarm system is upgraded or replaced or where a new fire alarm system is installed.
904.2.2 Automatic fire detection.
Where required by the Chicago Building Code for new buildings, automatic fire detection systems shall be provided throughout the work area."
(Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 19)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-905 Means of egress.
14R-9-905 Means of egress.
The provisions of Section 905 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modification:
1. Revise Section 905.2 to read:
"905.2 Means-of-egress lighting.
Means of egress from the highest work area story to the level of exit discharge shall be provided with artificial lighting within the exit enclosure in accordance with the requirements of the Chicago Building Code and Chicago Electrical Code."
2. Revise Section 905.3 by replacing "work area floor to the floor of exit discharge" with "work area story to the level of exit discharge."
(Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 20)
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-906 Structural.
14R-9-906 Structural.
The provisions of Section 906 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications:
1. Revise Section 906.2 to read:
"906.2 Existing structural elements resisting lateral loads.
Where work involves a substantial structural alteration, the lateral load-resisting system of the altered building shall be shown to satisfy the requirements of Sections 1609 and 1613 of the Chicago Building Code. Reduced seismic forces shall be allowed.
Exceptions:
1. Buildings of Group R-5 occupancy that are altered based on the conventional light-frame construction methods of the Chicago Building Code.
2. Where the intended alteration involves only the lowest story above grade plane of a building, only the lateral load resisting components in and below that story need comply with this section."
2. Delete Section 906.3.
3. Revise Section 906.4 to read:
"906.4. Anchorage for concrete and masonry buildings.
For any building assigned to Seismic Design Category D with a structural system that includes concrete or reinforced masonry walls with a flexible roof diaphragm, the alteration work shall include installation of wall anchors at the roof line of all subject buildings and at the floor lines of unreinforced masonry buildings unless an evaluation demonstrates compliance of existing wall anchorage. Reduced seismic forces shall be allowed."
4. Revise Section 906.5 to read:
"906.5 Anchorage for unreinforced masonry walls.
For any building assigned to Seismic Design Category C or D with a structural system that includes unreinforced masonry bearing walls, the alteration work shall include installation of wall anchors at the roof line, unless an evaluation demonstrates compliance of existing wall anchorage. Reduced seismic forces shall be allowed."
5. Revise Section 906.6 to read:
"906.6 Bracing for unreinforced masonry parapets.
Parapets constructed of unreinforced masonry in buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category C or D shall have bracing installed as needed to resist the reduced seismic forces in accordance with Section 303.3, unless an evaluation demonstrates compliance of such items. Use of reduced seismic forces shall be allowed."
6. Revise Section 906.7 to read:
"906.7 Anchorage of unreinforced masonry partitions.
Where the building is assigned to Seismic Design Category C or D, unreinforced masonry partitions and nonstructural walls within the work area and adjacent to egress paths from the work area shall be anchored, removed, or altered to resist out-of-plane seismic forces, unless an evaluation demonstrates compliance of such items. Use of reduced seismic forces shall be allowed."
Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-9-907 Energy conservation.
14R-9-907 Energy conservation.
The provisions of Section 907 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modification:
1. Revise Section 907.1 to read:
"907.1 Minimum requirements.
Level 3 alterations to existing buildings or structures are allowed without requiring the entire building or structure to comply with the energy requirements of the Chicago Energy Conservation Code. The alterations shall conform to the energy requirements of the Chicago Energy Conservation Code."
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2674552Fetched: 10/24/2026