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New Building Safety Rules Take Effect in Philly as City Adopts Latest Residential Code Edition

Official:Amending Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “The Philadelphia Building Construction and Occupancy Code,” by amending Subcode “R” (The Philadelphia Residential Code) and adopting the 2021 edition of the “International Residential Code,” as published by the International Code Council, with amendments thereto, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Act, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Council President Johnson

Introduced: April 23, 2026

Signed: June 4, 2026

: Committee on Licenses and Inspections

building codesconstructionsafety

Plain-Language Summary

This bill updates the Philadelphia Residential Code to adopt the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments. This means that builders and property owners will have to follow new or updated building safety standards for residential construction in the city.

What This Bill Does

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The Philadelphia Residential Code is amended to adopt the 2021 edition of the "International Residential Code" as published by the International Code Council.
The adopted code includes local amendments, with local amendments being denoted by the prefix "R-" in the numbering of the code sections.
The International Residential Code is incorporated into the Philadelphia Residential Code, subject to the amendments provided in this Subcode R.
The adopted code is subject to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Act and its amendments.