ALTERATIONS - LEVEL 2

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 14R, ch. 14R-8

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-801 General.

14R-8-801 General. The provisions of Section 801 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise the exception to Section 801.1 to read: "Exception: Buildings in which the reconfiguration is exclusively the result of compliance with the accessibility requirements of Section 305.7 shall be allowed to comply with Chapter 7." 2. Revise the exceptions to Section 801.3 to read: "1. Where windows are added to an existing space, the room or space is not required to comply with the natural light and ventilation requirements of the Chicago Building Code to a greater extent than before the alteration. 2. Newly installed electrical equipment shall comply with Section 807. 3. The length of dead-end corridors in newly constructed or reconfigured spaces shall only be required to comply with Section 805.6. 4. The minimum ceiling height of newly created habitable and occupiable spaces and corridors shall be 7 feet (2134 mm) except where a lower ceiling height is allowed by the Chicago Building Code. 5. Where provided in below-grade transportation stations, existing and new escalators shall be allowed to have a clear width of less than 32 inches (815 mm). 6. New structural members and connections shall be allowed to comply with alternative design criteria in accordance with Section 302." (Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 12; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-20, p. 21791, Art. IV, § 5)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-802 Building elements and materials.

14R-8-802 Building elements and materials. The provisions of Section 802 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise Section 802.1 by replacing "work area" with "work area." 1.1. Revise Section 802.2.1 to read: "802.2.1 Existing vertical openings. Existing interior vertical openings connecting two or more stories shall be enclosed with assemblies having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour with opening protectives. Exceptions: 1. Where unenclosed vertical openings are allowed by the Chicago Building Code. 2. Interior vertical openings other than stairways may be blocked at each floor and ceiling within the work area by installation of not less than 2 inches (51 mm) nominal of solid wood or equivalent construction. 3. The enclosure shall not be required where: 3.1. [Reserved.] 3.2. All of the following conditions are met: 3.2.1. The connected stories are protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system. 3.2.2. The lowest or next-to-the-lowest story is a level of exit discharge. 3.2.3. The entire area is open and unobstructed in a manner such that it is reasonable to assume that a fire in any part of the interconnected spaces will be readily obvious to all of the occupants. 3.2.4. Exit capacity is sufficient to provide egress simultaneously for all occupants of all connected stories by considering all areas to be a single floor area for the determination of required exit capacity. 3.2.5. Each story, considered separately, has not less than one-half of its individual required exit capacity provided by an exit or exits leading directly out of that story without having to traverse another connected story or be exposed to the smoke or fire spreading from another connected story. 4. [Reserved.] 5. In Group B occupancies, a minimum 30-minute enclosure shall be provided to protect all vertical openings not exceeding three stories. This enclosure shall not be required in the following locations: 5.1. Buildings not exceeding 3,000 square feet (279 m2) per story. 5.2. Buildings protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system. 6. [Reserved.] 7. In Group F occupancies, the enclosure shall not be required in the following locations: 7.1. Vertical openings not exceeding three stories. 7.2. Special-purpose occupancies where necessary for manufacturing operations and direct access is provided to not fewer than one protected stairway. 8. In Group H occupancies, the enclosure shall not be required for vertical openings not exceeding three stories where necessary for manufacturing operations and every floor level has direct access to not fewer than two remote enclosed stairways or other approved exits. 9. In Group M occupancies, a minimum 30-minute enclosure shall be provided to protect all vertical openings not exceeding three stories. This enclosure, shall not be required in the following locations: 9.1. Openings connecting only two stories. 9.2. Occupancies protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system. 10. [Reserved.] 11. In Group R-2 occupancies, a minimum 30-minute enclosure shall be provided to protect all vertical openings not exceeding four stories. This enclosure shall not be required in the following locations: 11.1. Vertical openings not exceeding two stories with not more than four dwelling units per story. 11.2. Buildings protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler system. 12. Buildings of Group R-3, R-4, or R-5 occupancy. 13. Group S occupancies where connecting not more than two stories or where connecting not more than three stories and the structure is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system. 14. [Reserved.]" 1.2. Revise Section 802.2.2 by replacing "that floor area" with "the floor area" and "floor" with "story." 1.3. Revise Section 802.2.3 by replacing "that floor area" with "the floor area"; "floor" with "story" and "floors" with "stories." 2. Revise the exception to Section 802.2.3 to read: "Exception: Where unenclosed stairways are allowed by the Chicago Building Code." 2.1. Revise Section 802.3 by italicizing the term "story." 3. Revise the exception to Section 802.4 to read: "Exception: Existing interior finish materials that do not comply with the interior finish requirements of the Chicago Building Code shall be allowed to be treated with a fire-retardant coating in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to achieve the required rating." 3.1. Revise Section 802.4.1, excluding the exception, to read: "802.4.1 Supplemental interior finish requirements. Where the work area on any story exceeds 50 percent of the floor area, Section 802.4 shall apply to the interior finish in exits and corridors serving the work area throughout the story." 4. Revise Section 802.5.1 by adding an exception to read: "Exception: At locations where guards are not required by the Chicago Building Code." 5. Revise Section 802.5.2 to read: "802.5.2 Design. Where there are no guards or where existing guards must be replaced, the new guards shall be designed and installed in accordance with the Chicago Building Code." 6. Revise Section 802.6 to read: "802.6 Fire-resistance ratings. Where approved by the building official, buildings where an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 of the Chicago Building Code has been added, and the building is now sprinklered throughout, the required fire-resistance ratings of building elements and materials shall be allowed to meet the requirements of the Chicago Building Code. The building is required to meet the other applicable requirements of the Chicago Building Code. Plans, investigation and evaluation reports, and other data shall be submitted indicating which building elements and materials the applicant is requesting the building official to review and approve for determination of applying the fire-resistance ratings provided by the Chicago Building Code. Any special construction features, including fire-resistance-rated assemblies and smoke-resistive assemblies, conditions of occupancy, means of egress conditions, fire code deficiencies, approved modifications or approved alternative materials, design and methods of construction, and equipment applying to the building that impact required fire-resistance ratings shall be identified in the evaluation reports submitted." 7. Add a new Section 802.6.1 to read: "802.6.1 Corridor ratings. Where an automatic sprinkler system is installed throughout a story, the required fire-resistance rating for any corridor located on the story shall be allowed to be reduced in accordance with the Chicago Building Code. In order to be considered for a corridor rating reduction, the automatic sprinkler system shall provide coverage for the stairway landings serving the floor and the intermediate landings immediately below." (Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 13)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-803 Fire protection.

