Building Codes Adoption 

Playbook 

For Authorities Having Jurisdiction 

FEMA P-2196 / August 2022 
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Introduction 

FEMA’s Building Codes Adoption Playbook for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is intended for 

officials involved in adopting and enforcing building codes. The Playbook provides guidance to AHJs 

considering the adoption of the most current model building codes to mitigate damage and loss 

caused by future natural hazards. This is accomplished by providing general knowledge on the 

importance of building codes, general steps to adopt and enforce them, information on FEMA grants 

and references to additional resources.

As a result of its long history with natural disasters and developing state-of-the-art, natural hazardresistant, design guidance and code change proposals, FEMA recognizes that buildings constructed 

in accordance with current codes protect lives and reduce the consequences of natural hazards. 

Because buildings generally have over a 50-year life span and comprise the largest subset of the 

nation’s infrastructure, the risk to the nation is incredibly significant. FEMA strongly encourages using 

current natural hazard-resistant codes and standards in the construction of new buildings and the 

repair, alteration and addition of existing buildings. 

Figure 1. Natural Hazard Events 

Earthquakes Hurricanes Floods High Winds Wildland Fires Other Hazards 

FEMA embraces local leadership, control and responsibility in its programs and policies. AHJs are 

government agencies at the state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) level responsible for the adoption 

and enforcement of building codes within their community. They can be composed of building, 

floodplain management, public works, zoning, planning, fire and other local government officials 

having authority in how or where buildings are constructed. Adopting and enforcing a comprehensive 

package of building codes and standards is crucial to community resiliency. 

Depending on state and local laws and regulations, AHJs may customize or amend their specific 

adoption and enforcement ordinances to meet their needs. However, the weakening of natural 

hazard provisions is discouraged. FEMA encourages and, in some instances, incentivizes jurisdictions 

to base their adoption ordinances on nationally recognized model building codes that reduce risk 

from natural hazards.

Building codes, in general, refer to sets of requirements governing the design, construction, 

alteration, maintenance and use of buildings. They specify the minimum requirements to 

adequately safeguard building occupants’ health, safety and welfare.

Model building codes refer to minimum design provisions and practices established by 

nationally recognized coordinating bodies made up of building professionals from all interested 

organizations. They are developed using consensus processes, they require the use of 

referenced national consensus standards and specifications and they can be used as templates 

for AHJs to use when developing their local ordinances.

Authorities Having Jurisdiction adopt and enforce a comprehensive building code package 

by ordinance. They can adopt the model codes in their entirety or amend them as necessary 

depending on their laws and regulations.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table Of Contents

Overview .............................................................................................................................................1 

Building Codes 101 ........................................................................................................................... 1

Staying Current .................................................................................................................................. 3 

Enforcement is Key ........................................................................................................................... 3 

Validating Building Performance ...................................................................................................... 4 

Building Codes Save Lives and Money ...........................................................................................5 

Life Safety and Equity ...................................................................................................................... 6 

Economic Benefits ............................................................................................................................ 6 

Climate Change ................................................................................................................................. 7 

The I-Codes .........................................................................................................................................8 

Overview of the ICC Code Development Cycle ..............................................................................9 

Tracking Code Adoption Nationwide ............................................................................................11 

Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule ............................................................................11

FEMA Building Code Adoption Tracking .........................................................................................11

Maximizing FEMA Funding Opportunities ................................................................................... 13 

Incentivizing Adoption .....................................................................................................................13

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities ......................................................................13

Other Building Code Funding Opportunities ..................................................................................18

Code Adoption Checklists ..............................................................................................................19 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

 

 

 

Building Code Adoption Checklist for Jurisdictions ....................................................................20 

Recommended Adoption Checklist ................................................................................................20

Statewide Building Code Adoption Checklist ..............................................................................22 

Recommended Legislative Action Checklist ..................................................................................22 

Recommended Regulatory Action Checklist .................................................................................23 

Code Enforcement Process ............................................................................................................24 

How Building Code Enforcement Works ........................................................................................24 

Resources ........................................................................................................................................26 

Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................................27 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Overview 

Building Codes 101

Natural hazards (such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, straight-line winds and 

wildfires) don’t occur every day, but when they do there can be severe consequences for a 

community. AHJs are in uniquely powerful positions to protect their communities through smart 

planning and regulation. Adopting and enforcing current building codes that provide natural hazard 

resistance is an important tool that has been shown to save lives and money.

