ARTICLE 2. Definitions [18905. - 18919.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 2.
in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18906. Section 18906.

“Adoption” or “adopt” means, with respect to the procedure for promulgation of a building standard, the final act of a state agency that has the legislative authority and responsibility to take proposed building standards to public hearing.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18907. Section 18907.

“Approval” means, with respect to the procedure for promulgation of a building standard, the action of approval by the California Building Standards Commission. Until there is approval of the standard by the commission, it shall be a proposed building standard or regulation.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18908. Section 18908.

(a) “Building” means any structure used for support or shelter of any use or occupancy. “Structure” means that which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind or any piece of work artificially built or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner, except any mobilehome as defined in Section 18008, manufactured home, as defined in Section 18007, special purpose commercial coach, as defined in Section 18012.5, and recreational vehicle, as defined in Section 18010. (b) “Building” includes a structure wherein things may be grown, made, produced, kept, handled, stored, or disposed of. (c) All appendages, accessories, apparatus, appliances, and equipment installed as a part of building or structure shall be deemed to be a part thereof. (d) “Building” does not include machinery, equipment, or appliances installed for manufacture or process purposes only, any construction installations which are not a part of a building, or any tunnel, mine shaft, highway, or bridge.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18909. Section 18909.

(a) “Building standard” means any rule, regulation, order, or other requirement, including any amendment or repeal of that requirement, that specifically regulates, requires, or forbids the method of use, properties, performance, or types of materials used in the construction, alteration, improvement, repair, or rehabilitation of a building, structure, factory-built housing, or other improvement to real property, including fixtures therein, and as determined by the commission. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (d), “building standard” includes architectural and design functions of a building or structure, including, but not limited to, number and location of doors, windows, and other openings, stress or loading characteristics of materials, and methods of fabrication, clearances, and other functions. (c) “Building standard” includes a regulation or rule relating to the implementation or enforcement of a building standard not otherwise governed by statute, but does not include the adoption of procedural ordinances by a city or other public agency relating to civil, administrative, or criminal procedures and remedies available for enforcing code violations. (d) “Building standard” does not include any safety regulations that any state agency is authorized to adopt relating to the operation of machinery and equipment used in manufacturing, processing, or fabricating, including, but not limited to, warehousing and food processing operations, but not including safety regulations relating to permanent appendages, accessories, apparatus, appliances, and equipment attached to the building as a part thereof, as determined by the commission. (e) “Building standard” does not include temporary scaffoldings and similar temporary safety devices and procedures that are used in the erection, demolition, moving, or alteration of buildings. (f) “Building standard” does not include any regulation relating to the internal management of a state agency. (g) “Building standard” does not include any regulation, rule, order, or standard that pertains to mobilehomes, manufactured homes, commercial coaches, special purpose commercial coaches, or recreational vehicles. (h) “Building standard” does not include any regulation, rule, or order or standard that pertains to a mobilehome park, as defined by Section 18214, or special occupancy park, as defined by Section 18862.43, except that “building standard” includes the construction of permanent buildings and plumbing, electrical, and fuel gas equipment and installations within permanent buildings in a mobilehome park or special occupancy park. For purposes of this subdivision, “permanent building” means any permanent structure constructed in the mobilehome park or special occupancy park that is a permanent facility under the control and ownership of the park operator. (i) “Building standard” does not include any regulation, rule, order, or standard that pertains to mausoleums regulated under Part 5 (commencing with Section 9501) of Division 8. (j) “Building standard” does not include any regulation adopted by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, or the State Water Resources Control Board concerning the discharge of waste to land or the treatment, transfer, storage, resource recovery, disposal, or recycling of the waste.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18913. Section 18913.

“Emergency standard” means a building standard or an order of repeal of a building standard filed for publication in the code by the commission pursuant to Section 11346.1 of the Government Code.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18915. Section 18915.

“Local agency” means a city, county, and city and county, whether general law or chartered, district agency, authority, board, bureau, department, commission, or other governmental entity of less than statewide jurisdiction. Local agency includes any entity of regional jurisdiction. Local agency does not include an agency of the federal government.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18916. Section 18916.

“Model code” means any building code drafted by private organizations or otherwise, and shall include, but not be limited to, the latest edition of the following: (a) The International Building Code of the International Code Council. (b) The Uniform Plumbing Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials. (c) The Uniform Mechanical Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials. (d) The National Electrical Code of the National Fire Protection Association. (e) The International Fire Code of the International Code Council. (f) The International Existing Building Code of the International Code Council. (g) The International Residential Code of the International Code Council. (h) The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code of the International Code Council.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18917.2. Section 18917.2.

“Propose” refers, with respect to the procedure for promulgation of a building standard, to the state agency that has the legislative authority and responsibility to write proposed building standards.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18917.3. Section 18917.3.

“Publication” or “publish” means to print and make available to the public the California Building Standards Code or administrative regulations that apply directly to the implementation or enforcement of building standards.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 18919. Section 18919.

“Regulation” means any rule, regulation, ordinance, or order promulgated by a state or local agency, including rules, regulations, or orders relating to occupancy or the use of land. “Regulation” includes building standards.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements