International Building Code
Texas: 2012 IBC, local option
The 2012 International Building Code (IBC) has been in force in Texas since Jan 1, 2022. It applies by local option. Adopted by Texas Legislature (statutory default); each municipality may adopt local amendments by ordinance. The legal citation is Tex. Local Gov’t Code §214.216.
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2012 IBC
International Building Code, as it existed on May 1, 2012 (municipal commercial building code)
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- Tex. Local Gov’t Code §214.216
- Adopted by
- Texas Legislature (statutory default); each municipality may adopt local amendments by ordinance
- Second reading
- Applies
- Local option
- Also called
- 2012 IBC, Local Gov’t Code §214.216
Statutory default only: the 2012 code applies in every municipality, subject to local amendments; the 2025 bill to move the default to 2018 (HB 871) did not pass.
Exceptions
- Applies to commercial buildings ‘in a municipality’ only; the statute sets no IBC requirement for unincorporated areas.
- A city may add, modify or remove requirements by local amendment, after a public hearing and by ordinance, and may review ICC amendments made after May 1, 2012 (HB 738 added the hearing and ordinance rule to §214.216 as it did to §214.212(e)).
- Under §214.216(e), a municipality that already had a more stringent commercial building code need not repeal it.
- Coastal windstorm program: Texas Department of Insurance certification under the 2024 IBC (or 2024 IRC) is required for Windstorm Certificate of Compliance applications from Apr 1, 2026 (28 TAC §5.4013, effective Feb 18, 2026).
How Texas adopts the IBC
The statute itself names the default edition (IBC as it existed on May 1, 2012), so moving the base edition takes a bill; HB 738 did that effective Jan 1, 2022, and added the public-hearing and ordinance requirement for local amendments. Cities may review ICC amendments made after May 1, 2012 and adopt them as local amendments. Bills to advance the default to 2023 (SB 674, 2023) and to 2018 (HB 871, which passed the House in 2025 but got no Senate action, and HB 306 in a 2025 called session) did not become law.
Cycle. Irregular; no statutory update schedule. The default changes only when the Legislature amends the statute (last done in 2021).
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- Other actionTDI windstorm rule adopting the 2024 IRC and IBC (28 TAC §5.4013)
Effective Feb 18, 2026; from Apr 1, 2026, TDI windstorm certificate applications must be certified to the 2024 IRC or 2024 IBC. It is a program rule, not a change to the municipal statutory defaults.
- LegislationHB 3062025, 89th Legislature, second called session
Same idea as HB 871: would have changed the municipal default IRC and IBC from May 1, 2012 to May 1, 2018 (per the introduced text).
Failed: filed Aug 27, 2025, no other action recorded
capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab) - LegislationHB 8712025 regular session, 89th Legislature
Would have moved the municipal default IRC and IBC from the May 1, 2012 editions to May 1, 2018, effective Sep 1, 2025.
Failed: passed the House May 16, 2025, received in the Senate May 19, 2025, no later action recorded
capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab) - LegislationSB 6742023 regular session, 88th Legislature
Would have moved the municipal IRC and IBC defaults, the county fire code (IFC) floor, the county IRC reference and the state residential energy code reference to May 1, 2023 editions.
Failed: referred to Senate Business & Commerce Feb 17, 2023, no later action recorded
capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab) - LegislationHB 7382021 regular session, 87th Legislature
Set the municipal default IRC and IBC at their May 1, 2012 editions, required a public hearing and ordinance for local amendments, and added Local Gov’t Code §250.011 barring local fire-sprinkler mandates for one- and two-family dwellings (with exceptions).
Enacted Jun 7, 2021, effective Jan 1, 2022
capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)
How it was checked
Verified
Two separate readings of the state’s own record agree, and the passage is on file word for word.
Read twice: a second, blind reading of the state’s record agreed with the first on .
The state’s record was last read on , from five source pages.
Evidence 9 sources
Sources for the record itself come first, the state’s own records ahead of others. A label marks a source about something else, such as an exception. A source marked secondary is not the state’s own record.
“the International Building Code, as it existed on May 1, 2012,”
“is adopted as a municipal commercial building code in this state.”
Local Government Code, Chapter 214, Sec. 214.216 (Texas Constitution and Statutes)Texas Legislative Council (Texas Constitution and Statutes)tcss.legis.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved “A municipality that has adopted a more stringent commercial building code”
“is not required to repeal that code”
“Ch. 315 (H.B. 738), Sec. 2, eff. January 1, 2022.”
Local Government Code, Chapter 214, Sec. 214.216 (Texas Constitution and Statutes)Texas Legislative Council (Texas Constitution and Statutes)tcss.legis.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved “relating to residential and commercial building requirements of municipalities, counties, and emergency services districts.”
“the International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2012”
87(R) HB 738 - Enrolled version - Bill TextTexas Legislature Online (capitol.texas.gov)capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Session lawRetrieved “that begins under an agreement made on or after January 1, 2022”
87(R) HB 738 - Enrolled version - Bill TextTexas Legislature Online (capitol.texas.gov)capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Session lawRetrieved About an exception
“adoption of the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2024 International Building Code (IBC), to update the building standards for structures that the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) insures”
Texas Register, February 13, 2026: Adopted Rules, Title 28 InsuranceTexas Secretary of State (Texas Register)sos.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved About an exception
“The International Building Code applies to all commercial buildings in a municipality”
“and to any alteration, remodeling, enlargement, or repair of those commercial buildings.”
Local Government Code, Chapter 214, Sec. 214.216 (Texas Constitution and Statutes)Texas Legislative Council (Texas Constitution and Statutes)tcss.legis.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
“(1) holds a public hearing on the local amendment before adopting the local amendment; and”
“(2) adopts the local amendment by ordinance.”
Local Government Code, Chapter 214, Sec. 214.212 (Texas Constitution and Statutes)Texas Legislative Council (Texas Constitution and Statutes)tcss.legis.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
“Starting April 1, 2026, Windstorm Certificate of Compliance applications (WPI-1) must be certified”
“in accordance with either the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) or the 2024 International Building Code (IBC).”
TDI Windstorm program: adopted codesTexas Department of Insurancetdi.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About a law or bill
“Sent to the Governor | | 05/26/2021”
“Signed by the Governor | | 06/07/2021”
87(R) Actions for HB 738Texas Legislature Online (capitol.texas.gov)capitol.texas.gov (opens in a new tab)BillRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Texas’s own record.
ICC’s code adoption mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
Jun 30, 2021, press release: HB 738 makes the 2012 IBC and IRC the statutory municipal codes.