14R-8-803 Fire protection. The provisions of Section 803 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise Section 803.1 by replacing "floor" with "story." 1.1. Delete Section 803.1.1. 2. Revise Section 803.2.1 by italicizing the term "high-rise buildings" and replacing "floor" with "story." 2.1. Revise Section 803.2.1.1 by replacing "that floor area" with "the floor area" and "floor" with "story." 2.2. Revise Section 803.2.2, condition 2, by replacing "floor area" with "floor area of the story." 3. Revise the exception to Section 803.2.2 to read: "Exceptions: 1. If the existing building does not have sufficient municipal water supply for design of an automatic sprinkler system available to the work area without installation of a new fire pump or new water service, work areas shall be protected by an automatic smoke detection system throughout all corridors, stairways and occupiable spaces, other than individual sleeping units or dwelling units, that activates the occupant notification system in accordance with Sections 907.4, 907.5 and 907.6 of the Chicago Building Code. 2. Group R-2 occupancies not containing congregate living facilities with no more than four stories above grade plane and no more than 20 dwelling units where each dwelling unit is equipped with hardwired smoke alarms in accordance with Section 907.2.10.2 of the Chicago Building Code." 4. Revise Section 803.2.2.1 to read: "803.2.2.1 Mixed uses. In work areas containing mixed uses, one or more of which requires automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with Section 803.2.2, such protection shall not be required throughout the work area provided that the uses requiring such protection are separated from those not requiring protection by fire-resistance-rated construction having a minimum rating as provided in Section 508 of the Chicago Building Code." 5. Revise Section 803.2.3 to read: "803.2.3 Windowless stories. Work located in a windowless story, as determined in accordance with the Chicago Building Code, shall be sprinklered where the work area is required to be sprinklered under the provisions of the Chicago Building Code for newly constructed buildings and the building has a sufficient municipal water supply without installation of a new fire pump or new water service." 6. Revise Section 803.2.4 to read: "803.2.4 Supervision. Automatic sprinkler systems required by this section shall be supervised as required by the Chicago Building Code." 7. Revise Section 803.3, excluding the exceptions, to read: "803.3 Standpipes. Where the work area includes exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant and the finished floor is located more than 50 feet (15 240 mm) above or below grade plane, a standpipe system shall be provided. Standpipe systems shall be installed in accordance with the Chicago Building Code." 7.1. Revise exception 1 to Section 803.3 by replacing "topmost floor" with "highest story." 8. Revise Section 803.4 to read: "803.4 Fire alarm and detection. A fire alarm and detection system shall be installed in accordance with Sections 803.4.1 and 803.4.3. Where automatic sprinkler protection is provided in accordance with Section 803.2 and is connected to the building fire alarm system, automatic heat detection shall not be required. An automatic fire detection system shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and NFPA 72. The automatic fire detectors shall be smoke detectors, except that an alternative type of detector shall be installed in spaces such as boiler rooms, where products of combustion are present during normal operation in sufficient quantity to actuate a smoke detector." 9. Revise Section 803.4.1, including its exceptions, to read: "803.4.1 Occupancy-based requirements. A fire alarm system shall be installed in occupancies where required by Section 504.6 of the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings." 10. Delete Sections 803.4.1.1 through 803.4.1.6. 10.1. Delete Section 803.4.2 and its exception. 11. Revise Section 803.4.3, excluding the exception, to read: "803.4.3 Smoke alarms. Individual sleeping units and individual dwelling units in any work area in Group R and I-1 occupancies shall be provided with smoke alarms in accordance with the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings." (Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 14; Amend Coun. J. 6-25-21, p. 32180, Art. III, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 6-17-26, p. 45214, Art. IV, § 41)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-804 Carbon monoxide detection.