Building codes are sets of minimum requirements governing the design, construction, alteration, 

maintenance and use of structures and are developed through consensus processes. From a desire 

to protect people’s lives, today’s code landscape has evolved into a formidable package of minimum 

building requirements to protect building occupants as well as the public’s health, safety and 

general welfare. They have continued to evolve to address accessibility, sustainability and the latest 

construction materials and methods. These include wide-ranging parent and companion building 

codes, structural design standards, material-specific standards, voluntary standards and product 

quality specifications.

Figure 2. Evolution of Building Codes 

LEGACY REGIONAL CODES 

Uniform 

Building Code 

Southern Standard 

Building Code 

National 

Building Code 

CITIES REGIONAL NATIONAL

Building codes developed naturally in the United States as technology and building science 

evolved and best practices were agreed upon. As depicted in Figure 2, building codes were 

first developed by larger cities in response to significant life-safety events. Over time, common 

construction practices were identified on a regional level and became standard practice, leading 

to the development of regional model codes. These regional model codes saved AHJs time and 

money by introducing a building code template. As the construction and materials industries 

developed nationally, the regional code-making bodies merged to form the International Code 

Council (ICC) to provide model codes with building practices that were widely accepted across the 

entire country.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Multiple entities develop model building codes including the International Code Council, National 

Fire Protection Association and International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials. FEMA’s 

primary focus is on those nationally recognized model building codes that provide natural hazard 

risk reduction including those hazards affected by climate change. Currently, the most widely 

recognized and adopted set of model building codes that address natural hazard resistance are 

published by the International Code Council and are referred to as the I-Codes. 

The flagship ICC model building codes are the International Building Code (IBC), the International 

Existing Building Code (IEBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). These three model codes 

can be considered parent codes that coordinate all other codes. Combined with discipline-specific 

companion codes, including fire, plumbing, mechanical and others, a comprehensive package is 

formed. This package includes referenced national consensus material and engineering standards 

and product quality specifications, thereby incorporating the scientific understanding produced by 

specialized organizations. Compliance with the referenced standards within each code is necessary 

for compliance with the code. 

It is important to note that model building codes do not carry the authority of law by themselves. 

They must be explicitly selected and adopted through ordinance by the AHJ to become legally 

enforceable in accordance with state and local laws and regulations. AHJs should remember that 

weakening the natural hazard-resistant provisions of the model codes through amendment increases 

the vulnerability of their communities. Examples of weakening natural hazard-resistant provisions 

include, but are not limited to, removing flood elevation requirements or reducing seismic or wind 

load design values.

Additionally, building codes adopted and enforced by AHJs are typically non-retroactive. Therefore, 

even full adoption and enforcement of the latest model codes does not imply that all buildings in 

the community are protected from future natural hazard impacts. Vulnerable existing buildings, even 

if they are prohibited by current codes, do not trigger code enforcement actions. Within the IEBC, 

retrofit is only voluntary unless triggered by certain damage, alterations, additions or change of 

use. An AHJ could include additional mandatory retrofit requirements in its building code adoption 

ordinance or issue a special ordinance. For example, communities with earthquake risk should 

consider retrofit or replacement of buildings constructed using unreinforced masonry.

Going Beyond the Minimum 

Building codes represent a community’s minimum requirements for projects to protect life within 

its jurisdiction. Property owners, designers, and builders can and should consider exceeding 

these minimums to protect their investments and to make their communities more resilient to 

natural hazards. Programs like FORTIFIED can be a tool for achieving higher levels of performance 

and, in some areas, building to these standards can reduce insurance premiums. Also, several 

FEMA products, such as FEMA 232, Home Builders Guide for Earthquake Resistant Design 

and Construction and FEMA P-804, Protect Your Property from High Winds: Wind Retrofit Guide 

for Residential Buildings identify a series of “above code recommendations” to provide better 

performance. 

Ultimately, a qualified team of building design professionals can provide significant low-cost 

improvements in building performance if initiated early in the design process. What works to 

protect from one hazard may also help to satisfy the needs of another hazard if thoughtfully 

designed.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Staying Current

Model building codes improve with each edition based on lessons learned, building science 

advancements, engineering practices and technological advances. The I-Codes are updated on a 

three-year cycle and incorporate current information such as updated wind speed maps, snow load 

maps and seismic ground motion maps. The code update process is open to any interested parties 

and includes hearings and public comment periods. Each code change proposal is evaluated to avoid 

unwarranted increases in construction cost. It is critical that states and localities adopt the most 

current edition of the model codes, and consider implementing a process to facilitate continuous 

adoption. 

