International Building Code Section 1603

International Building Code 1603.1

General. Construction documents shall show the size,
section and relative locations of structural members with floor
levels, column centers and offsets dimensioned. The design
loads and other information pertinent to the structural design
required by Sections 1603.1.1 through 1603.1.8 shall be indicated
on the construction documents.
Exception: Construction documents for buildings constructed
in accordance with the conventional light-frame
construction provisions of Section 2308 shall indicate the
following structural design information:
1. Floor and roof live loads.
2. Ground snow load, Pg.
3. Basic wind speed (3-second gust), miles per hour
(mph) (km/hr) and wind exposure.
4. Seismic design category and site class.
5. Flood design data, if located in flood hazard areas
established in Section 1612.3.

Floor live load. The uniformly distributed, concentrated
and impact floor live load used in the design shall
be indicated for floor areas. Use of live load reduction in
accordance with Section 1607.9 shall be indicated for each
type of live load used in the design.

Roof live load. The roof live load used in the
design shall be indicated for roof areas (Section 1607.11).

Roof snow load. The ground snow load, Pg, shall
be indicated. In areas where the ground snow load, Pg,
exceeds 10 pounds per square foot (psf) (0.479 kN/m2), the
following additional information shall also be provided,
regardless of whether snow loads govern the design of the
roof:
1. Flat-roof snow load, Pf.
2. Snow exposure factor, Ce.
3. Snow load importance factor, I.
4. Thermal factor, Ct.

Wind design data. The following information
related to wind loads shall be shown, regardless of whether
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wind loads govern the design of the lateral-force-resisting
system of the building:
1. Basic wind speed (3-second gust), miles per hour
(km/hr).
2. Wind importance factor, I, and occupancy category.
3. Wind exposure, if more than one wind exposure is utilized,
the wind exposure and applicable wind direction
shall be indicated.
4. The applicable internal pressure coefficient.
5. Components and cladding. The design wind pressures
in terms of psf (kN/m2) to be used for the design
of exterior component and cladding materials not specifically
designed by the registered design professional.

Earthquake design data. The following information
related to seismic loads shall be shown, regardless of
whether seismic loads govern the design of the lateral-
force-resisting system of the building:
1. Seismic importance factor, I, and occupancy
category.
2. Mapped spectral response accelerations, SS and S1.
3. Site class.
4. Spectral response coefficients, SDS and SD1.
5. Seismic design category.
6. Basic seismic-force-resisting system(s).
7. Design base shear.
8. Seismic response coefficient(s), CS.
9. Response modification factor(s), R.
10. Analysis procedure used.

Flood design data. For buildings located in whole
or in part in flood hazard areas as established in Section
1612.3, the documentation pertaining to design, if required
in Section 1612.5, shall be included and the following information,
referenced to the datum on the community’s Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), shall be shown, regardless of
whether flood loads govern the design of the building:
1. In flood hazard areas not subject to high-velocity
wave action, the elevation of the proposed lowest
floor, including the basement.
2. In flood hazard areas not subject to high-velocity
wave action, the elevation to which any nonresidential
building will be dry floodproofed.
3. In flood hazard areas subject to high-velocity wave
action, the proposed elevation of the bottom of the
lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest
floor, including the basement.

Special loads. Special loads that are applicable to
the design of the building, structure or portions thereof shall
be indicated along with the specified section of this code
that addresses the special loading condition.

Systems and components requiring special
inspections for seismic resistance. Construction documents
or specifications shall be prepared for those systems
and components requiring special inspection for seismic
resistance as specified in Section 1707.1 by the registered
design professional responsible for their design and shall be
submitted for approval in accordance with Section 106.1.
Reference to seismic standards in lieu of detailed drawings
is acceptable.

International Building Code 1603.1.1

Floor live load. The uniformly distributed, concentrated
and impact floor live load used in the design shall
be indicated for floor areas. Use of live load reduction in
accordance with Section 1607.9 shall be indicated for each
type of live load used in the design.

International Building Code 1603.1.2

Roof live load. The roof live load used in the
design shall be indicated for roof areas (Section 1607.11).

International Building Code 1603.1.3

Roof snow load. The ground snow load, Pg, shall
be indicated. In areas where the ground snow load, Pg,
exceeds 10 pounds per square foot (psf) (0.479 kN/m2), the
following additional information shall also be provided,
regardless of whether snow loads govern the design of the
roof:
1. Flat-roof snow load, Pf.
2. Snow exposure factor, Ce.
3. Snow load importance factor, I.
4. Thermal factor, Ct.

International Building Code 1603.1.4

Wind design data. The following information
related to wind loads shall be shown, regardless of whether
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wind loads govern the design of the lateral-force-resisting
system of the building:
1. Basic wind speed (3-second gust), miles per hour
(km/hr).
2. Wind importance factor, I, and occupancy category.
3. Wind exposure, if more than one wind exposure is utilized,
the wind exposure and applicable wind direction
shall be indicated.
4. The applicable internal pressure coefficient.
5. Components and cladding. The design wind pressures
in terms of psf (kN/m2) to be used for the design
of exterior component and cladding materials not specifically
designed by the registered design professional.

International Building Code 1603.1.5

Earthquake design data. The following information
related to seismic loads shall be shown, regardless of
whether seismic loads govern the design of the lateral-
force-resisting system of the building:
1. Seismic importance factor, I, and occupancy
category.
2. Mapped spectral response accelerations, SS and S1.
3. Site class.
4. Spectral response coefficients, SDS and SD1.
5. Seismic design category.
6. Basic seismic-force-resisting system(s).
7. Design base shear.
8. Seismic response coefficient(s), CS.
9. Response modification factor(s), R.
10. Analysis procedure used.

International Building Code 1603.1.6

Flood design data. For buildings located in whole
or in part in flood hazard areas as established in Section
1612.3, the documentation pertaining to design, if required
in Section 1612.5, shall be included and the following information,
referenced to the datum on the community’s Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), shall be shown, regardless of
whether flood loads govern the design of the building:
1. In flood hazard areas not subject to high-velocity
wave action, the elevation of the proposed lowest
floor, including the basement.
2. In flood hazard areas not subject to high-velocity
wave action, the elevation to which any nonresidential
building will be dry floodproofed.
3. In flood hazard areas subject to high-velocity wave
action, the proposed elevation of the bottom of the
lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest
floor, including the basement.

International Building Code 1603.1.7

Special loads. Special loads that are applicable to
the design of the building, structure or portions thereof shall
be indicated along with the specified section of this code
that addresses the special loading condition.

International Building Code 1603.1.8

Systems and components requiring special
inspections for seismic resistance. Construction documents
or specifications shall be prepared for those systems
and components requiring special inspection for seismic
resistance as specified in Section 1707.1 by the registered
design professional responsible for their design and shall be
submitted for approval in accordance with Section 106.1.
Reference to seismic standards in lieu of detailed drawings
is acceptable.

International Building Code 1603.2

Restrictions on loading. It shall be unlawful to place,
or cause or permit to be placed, on any floor or roof of a building,
structure or portion thereof, a load greater than is permitted
by these requirements.

International Building Code 1603.3

Live loads posted. Where the live loads for which each
floor or portion thereof of a commercial or industrial building
is or has been designed to exceed 50 psf (2.40 kN/m2), such
design live loads shall be conspicuously posted by the owner in
that part of each story in which they apply, using durable signs.
It shall be unlawful to remove or deface such notices.

International Building Code 1603.4

Occupancy permits for changed loads. Occupancy
permits for buildings hereafter erected shall not be issued until
the floor load signs, required by Section 1603.3, have been
installed.