14R-8-804 Carbon monoxide detection. The provisions of Section 804 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modification: 1. Revise Section 804.1 to read: "804.1 Carbon monoxide alarms. Any work area shall be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with Section 504.9 of the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings. Exceptions: 1. Work involving only the exterior surfaces of buildings, such as the replacement of roofing or siding, the addition or replacement of windows or doors, or the addition of porches or decks. 2. Installation, alteration or repair of plumbing or mechanical systems, other than fuel-burning appliances." (Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 15)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-805 Means of egress.

14R-8-805 Means of egress. The provisions of Section 805 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise Section 805.1 to read: "805.1 Scope. The requirements of this section shall be limited to work areas that include exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant, and where specified they shall apply throughout the story on which the work areas are located or otherwise beyond the work area." 2. Revise Section 805.2 to read: "805.2 General. The means of egress shall comply with the requirements of this section. Exception: Means of egress complying with the requirements in effect at the time the means of egress was constructed or altered shall be considered to be compliant means of egress if, in the opinion of the building official, they do not constitute a distinct hazard to life." 3. Revise Section 805.3.1 by italicizing the term "story." 3.1. Revise Section 805.3.1.1 to read: "805.3.1.1 Single-exit conditions. A single exit or access to a single exit shall be permitted from spaces, any story or any occupiable rooftop in accordance with Section 1006.3 of the Chicago Building Code." 4. Delete Tables 805.3.1.1(1) and 805.3.1.1(2). 5. Revise Section 805.3.1.2 to read: "805.3.1.2 Fire escapes required. For other than Group I, where more than one exit is required, an existing or newly constructed fire escape complying with Section 307 may be approved by the building official as providing one of the required means of egress where conditions do not allow the construction of more adequate means of egress facilities." 6. Delete Section 805.3.1.2.1. 7. Revise Section 805.3.3 to read: "805.3.3 Main entrance-Group A. Buildings of Group A occupancy with an occupant load of 300 or more shall be provided with a main entrance capable of serving as the main exit with an egress capacity of not less than one-half of the total occupant load. The remaining exits shall be capable of providing one-half of the total required exit capacity. Exception: Where a main exit is not well defined or where multiple main exits are provided, exits shall be allowed to be distributed around the perimeter of the building provided that the total width of egress is not less than 100 percent of the required width." 7.1. Revise Section 805.4.1 by italicizing the term "work areas." 8. Revise Section 805.4.1.1 to read: "805.4.1.1 Occupant load and travel distance. In any work area, all rooms and spaces having an occupant load greater than 50 or in which the common path of egress travel exceeds 75 feet (22 860 mm) shall have not fewer than two egress doorways. Exceptions: 1. Storage rooms having a maximum occupant load of 10. 2. Single-exit conditions in accordance with Section 805.3.1.1." 8.1. Revise Section 805.4.2 by adding an exception to read: "Exception: in Group B occupancies, existing egress doors and replacement egress doors of the same size and configuration installed in the same location shall be allowed to swing opposite the direction of egress travel when opening onto a corridor and serving an occupant load of 100 or less." 8.2. Revise Section 805.4.2.1 by replacing "floor area" with "floor area of the story" and "floor" with "story." 8.3. Revise Section 805.4.3 by deleting "at grade." 8.4. Revise Section 805.4.3.1 by replacing "floor area" with "floor area of a story" and "from the work area" with "from that story." 9. Revise Section 805.4.4 to read: "805.4.4 Panic hardware. In any work area, and in the egress path from any work area to the exit discharge, in buildings or portions thereof of Group A assembly occupancies with an occupant load greater than 100, all required egress doors equipped with latching devices shall be equipped with panic hardware meeting the requirements of the Chicago Building Code or other approved panic hardware." 9.1. Revise Section 805.4.4.1 by replacing "floor area" with "floor area of a story" and "throughout the floor" with "throughout that story." 