Iowa Administrative Code

301.16(1) Note A. Although rule 481—301.18(103A,104A) is based upon the federal 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and adopts the language of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design by reference, and rule 481—301.19(103A,104A) is based upon the requirements of the fede…

PART 3 REQUIREMENTS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION IN CONSTRUCTION

301.23(1) Scope. Part 3 establishes thermal energy efficiency standards for the design of new buildings and structures or portions thereof, additions to existing buildings, and renovation and remodeling of existing buildings, except for residential buildings of one or two dwellin…

or fewer stories. Rule 481—301.25(103A) establishes standards for design and construction of commercial buildings and residential buildings of four or more stories. The occupancy of any building covered by this chapter shall be determined based upon the occupancy definitions in c…

Code – Commercial Provisions, 2012 edition, published by the International Code Council, located at www.iccsafe.org, is hereby adopted by reference as the nonresidential energy code of the state building code, applicable to commercial construction or residential construction of f…

PART 4 LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC FACILITIES

301.28(1) Submission. Any public agency as defined by Iowa Code section 470.1 will prepare a life cycle cost analysis in compliance with Iowa Code chapter 470 and submit the analysis to the commissioner before construction commences. 301.28(2) Notification by state agency. Any pu…

PART 5 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STANDARDS

published by the International Code Council, www.iccsafe.org, are hereby adopted by reference as the general requirements for building construction, with the following amendments: 301.3(1) Delete section 101.1. 301.3(2) Delete section 101.2 and insert in lieu thereof the followin…

301.30(1) Scope. The standards established in Part 5 apply to building construction projects in Iowa and are based upon state or federal statutory requirements; administrative rules adopted by state agencies that own, manage, regulate, or finance building construction projects; o…

“Commercial” means a building construction project that is not residential. “Residential” means a building construction project that involves a building or buildings, each of which is a detached one- or two-family dwelling or which consists of townhouses not more than three stori…

301.32(1) Approval of building code commissioner. Approval of a construction project as sustainably designed pursuant to these rules may be granted only by the commissioner. All requests for approval of a project as sustainably designed must be submitted to the bureau at 6200 Par…

construction project will be approved as sustainably designed if it meets any of the following requirements: 301.33(1) Satisfaction of all of the mandatory criteria of the economic development authority’s Iowa green streets criteria; or 301.33(2) Compliance with ICC 700 National …

construction project will be approved as sustainably designed if it meets the following applicable requirements: 301.34(1) If approval as a sustainably designed project is being sought in order to qualify for a tax credit or tax refund, the project will be approved as sustainably…

301.35(1) Projects subject to the state building code. For any project for which approval as a sustainably designed project is requested from the commissioner and which is otherwise subject to the state building code, the additional fee for review for compliance with sustainable …

PART 6 WEATHER SAFE ROOMS

weather safe rooms. This chapter does not require the construction of a weather safe room or rooms for any construction project but does establish standards for design and construction of weather safe rooms when their construction is necessary under another provision of law or is…

“Weather safe room” means a building, structure, or portion of a building or structure designated for use during a severe windstorm event. [ARC 9474C, IAB 8/6/25, effective 9/10/25; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/26/25]

with the provisions of ICC 500-2014, ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters, published by the International Code Council, located at www.iccsafe.org. Any provision that would apply to a hurricane safe structure but not to a tornado safe structure does…

481—Chapter 426, as adopted and amended by the state plumbing and mechanical systems board pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 105 are hereby adopted by reference as the requirements for mechanical installations. [ARC 9474C, IAB 8/6/25, effective 9/10/25; Editorial change: IAC Suppleme…

PART 7 STATE HISTORIC BUILDING CODE

state building code or local building codes for the buildings to which it applies. “Historic building” means any building or structure that is listed in the state or National Register of Historic Places, that is designated as a historic property under local or state designation l…

published by the International Code Council, located at www.iccsafe.org, are adopted as the alternative requirements for rehabilitation, preservation, restoration, repair, alteration, change of occupancy and relocation of and addition to historic buildings, with the following ame…

and amended in 481—Chapter 404, are hereby adopted by reference as the requirements for electrical installations. [ARC 9474C, IAB 8/6/25, effective 9/10/25; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/26/25]

