Section 903.2/Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required (2024 Edition)
IBC 2024 Section 903.2 covers when sprinklers are required with expanded triggers and mass timber provisions.
The 2024 IBC maintains the general sprinkler requirements from 2021 and adds new triggers. Group A assembly occupancies with an occupant load exceeding 100 (previously 300 for some subcategories) require sprinklers. Group S-2 parking garages have revised thresholds. The 12,000 square foot threshold for Group B, F, M, and S occupancies remains, as does the requirement for stories without sprinkler protection that cannot be accessed by fire department apparatus. The 2024 edition also adds provisions for mass timber buildings of Type IV-A, IV-B, and IV-C construction.
Key changes from IBC 2021
The most significant sprinkler changes in the 2024 edition relate to tall mass timber buildings (Sections 504.3, 504.4) which have specific sprinkler requirements tied to their construction type. The 2024 edition also aligns more closely with NFPA 13 2022 edition references, replacing the 2019 NFPA 13 reference in the 2021 IBC. Assembly occupancy sprinkler triggers were tightened for some subcategories.
What plan reviewers look for
Plan reviewers check whether the project falls under the 2021 or 2024 IBC based on the jurisdiction's adoption. They verify the sprinkler triggers against the correct edition's Section 903.2 subsections. For mass timber projects, they check the Type IV subcategory (A, B, or C) and the corresponding sprinkler requirements. They verify the NFPA 13 edition referenced matches the adopted IBC edition.