9.2. Revise the exception to Section 805.5 to read: "Exception: Openings in corridors where such corridors are not required to be rated in accordance with the Chicago Building Code or where the openings are provided with opening protectives in accordance with the Chicago Building Code." 10. Revise Section 805.5.1 to read: "805.5.1 Corridor doors. Corridor doors in the work area shall not be constructed of hollow core wood and shall not contain louvers. Dwelling unit or sleeping unit corridor doors in work areas in buildings of Groups R and I-1 shall be not less than 1 3/8-inch (35 mm) solid core wood or approved equivalent and shall not have any glass panels. Dwelling unit or sleeping unit corridor doors in work areas in buildings of Groups R and I-1 shall be equipped with door closers. Replacement doors shall be 1 3/4-inch (44 mm) solid bonded wood core or approved equivalent. Exceptions: 1. Corridor doors within a dwelling unit, sleeping unit or single-tenant space. 2. Existing doors meeting the requirements of Resource A for a rating of 15 minutes or more shall be accepted as meeting the provisions of this requirement. 3. [Reserved.] 4. [Reserved.] 5. Door assemblies having a fire protection rating of not less than 20 minutes. 6. Existing doors to electrical rooms and utility rooms not exceeding 50 square feet (4.6 m2) in floor area may remain." 11. Revise Section 805.5.2 to read: "805.5.2 Transoms. In all buildings of Group I-1, I-2, and R occupancies, all transoms in corridor walls in work areas shall be either glazed with 1/4-inch (6.4 mm) wired glass set in metal frames or other glazing assemblies having a fire protection rating as required for the door and permanently secured in the closed position or sealed with materials consistent with the corridor construction. Exception: Corridor walls within a dwelling unit, sleeping unit or single-tenant space." 11.1. Revise Section 805.5.3.1 by replacing "floor area" with "floor area of a story" and "on the floor" with "throughout that story." 11.2. Revise Section 805.5.4 to read: "805.5.4 Supplemental requirements for corridor openings. Where the work area on any story exceeds 50 percent of the floor area, the requirements of Sections 805.5.1 through 805.5 3 shall apply throughout the story." 12. Revise Section 805.6 to read: "805.6 Dead-end corridors. Dead-end corridors in any work area shall not exceed the length specified in Table 805.6. Exception: Where dead-end corridors of greater length are allowed by the Chicago Building Code. Table 805.6 Maximum Length of Dead-end Corridors (feet) Occupancy Classification | Existing or Extended Corridor | Newly Created Corridor or Change of Occupancy NS | S | NS | S Occupancy Classification | Existing or Extended Corridor | Newly Created Corridor or Change of Occupancy NS | S | NS | S Group A-1, A-3, A-4 or A-5 | 75 | 75 | 35 | 50 Group A-2 | 50 | 75 | 35 | 50 Group B, F, M, S or U | 75 | 115 | 35 | 75 Group E-1 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 Group E-2 or I-4 | 20 | 50 | 35 | 50 Group H | 20 | 40 | 0 | 20 Group I-1 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 50 Group I-2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 20 Group I-3 | 50 | 50 | 35 | 50 Group R | 50 | 50 | 35 | 50 For SI: 1 foot = 308.4 mm." 13. Revise Section 805.7.1 to read: "805.7.1 Artificial lighting required. Means of egress in all work areas shall be provided with artificial lighting in accordance with the requirements of the Chicago Building Code and Chicago Electrical Code." 13.1. Revise Section 805.7.2 by replacing "that floor area" with "the floor area" and "floor" with "story." 13.2. Revise Section 805.8.2 by replacing "that floor area" with "the floor area" and "floor" with "story." 13.3. Revise Section 805.9 by replacing "work area floor" with "highest work area story." 14. Revise Section 805.9.1. to read: "805.9.1 Minimum requirement. Every stairway that is part of the required means of egress for any work area and that has three or more risers and is not provided with at least one handrail, or in which the existing handrails are judged to be in danger of collapsing, shall be provided with handrails for the full length of the stairway on not less than one side. Stairways with a required egress width of more than 66 inches (1676 mm) shall have handrails on both sides." 15. Revise Section 805.9.2 to read: "805.9.2 Design. New handrails required in accordance with Section 805.9.1 shall be designed and installed in accordance with the provisions of the Chicago Building Code." 15.1. Revise Section 805.11 by replacing "work area floor" with "highest work area story." 16. Revise Section 805.11.2 to read: "805.11.2 Design. New guards required in accordance with Section 805.11.1 shall be designed and installed in accordance with the Chicago Building Code." 17. Add a new Section 805.12 to read: "805.12 Stairways. Existing stairways and extensions of existing stairways shall not be required to comply with the requirements of Section 1011 of the Chicago Building Code where the existing space and construction does not allow a reduction in pitch or slope. Existing stairways shall be allowed to be rebuilt without complying with the requirements of Section 1011 of the Chicago Building Code where the existing space and construction does not allow a reduction in pitch or slope." (Amend Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473, Art. IV, § 16; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-20, p. 21791, Art. IV, § 6)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-806 Structural.

