North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S492 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 492
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS35195-NN-45
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Single Stair Bldg. Code Reform. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Mayfield and Moffitt (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 26, 2025~~
11		-	~~S492 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS35195 -NN-45
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO AMEND THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BUILDING CODE TO 2
14	15		AUTHORIZE SINGLE-EXIT STAIRWAYS IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS . 3
15	16		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
16	17		SECTION 1.(a) Definitions. – For purposes of this act, the following definitions 5
17	18		apply: 6
18	19		(1) Building Code. – The North Carolina Building Code. 7
19	20		(2) Building Code Council. – The North Carolina Building Code Council. 8
20	21		(3) Group R-2 occupancy. – A multifamily residential building, as defined in the 9
21	22		Building Code. This does not include three- and four-family dwellings under 10
22	23		the rulemaking authority of the North Carolina Residential Code Council. 11
23	24		(4) Qualifying R-2 building. – A Group R-2 occupancy building that contains 12
24	25		between five and 32 dwelling units, having a total height of 75 feet or less 13
25	26		above grade plane, and located solely on an individual lot. 14
26	27		SECTION 1.(b) Temporary Provisions. – Until the effective date of the permanent 15
27	28		code amendments that the Building Code Council is required to adopt pursuant to subsection (d) 16
28	29		of this section, the following shall apply: 17
29	30		(1) With respect to qualifying R-2 buildings as defined in subsection (a) of this 18
30	31		section, the Building Code Council and all local government officials 19
31	32		enforcing the Building Code shall apply the provisions in subsection (c) of 20
32	33		this section regarding single-exit stairway requirements. 21
33	34		(2) The Building Code Council shall adopt permanent rules for qualifying R-2 22
34	35		buildings as set forth in subsection (d) of this section. 23
35	36		SECTION 1.(c) Single-Exit Stairway for Qualifying R-2 Buildings. – 24
36	37		Notwithstanding any other provision of the Building Code or law to the contrary, the Building 25
37	38		Code Council shall amend the Building Code to allow a qualifying R-2 building, as defined in 26
38	39		subsection (a) of this section, to be served by a single-exit stairway in lieu of multiple exits, 27
39	40		provided the building meets either the requirements for mid-rise single-exit buildings in 28
40	41		subdivision (1) of this subsection or the requirements for low-rise single-exit buildings in 29
41	42		subdivision (2) of this subsection, and meets all additional universal requirements set forth in 30
42	43		subdivision (3) of this subsection, described as follows: 31
43	44		(1) Mid-rise single-exit buildings. – A qualifying R-2 building may be served by 32
44	45		a single exit if all of the following are satisfied: 33
45	46		a. The building has no more than eight total stories and has no more than 34
46	47		seven stories above grade plane. 35
47		-	b. There shall be no more than four dwelling units on any floor. 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 492-First Edition
	48	+	b. There shall be no more than four dwelling units on any floor. 36
	49	+	FILED SENATE
	50	+	Mar 25, 2025
	51	+	S.B. 492
	52	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	53	+	Page 2 DRS35195-NN-45
49	54		c. The building shall be of not less than two-hour fire-resistance-rated 1
50	55		construction and shall be equipped throughout with an NFPA 13 2
51	56		automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 of the 3
52	57		Building Code. Residential-type sprinklers shall be used in all 4
53	58		habitable spaces in each dwelling unit. 5
54	59		(2) Low-rise single-exit buildings. – A qualifying R-2 building may be served by 6
55	60		a single exit if all of the following are satisfied: 7
56	61		a. The building has no more than three total stories, of which no more 8
57	62		than two stories are above grade plane. 9
58	63		b. There shall be no more than six dwelling units on any floor. 10
59	64		c. The building shall be of not less than one-hour fire-resistance-rated 11
60	65		construction or be equipped throughout with an NFPA 13 automatic 12
61	66		sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 of the Building 13
62	67		Code. Residential-type sprinklers shall be used in all habitable spaces 14
63	68		in each dwelling unit. 15
64	69		(3) Universal requirements for all qualifying R-2 buildings. – A building meeting 16