! A majority of communities where natural hazard risk has been identified have not adopted

the current or next most recent version of natural hazard-resistant building codes. 

For ways FEMA can help your community with building code adoption and enforcement, please read 

the section “Maximizing FEMA Funding Opportunities.”

Enforcement is Key

For most AHJs, enforcement is a process carried out by a team of building code professionals. It can 

be an official part of the AHJ’s governmental organization called the Department of Building and 

Safety or similar, a contracted function or some combination of the two. It includes building officials 

like plans examiners and inspectors with specialized skillsets based on the occupancy, size, type 

of the building, material of construction, or mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems. It may also 

include permit technicians, zoning, planning, fire or floodplain management officials. The 2021 IBC 

Appendix A describes this essential team’s best qualifications, experience, training and certifications.

An adopted building code package is just words without enforcement. Brand new homes can 

still be vulnerable to damage from small events if the AHJ’s code package requires components 

such as anchor bolts to attach a house to its foundation, but they aren’t installed or installed 

incorrectly.

For more information on enforcement, please read the section “Code Enforcement Process.”

Paperwork by Scott Graham
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Validating Building Performance

Mitigation Assessment Team 

For over 30 years, FEMA has deployed Mitigation Assessment Teams (MAT) to assess the 

performance of buildings in areas that were hit by natural hazards. The teams investigate why some 

buildings were able to withstand the harsh effects of the natural hazard while others experienced 

devastating damage. Through the MAT efforts, FEMA has conducted multiple post-hazard 

assessments and has released studies that show the proven benefits of adopting building codes. 

Figure 3 details how the lessons learned from such incidents feed into guidance, tools and code 

development.

Figure 3. Building Science Cycle 

Guidance and 

Tools Development 

Building Codes and Standards 

HAZARD RESISTANCE 

Outreach and Implementation 

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 

Reduced Disaster 

Losses 

Lessons Learned 

Research to Practice 

Research/ 

New Knowledge 

MAT studies have consistently shown that buildings constructed without implementing natural 

hazard-resistant provisions performed worse than those that were built with those provisions. 

Following a deployment, FEMA publishes the observations and recommendations of a MAT in reports. 

Buildings that experience the most damage were often not built in accordance with a current code or 

were built using older code editions. Correlating with the regular updates and improvements made 

to model codes, buildings built to more recent code editions fared better than buildings built to older 

editions due to scientific advances.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Building Codes Save Lives and 

Money 

On January 12th, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti. The event was 

catastrophic, with an official toll of upwards of 300,000 fatalities. A main contributing factor to the 

high death toll was Haiti’s lack of earthquake hazard resistance in their buildings. 

On February 27th of that year, the country of Chile was struck by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and 

a resulting tsunami. Although buildings sustained damage, the impacts were reduced due to Chile’s 

strict building codes that were adopted in the aftermath of an earthquake experienced in the 1960s. 

Around 500 lost their lives in 2010. 

The struggles these two countries experienced teach us two important lessons:

1. Natural hazard-resistant building codes work. While any life lost is a tragedy, the 

communities in Chile suffered less tragedy and death due to Chile’s decision to 

implement building codes after an earthquake in the 1960s. 

2. Communities should be proactive and not wait to experience a disaster before choosing 

to protect themselves. One of the most impactful strategies for protecting buildings and 

society from natural hazards is the adoption and enforcement of natural hazard-resistant 

building codes. 

“Strong, hazard-resistant building codes are a cornerstone of loss reduction. 

They save property, but more importantly, they save lives”. 

- FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell 

Communities that have adopted and enforced 

current building codes have avoided at least $32 

billion in losses from natural hazards since 2000. 

It is estimated that the savings could accumulate 

up to $132 billion over the next 40 years. While 

adopting the latest building codes may seem costly, 

the added cost for natural hazard resistance is often 

quite small. The additional cost of roof tie-downs and 

window protection required by current codes in highwind regions of the country is, on average, less than 

2% of total construction costs and affords enormous 

future savings in avoided damages. 

