Building Code Section Frequently Asked Questions

You asked...and asked and asked. So here are the answers to your most common building code questions. If you do not see your question here, send us an e-mail and we will see what we can do to answer your questions. However, please understand that we are not building officials and have no authority to answer technical code questions or provide interpretations.

Please check here to see if your questions fall under these categories:

• Using the Building Code section
• Error messages and incorrect information
• Model Codes

Using the Building Code section

How do I find code information for a city or county?

How do I find code information for a state?

What are AHJ's?

The city/county I am looking for isn't listed. Where can I go for more information?

Why isn't city/county "X" listed in your Building Code section? How can I get city/county "X" added to the Building Code section?

Where does First Source code information come from?

I work in the building dept. of city/county "X" and I would like to see our jurisdiction listed in the Building Code section. What can I do?

Error messages and incorrect information

Some of the information you have listed is incorrect or outdated. Who do I notify?

I keep getting error messages when trying to access the Building Code section. What should I do?

Model Codes

Why aren't the model codes online?

Where can I get copies of the model codes?

Using the Building Code section

How do I find code information for a city or county?
Note: To access any code information, you must be a registered First Source user. To register, click on the Register Now button in the navigation bar on the left.

There are two ways to access the code information:

1. Direct
   From the main Building Code page, scroll down to the heading Select a city/county. From the pull-down menu, click on the down arrow to the right of the menu and find your city or county. With the jurisdiction selected, click on the gray, Select a city/county button.

2. Via the state code page
   From the main Building Code page, scroll down to the map of the U.S. Click on the abbreviation for the appropriate state on the map. The resulting page, displays code and contact information for your chosen state. From the pull-down menu at the top of page, highlight the city or county of your choice and click the gray, Select city button.

   You are now viewing the code and contact information for the jurisdiction you chose.

How do I find code information for a state?
Note: To access any code information, you must be a registered First Source user. To register, click on the Register Now button in the navigation bar on the left.

Again you have two entry methods:

1) From the main Building Code page, scroll down to the heading Select a State. From the pull-down menu, click on the down arrow to the right of the menu and find your state on the list. Highlight the state and click on the gray Select a State button.

2) From the main Building Code page, scroll down to the map of the U.S. Click on the abbreviation of the state you seek.

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What are AHJ's?
The acronym AHJ stands for Authorities Having Jurisdiction. Authorities Having Jurisdiction are those government officials who are the final authority on questions in a particular area (or jurisdiction).

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The city/county I am looking for isn't listed. Where can I go for more information?
Sometimes you can find city building information directly on the Internet...if you know where to look. Please try visiting the official city or county Web site. If you cannot find what you need on the jurisdiction's Web site, you might be able to find building code information in city or county codes of ordinances. Some cities and counties provide their municipal code from their site. Here are three other quick links for ordinances:

• Official City Sites
• Municipal Code Corporation
• Book Publishing Company, Library of Codes of Ordinances

Why isn't city/county "X" listed in your Building Code section? How can I get city/county "X" added to the Building Code section?
First Source's Codes section was designed to provide code information for key cities and counties across the U.S. Unfortunately, due to the sheer size of U.S., some cities or counties slip through the cracks. If the city or county you seek has a population of more than 75,000 or a great deal of construction activity, you can send an e-mail and request it. Also, if you have any preliminary information about the city, such as the city's Web address, or the building department phone number, that will speed up the process of getting that information online.

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Where does First Source code information come from?
To get the most reliable information possible, First Source goes directly to the source -- the city, county and state building departments.

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I work in the building dept. of city/county "X" and I would like to see our jurisdiction listed in the Building Code section. What can I do?
Send us an e-mail and provide the code and contact information for your jurisdiction. Be sure to include the edition year for the model code, whether you have amendments to the model code and where developers can get copies of your local amendments. Once your city is online with First Source, you can refer people with common code questions to us. And if your building department has a Web site, you might want to provide a link to First Source. Go ahead, we don't mind!

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Error messages and incorrect information

Some of the information you have listed is incorrect or outdated. Who do I notify?
Please send an e-mail with the updated information to ContactUs@ReedFirstSource.com.

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I keep getting error messages when trying to access the Building Code section. What should I do?
Click here and fill out our Customer Support form. Our technical team will contact you shortly.

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Model Codes

Why aren't the model codes online?
Model codes are products that provide revenue to those organizations who develop, write and copyright the codes. Some model codes can be accessed online for a fee. For more information on model codes and their online availability, check out the International Code Council.

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Where can I get copies of the model codes?
The International Code Council (ICC) has codes and standards information available for purchase in a variety of formats through their online Product Store.

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