65	70		the requirements of either subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection shall also 17
66	71		comply with all of the following to be eligible to be constructed with no more 18
67	72		than one egress stair: 19
68	73		a. Stairway type. – An exterior stairway or an interior exit stairway shall 20
69	74		be provided. Any interior exit stairway, including any related exit 21
70	75		passageway, shall be pressurized in accordance with Section 909.20 22
71	76		of the Building Code or an alternative design approved by a licensed 23
72	77		engineer that achieves an equivalent result. Doors in the stairway shall 24
73	78		swing into the interior exit stairway regardless of occupant load 25
74	79		served. Doors leading from the stairway to the building exterior are 26
75	80		permitted to swing in the direction of exit travel. 27
76	81		b. Corridor separation. – A continuous corridor or exit passageway shall 28
77	82		separate each dwelling unit entry or exit door from the door to an 29
78	83		interior exit stairway or any related exit passageway. A dwelling unit 30
79	84		door shall not open directly into an interior exit stairway but may open 31
80	85		directly to an exterior stairway. 32
81	86		c. Travel distance to stairway. – There shall be no more than 20 feet of 33
82	87		travel from the entry or exit door of any dwelling unit to the nearest 34
83	88		entrance of the exit stairway. 35
84	89		d. Total travel distance. – The total travel distance, measured in 36
85	90		accordance with Section 1017 of the Building Code, from the most 37
86	91		remote point within any dwelling unit to an exit discharge shall not 38
87	92		exceed 125 feet. 39
88	93		e. Egress courts. – The exit serving the qualifying R-2 building shall not 40
89	94		terminate in an egress court where the court depth exceeds the court 41
90	95		width unless it is possible to exit in either direction to the public way. 42
91	96		f. Elevators. – Elevators shall be pressurized in accordance with Section 43
92	97		909.21 of the Building Code, shall open into elevator lobbies that 44
93	98		comply with Section 3006 of the Building Code, or use an alternative 45
94	99		design approved by a licensed engineer that achieves an equivalent 46
95	100		result. Where approved by the code-enforcement official, natural 47
96	101		ventilation is permitted to be substituted for pressurization if it 48
97	102		prevents the accumulation of smoke or toxic gases. 49
98	103		g. Other occupancies. – Other occupancies in the same building are 50
99	104		permitted only if they comply with all requirements of the Building 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
100		-	~~Senate Bill 492-First Edition~~ Page 3
	105	+	DRS35195-NN-45 Page 3
101	106		Code and do not communicate with the Group R-2 occupancy portion 1
102	107		of the building or with the single-exit stairway. Parking garages and 2
103	108		occupied roofs accessory to the Group R-2 occupancy are permitted to 3
104	109		communicate with the exit stairway. 4
105	110		h. Exit discharge. – The exit serving the qualifying R-2 building shall not 5
106	111		discharge through any other occupancy, including any accessory 6
107	112		parking garage. 7
108	113		i. Openings. – There shall be no openings within 10 feet of any 8
109	114		unprotected opening into the exit stairway, other than required exit 9
110	115		doors having a minimum one-hour fire-resistance rating. 10
111	116		(4) Means-of-egress requirements. – A qualifying R-2 building meeting the 11
112	117		requirements of either subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection and subdivision 12
113	118		(3) of this subsection shall be deemed to comply with the means-of-egress 13
114	119		requirements for exit stairways under the North Carolina Fire Code and any 14
115	120		applicable local ordinances. 15
116	121		SECTION 1.(d) Additional Rulemaking Authority. – Notwithstanding 16
117	122		G.S. 150B-19(4), the Building Code Council shall adopt rules to amend the Building Code in a 17
118	123		manner substantively identical with subsection (c) of this section, including modifications needed 18
119	124		to incorporate qualifying R-2 buildings as defined in subdivision (a)(4) of this section, and to 19
120	125		make conforming changes throughout the Building Code. Rules adopted pursuant to this section 20
121	126		are not subject to Part 3 of Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. Rules adopted 21
122	127		pursuant to this section shall become effective as provided in G.S. 150B-21.3(b1), as though 10 22
123	128		or more written objections had been received as provided in G.S. 150B-21.3(b2). 23
124	129		SECTION 1.(e) Sunset. – This section expires on the date that permanent rules 24
125	130		adopted as required by subsection (d) of this section become effective. 25
126	131		SECTION 2. Effective Date. – This act is effective when it becomes law. 26