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Vermont

7 adopted codes · 16 cities tracked

Complete GuideVermont Fire & Building Safety Code + RBES/CBES (No statewide building code - municipal adoption)Edition 2018Effective: 2020-03-01

State Building Authority

Vermont Dept of Public Safety - Division of Fire Safety

Adopted Codes & Standards

Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards (CBES)

Statewide - Commercial Energy

2020 (based on IECC 2018)

Vermont Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES)

Statewide - Residential Energy

2020 (based on IECC 2018)

Vermont Fire & Building Safety Code

Statewide - Public Buildings

Based on NFPA 101 (2021) and NFPA 1 (2021)

NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code

Statewide - Public Buildings

2021

NFPA 1 - Fire Code

Statewide - Fire Prevention

2021

National Electrical Code (NEC/NFPA 70)

Statewide - Electrical

2020

Vermont Plumbing Rules

Statewide - Plumbing

Based on IPC 2018

International Building Code (IBC)

Municipal - Commercial (where adopted)

2018 (voluntary adoption by municipalities)

International Residential Code (IRC)

Municipal - Residential (where adopted)

2018 (voluntary adoption by municipalities)

ASCE 7 - Minimum Design Loads

Referenced - Structural Design

2016

Mandatory Codes (5)

IECC2024Amended

International Energy Conservation Code

ICC·Energy

Energy codes mandatory statewide

IPC2024Amended

International Plumbing Code

ICC·Plumbing

Statewide plumbing

IRC2021

International Residential Code

ICC·Residential

Adopts IBC, not IRC

NFPA 702023

National Electrical Code

NFPA·Electrical

NEC 2023 adopted statewide

NFPA 702023

National Electrical Code

NFPA·Electrical

NEC 2020 statewide

Important Notes

UNIQUE: Vermont is one of few states with NO mandatory statewide residential building code. Only ~30 municipalities have adopted building codes (mostly larger towns). Energy codes ARE mandatory statewide. Very high snow loads in Green Mountains (up to 90 psf). Climate Zone 6A/7. Strong emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability.