International Residential Code
Virginia enforces the 2021 IRC
The 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) has been in force in Virginia since Jan 18, 2024. It applies statewide. Adopted by Board of Housing and Community Development (BHCD). The legal citation is 13VAC5-63-10 (USBC 101.2, Note 2).
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2021 IRC
2021 Virginia Construction Code (USBC Part I, IRC portion)
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- 13VAC5-63-10 (USBC 101.2, Note 2)
- Adopted by
- Board of Housing and Community Development (BHCD)
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide
- Also called
- VCC, USBC, Virginia Residential Code
The IRC is incorporated through the USBC rather than a separate residential code regulation.
Coming next
- 2024 IRCPartialNo date yetIn development13VAC5-63 (amendment pending)
2024 VCC base document shows the 2024 IRC replacing the 2021 IRC. Projected effective date October 2027.
How Virginia adopts the IRC
Same as the IBC: BHCD amends the USBC by regulation on a three-year cycle; the General Assembly does not name the IRC edition but can suspend final regulations with the Governor.
Cycle. Triennial, following the ICC model code cycle.
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- LegislationH 3682024 regular session, Chapter 384
Requires the Board to convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate USBC revisions, including single-exit stairs for Group R-2 buildings up to six stories, and report by Dec 1, 2024.
Enacted Apr 4, 2024
law.lis.virginia.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 four source pages.
Evidence 4 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.
“2021 International Residential Code (IRC)”
“2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)”
“2020 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70”
13VAC5-63 Part I Construction (full text)Virginia Law (Division of Legislative Services)law.lis.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “Effective January 18, 2024, Virginia adopted the 2021 I-codes as referenced in the Virginia Construction Part 1”
2021 Virginia Codes effective Jan. 18, 2024Virginia DHCDdhcd.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved “The effective date of the 2021 Uniform Statewide Building Code, Statewide Fire Prevention Code”
“is January 18, 2024.”
2021 Virginia Codes Effective DateVirginia DHCDdhcd.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved 2021 Virginia Construction CodeVirginia DHCDdhcd.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Virginia’s own record.
ICC’s code adoption mapCross-checkAgrees with the record
State Virginia 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21