301.6(1) Provisions of the state plumbing code, 481—Chapter 425, adopted by the state plumbing and mechanical systems board pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 105, apply to plumbing installations in this state. 301.6(2) Factory-built structures, as referenced by Iowa Code section 103A…

edition, published by the International Code Council, located at www.iccsafe.org, are hereby adopted by reference as the requirements for repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition, and relocation of existing buildings, with the following amendments: 301.7(1) Delete sectio…

Residential Code, 2024 edition, published by the International Code Council, located at www.iccsafe.org, are hereby adopted by reference as the requirements for construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, removal, …

of rule 481—425.3(105). Liquefied petroleum gas facilities and appliances shall comply with rule 481—286.1(101). [ARC 9474C, IAB 8/6/25, effective 9/10/25; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/26/25]

following exceptions, the 2017 Food Code with Supplement of the Food and Drug Administration as the state’s “food code,” which is the inspection standard for food establishments. 31.1(1) Unattended food establishments—assignment of responsibility. For the purposes of section 2-10…

standards for food processing plants including food storage facilities. 31.2(1) Definitions. For the purposes of this rule, the definitions of “food,” “label,” “labeling,” and “dietary supplement” are as defined in 21 U.S.C. Section 321. 31.2(2) Prohibited acts. The prohibited ac…

adulterated food. “Adulterated” is defined in the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Section 402, as amended to March 11, 2026. Adulterated food shall be disposed of in a reasonable manner as determined by the department. The destruction of adulterated food may be watched by a…

shall be legibly printed and not be deceptive as to the true nature of the article or place of production. [ARC 0059D, IAB 2/4/26, effective 3/11/26]

safety food licensees. While the retail food code adopted in rule 481—31.1(137F) applies to temporary food establishments, the following subrules provide a simplified version of requirements for temporary food establishments. If the two rules are inconsistent, the standards in th…

“Certificate of compliance.” A certification that is filed with the commissioner that indicates that the third-party agency has approved specific models or model groups of factory-built structures as meeting the state building code. (More information contained in paragraph 321.61…

PART 1—MODULAR FACTORY-BUILT STRUCTURES 481—321.610(103A) “Modular factory-built structures.” Part 1 of this chapter contains the rules and regulations applicable to all factory-built structures that are not specifically included in Part 2. 321.610(1) Authority to promulgate rule…

PART 2—MANUFACTURED HOUSING

321.620(1) Authority to promulgate rules. Pursuant to Public Law 93-383, Section 604, of the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Act of 1974, specified in 42 U.S.C. 5403 and signed into law on August 22, 1974, the authority to promulgate rules and regulations in or…

321.621(1) Authority. These rules and regulations are to establish minimum requirements for the installation of manufactured homes as authorized by Iowa Code sections 103A.7(2)“c” and 103A.9. 321.621(2) Application. a. These rules apply to the initial installation of manufactured…

321.623(1) Application for seals. Any installer who has met the applicable requirements of 481—Chapter 325 may apply for installation seals as needed. Such seals may be obtained from the commissioner or local building officials or building department who is a participant in the s…

provide a method by which manufactured homes that have been installed prior to August 12, 1983, can be sold without requiring a new tie-down system to be installed and to allow existing manufactured homes that are properly supported and anchored to be sold without installing new …

structures. 321.628(1) Any governmental subdivision that has adopted the state building code or any other building code is required to enforce the state building code requirements for the installation of factory-built structures (Iowa Code section 103A.9(1)“d”(1)). 321.628(2) Gov…

321.629(1) Submission by manufacturer. The manufacturer of each manufactured home installed in Iowa shall submit to the building code commissioner a copy of the installation instructions by mail in printed form and in an electronic form acceptable to the commissioner. 321.629(2) …

322.11(1) First time installation. Manufactured homes shall be installed according to one of the following: a. Homes manufactured prior to October 20, 2008, which are being installed for the first time will be installed with support and anchorage as recommended by the manufacture…

commissioner may suspend any requirement established in this chapter or 481—Chapter 321 for the installation of manufactured homes, provided that all of the following apply: 322.12(1) The installation is within an area that is currently subject to a disaster emergency proclamatio…

[ARC 9475C, IAB 8/6/25, effective 9/10/25; Editorial change: IAC Supplement 11/26/25]

322.20(1) All remittances of fees shall be made by check or money order payable to Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing—Building Code Bureau and remitted to the Building Code Bureau, Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, 6200 Park Avenue, Des M…