Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
Chicago Overview
Prior Chicago Building Code
BUILDING CODE AND RELATED EXCERPTS OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO
DIVISION 1 - ADMINISTRATION
DIVISION 2 - DEFINITIONS
DIVISION 3 - USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
DIVISION 4 - SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY
DIVISION 5 - GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
DIVISION 6 - TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 7 - FIRE-RESISTANCE-RATED CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 8 - INTERIOR FINISHES (NA)
DIVISION 9 - FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
DIVISION 10 - MEANS OF EGRESS
CHAPTER 13-160 EXIT REQUIREMENTS
13-160-010 General provisions.
13-160-020 Definitions.
13-160-030 Exit types - Requirements.
13-160-040 Exit types - Above or below grade.
13-160-050 Minimum number of exits.
13-160-060 Arrangement and location of exits.
13-160-070 Obstructions prohibited.
13-160-080 Exits - Distance requirements.
13-160-090 Exits in certain units to discharge in line of travel.
13-160-100 Continuous means of exit required.
13-160-110 Travel distance to exits.
13-160-120 Travel distance - Defined.
13-160-130 Travel distance - Measurement.
13-160-140 Maximum travel distances.
13-160-150 Maximum travel distances - Permitted increases.
13-160-160 Maximum distance from end of corridor.
13-160-170 Width of exits.
13-160-180 Occupancy content.
13-160-190 Unit of exit width.
13-160-200 Measurement of width.
13-160-210 Capacity of exits.
13-160-220 Minimum width of exits.
13-160-230 Outside exits.
13-160-240 Doors.
13-160-250 Swing of doors - Exceptions.
13-160-260 Hardware.
13-160-261 External exit doors - Electronic locking system.
13-160-269 Electromagnetic locking devices.
13-160-270 Revolving doors.
13-160-280 Entrance and vestibule doors for handicapped.
13-160-290 Stairways.
13-160-300 Stairways - Treads and risers.
13-160-310 Stairways - Landings.
13-160-320 Stairways - Handrails.
13-160-330 Stairways - Construction.
13-160-340 Stairways - Enclosures.
13-160-350 Stairways - Headroom.
13-160-360 Smokeproof towers.
13-160-370 Smokeproof towers - Stairway enclosures.
13-160-380 Smokeproof towers - Vestibules and balconies.
13-160-390 Smokeproof towers - Fire shields.
13-160-400 Smokeproof towers - Opening protectives.
13-160-410 Smokeproof towers - Exterior exits.
13-160-420 Smokeproof towers - Interior smoke shafts.
13-160-430 Ramps.
13-160-440 Ramps - Grades.
13-160-450 Ramps - Handrails.
13-160-460 Ramps - Nonslip surfaces.
13-160-470 Exterior and interior ramps for handicapped.
13-160-480 Horizontal exits.
13-160-490 Horizontal exits - Floor area.
13-160-500 Horizontal exits - Doors.
13-160-510 Horizontal exits - Bridges and balconies.
13-160-520 Escalators.
13-160-530 Escalators - Compliance with interior stairway requirements.
13-160-540 Escalators - Type.
13-160-550 Escalators - Rise.
13-160-560 Escalators - Angle of inclination.
13-160-570 Escalators - Protection.
13-160-580 Exterior stairs.
13-160-590 Exterior stairs - Treads and risers.
13-160-600 Exterior stairs - Opening protectives.
13-160-610 Exterior stairs - Permanent.
13-160-620 Exterior stairs - Construction.
13-160-630 Fire escapes.
13-160-640 Fire escapes - Stairways.
13-160-650 Fire escapes - Other exits.
13-160-660 Exit lighting.
13-160-670 Exit lighting - Intensity.
13-160-680 Lighting during performances.
13-160-690 Emergency lighting.
13-160-700 Exit, stairway, fire escape and directional signs.
13-160-710 Directional signs - Where required.
13-160-720 Directional signs - Fixture requirements.
13-160-730 Directional signs - Illumination.
13-160-740 Directional signs - Location.
13-160-750 Directional signs - Lettering.
13-160-760 Reserved.
13-160-770 Directional signs - Normal illumination defined.
13-160-780 Enforcement of Sections 13-160-710 through 13-160-770.
13-160-790 Reserved.
DIVISION 11 - ACCESSIBILITY
DIVISION 12 - INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION 13 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
DIVISION 14 - EXTERIOR WALLS (NA)
DIVISION 15 - ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES (NA)
DIVISION 16 - STRUCTURAL DESIGN
DIVISION 17 - STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS
DIVISION 18 - SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
DIVISION 19 - CONCRETE
DIVISION 20 - ALUMINUM (NA)
DIVISION 21 - MASONRY
DIVISION 22 - STEEL
DIVISION 23 - WOOD
DIVISION 24 - GLASS AND GLAZING (NA)
DIVISION 25 - GYPSUM BOARD AND PLASTER (NA)
DIVISION 26 - PLASTIC (NA)
DIVISION 27 - ELECTRICAL
DIVISION 28 - MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
DIVISION 29 - PLUMBING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 30 - ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 31 - SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION (NA)
DIVISION 32 - ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
DIVISION 33 - SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 34 - EXISTING STRUCTURES
DIVISION 35 - REFERENCED STANDARDS

