Iowa

Iowa Department of Public Safety
State Fire Marshal

Current Codes and Edition Adopted:
2015 International Building Code (IBC)
2015 International Residential Code (IRC)
2015 International Fire Code (IFC)
2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
2015 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
Applicability (statewide, local, limited): LIMITED

The Building Code Bureau performs plan reviews for all State-owned buildings. In addition, all non-State-owned buildings that are constructed with State appropriated funds, if built in an area without an adopted and enforced local building code, are required to be reviewed. If the building is not State owned, additions, renovations and repairs are excluded from this plan review requirement.  Local municipalities are allowed to adopt a newer version of the IBC or IRC. 

Plan reviews are required for compliance with State Fire Marshal Rules for any education building or facility serving kindergarten through twelfth grade, any college or university building or facility, any childcare facility, any correctional facility or any gaming facility. 

Amendments Disadvantaging Wood Construction:

Code amendments do not involve subjects impacting wood construction. 

Expected date most recent code will be adopted:

Unknown at this time. 

Next Update Cycle:

The State Building Commissioner has not released any information on future plans for adoption of newer editions of the IBC, IFC or IRC.  Many municipalities have adopted the 2018 or 2021 IBC and IRC already. 

Notes:

Page last updated: December 2022