State code must be enforced in local jurisdictions. 

The tall mass timber provisions went into effect in 2022. The 2022 Georgia Amendments (see link to the webpage, above) to the 2018 IBC is effective January 1, 2022. 

There is an annual cycle considering amendments to certain current codes on a rotating basis (certain codes are considered one year, other codes the next), and successful amendments are published cumulatively and effective at the first of each year. The adoption of new editions of the International Codes editions occurs on a 6-year cycle. 

Because Georgia is on a 6-year cycle for codes adoption, it is anticipated that they will not adopt the 2021 editions of the International Codes but will wait for the 2024 editions. Even so, they conduct an annual cycle of review and consideration of state amendments for the various codes on a rotating basis, which may include consideration of certain provisions in the 2021 International Codes. For instance, early consideration of the new 2021 IBC tall mass timber construction types is likely. 

Georgia has voluntarily adopted “Disaster Resilient Building Construction” Appendices for the IBC and the IRC, which “up” the design for wind, seismic, and flood by adoption more stringent load criteria than the regular code would require for a jurisdiction. They were developed through a federal grant program. The IRC appendix is reliant on the WFCM for different “upped” wind speeds. 

Page last updated: December 2023