You are viewing an archived code

Loading...
13-160-120  Travel distance – Defined.
   Travel distance is defined as the distance from a point in a floor of a building to a vertical exit, a horizontal exit or an outside exit measured along the line of travel, except that in one-story low or moderate hazard industrial and storage units, travel distance may be considered as the distance from any point to an aisle, passage or other exit connection.
(Prior code § 67-6.1)
13-160-130  Travel distance – Measurement.
   Travel distance shall be measured from the most remote point in any floor except as follows:
   (a)   When a floor of a residential or business unit is subdivided and contains a public corridor enclosed by walls providing fire resistance of not less than one hour, travel distance may be measured from a door leading from a room or space to such corridor. In no event, however, shall the travel distance from the most remote point in a floor exceed 150 percent of the maximum distance required in Sections 13-160-140 and 13-160-150.
(Prior code § 67-6.2)
13-160-140  Maximum travel distances.
   Except as provided in Section 13-160-150, travel distances shall not exceed the following:
   In Feet
Residential units   100
Institutional units   100
Assembly units (except open plan schools)
   grade floors   150
   other floors   150
Exhibition areas   150
Open plan schools (all floors)   100
Open air assembly units   150
Business units   150
Mercantile units   150
Industrial units   150
Storage units   150
Hazardous use units   75
(Prior code § 67-6.3)
13-160-150  Maximum travel distances – Permitted increases.
   (a)   In a building equipped throughout with a standard sprinkler system as defined in Chapter 15-16 of this Code, the maximum travel distance in open plan schools, business, mercantile, industrial, exhibition areas, or storage units may be 50 percent greater than that established in Section 13-160-140 of this Code.
   (b)   When the automatic sprinkler system described in Section 13-160-150(a) of this Code is supervised and provided with a two-source water supply, one of which shall be provided with an emergency power supply, the maximum travel distance in open plan schools, business, mercantile, industrial, assembly (including exhibition areas) and storage units, may be 100 percent greater than that established in Section 13-160-140 of this Code. If travel distance is increased pursuant to this section, an increase in exit capacity under Section 13-160-210(d) shall not be permitted.
(Prior code § 67-6.4; Amend Coun. J. 11-6-85, p. 21656)
13-160-160  Maximum distance from end of corridor.
   The maximum travel distance to an exit from the end of a corridor shall be not more than 50 percent of the travel distance permitted in Sections 13-160-140 and 13-160-150, except that in Type I schools, such distance shall not exceed 20 feet, and in the case of nursing homes and sheltered care facilities as defined in Section 13-4-010 and as further defined by the rules and regulations promulgated by the board of health under the authority, as applicable, of Section 4-6-090 , Section 4-6-100 or Section 4-6-110 , there shall be an exit at the end of each corridor.
(Prior code § 67-6.5; Amend Coun. J. 6-14-95, p. 2841; Amend Coun. J. 5-9-12, p. 27485, § 176)

 

Notes

4-6-090
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
4-6-100
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
4-6-110
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
13-160-170  Width of exits.
   The width of exits shall comply with the provisions of Sections 13-160-180 to 13-160-220, inclusive.
(Prior code § 67-7)
Loading...