14R-8-806 Structural. The provisions of Section 806 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise exception 1 to Section 806.2 to read: "1. Buildings of Group R-5 occupancy where the altered building complies with the conventional light-frame construction methods of the Chicago Building Code." 2. Revise Section 806.3 to read: "806.3 Existing structural elements resisting lateral loads. Except as allowed by Section 806.4, where the alteration increases design lateral loads, or where the alteration results in prohibited structural irregularity as defined in ASCE 7, or where the alteration decreases the capacity of any existing lateral load-carrying structural element, the structure of the altered building or structure shall meet the requirements of Sections 1609 and 1613 of the Chicago Building Code. Reduced seismic forces shall be allowed. Exception: Any existing lateral load-carrying structural element whose demand-capacity ratio with the alteration considered is not more than 10 percent greater than its demand-capacity ratio with the alteration ignored shall be allowed to remain unaltered. For purposes of calculating demand-capacity ratios, the demand shall consider applicable load combinations with design lateral loads or forces in accordance with Sections 1609 and 1613 of the Chicago Building Code. Reduced seismic forces shall be allowed. For purposes of this exception, comparisons of demand-capacity ratios and calculation of design lateral loads, forces and capacities shall account for the cumulative effects of additions and alterations since original construction."

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-807 Electrical.

14R-8-807 Electrical. The provisions of Section 807 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modifications: 1. Revise Section 807.2 to read: "807.2 Existing installations. Existing wiring in all work areas in Group A-1, A-5, H and I occupancies shall be upgraded to meet the materials and methods requirements of Chapter 7." 2. Revise Section 807.3 and its subsections to read: "807.3 Residential occupancies. In Group R-2, R-3, R-4 and R-5 occupancies, work areas located within a dwelling unit shall comply with Article 570 of the Chicago Electrical Code, regardless of the height of the building."

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-808 Mechanical.

14R-8-808 Mechanical. The provisions of Section 808 of IEBC are adopted by reference without modification.

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-809 Plumbing.

14R-8-809 Plumbing. The provisions of Section 809 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modification: 1. Revise Section 809.1 to read: "809.1 Minimum fixtures. Where the occupant load of a story is increased by more than 20 percent, plumbing fixtures for the story shall be provided in quantities specified in the Chicago Plumbing Code based on the increased occupant load."

Municipal Code of Chicago § 14R-8-810 Energy conservation.

14R-8-810 Energy conservation. The provisions of Section 810 of IEBC are adopted by reference with the following modification: 1. Revise Section 810.1 to read: "810.1 Minimum requirements. Level 2 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/0-0-0-2674311Fetched: 10/24/2026