Section 1015.1/Exit and Exit Access Doorways (2018 Edition)
IBC 2018 Section 1015 covers exit and exit access doorway requirements, the edition still adopted by many jurisdictions.
Rooms and spaces with an occupant load exceeding the Table 1015.1 thresholds must have at least two exit access doorways. The threshold is 49 occupants for most occupancies and 10 occupants for high-hazard spaces. When two exit access doorways are required, they must be placed at a distance apart equal to at least one-half the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the room. This separation ensures that a single fire event cannot block both exits simultaneously.
Key differences from IBC 2021
The 2021 IBC reorganized the means of egress chapters. The 2018 exit access doorway requirements in Section 1015 correspond to Section 1006.2 in the 2021 edition. The technical requirements are similar, but the section numbering differs. Jurisdictions still on the 2018 IBC cycle must use the 1015 numbering. The 2021 edition also refined some of the occupant load thresholds and travel distance measurements.
What plan reviewers look for
Plan reviewers check the occupant load of each room against the Table 1015.1 thresholds. For rooms requiring two exit access doorways, they measure the separation distance between doorways and verify it meets the one-half diagonal requirement. They check that each doorway leads to a separate path of egress travel.