20 Years $32 billion

losses avoided 

40 Years $132 billion

losses avoided 

Figure 4. Future Savings from Adopting 

Current Building Codes 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Life Safety and Equity 

Building codes are one of the most effective ways to ensure the safety of those within a community 

during a natural hazard. Between 2010 and 2020, the National Weather Service reported a ten-year 

average of 94 tornado-related fatalities. In addition to that, the Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves 

Study determined that about 1,600 people experience nonfatal injuries for every one fatality caused 

by natural hazards. In an effort to show the benefit-cost of natural hazard mitigation, the Natural 

Hazard Mitigation Saves Study also revealed that new buildings designed above the 2015 I-Codes 

edition would prevent the following:

32,000 non-fatal 

injuries each year 20 deaths each year 100 cases of PTSD each year 

Building codes can benefit all structures and communities. People with lower incomes tend to 

experience greater challenges when natural hazards strike, especially if their home does not 

incorporate building codes. A way to help address this issue is to increase the natural hazard 

resistance of new affordable housing through the adoption of current building codes. Minimizing 

damage through natural hazard resistance lessens the time it takes for these residents to recover 

from a natural hazard and ensures all community members have the opportunity to live in a home 

that keeps them safe against natural hazards.

Economic Benefits

Along with increased life safety and financial 

savings from reduced damage, building codes 

can provide other economic benefits such as 

increased property value and reduced insurance 

premiums. Data from Verisk’s Building Code 

Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS), 

which classifies a municipality’s adoption and 

enforcement of building codes, provides many 

benefits to the community and the individual. 

BCEGS classification can help lower insurance 

rates and boost grant opportunities for programs 

such as FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure 

and Communities Grant Program. Furthermore, the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community 

Rating System is a voluntary incentive program that uses BCEGS data and encourages community 

adoption of natural hazard-resistant building codes to exceed the minimum National Flood Insurance 

Program requirements. The Community Rating System incentivizes code adoption by discounting the 

community’s flood insurance premiums where current model building codes have been adopted and 

enforced.

Figure 5. FEMA P-2022, MAT Report: 

Hurricane Harvey in Texas found that 

flood insurance claims of elevated homes 

required by current code were about 95% 

lower than non-elevated homes after 

Hurricane Harvey. 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Additional Studies 

FEMA has conducted and supported studies such as the Building Codes Save Study and National 

Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves Study which evaluated the cost, 

benefits and the financial losses avoided in communities that implement building codes. 

Figure 6 highlights key findings from the Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves Study that showcase how 

adopting current natural hazard-resistant building codes benefits everyone.

Mitigation Category Cost Benefit Benefit-Cost Ratio

Riverine Flood $0.09 $0.55 6:1

Hurricane Flood $0.53 $5.55 10:1

Earthquake $0.58 $6.90 12:1

Total for adopting 2018 I-Codes $1.20 $13.00 11:1 

Figure 6. Costs and benefits associated with constructing new buildings to meet the 2018 IRC 

and IBC (in $ billions).

Climate Change

As a result of climate change, natural hazards are becoming more frequent and intense. A 

comprehensive building code package that includes minimum or even enhanced natural hazardresistant provisions is one of the best ways for communities to adapt to evolving risks posed by 

a changing climate. The evolution of natural hazard-resistant provisions in model building codes 

ensures minimum requirements do not remain stagnant and better reflect a changing world.

House in Massachusetts by Todd Kent
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

The I-Codes 

While the majority of this playbook is focused on building codes and building code adoption, there 

are many different codes that are established under the ICC’s family of codes. Below is a brief 

overview of ICC’s family of codes, as well as their importance.

International Building Code

The IBC consists of provisions that can apply to all new buildings.

International Residential Code 

The IRC consists of provisions designed to address the natural hazard-resistance of 

single-family houses, two-family houses and townhouses. 

International Existing Building Code 

The IEBC consists of provisions that apply to existing buildings undergoing repairs, 

alterations, additions or change of use. The IEBC is particularly useful in the repair 

of damaged buildings.

Figure 7. ICC I-Codes Suite

The ICC develops 15 model codes used to regulate 

the design and construction of buildings (see 

Figure 7 for the other codes). Many of the codes 

focus on discipline-specific applications that, when 

packaged together, will benefit the communities 

who adopt and enforce them. Codes such as the 

International Fire Code and International WildlandUrban Interface Code address making buildings 

more resilient against fire events, including 

explosions and wildfires. Other codes, such as 

the International Energy Conservation Code and International Green Construction Code, contain 

provisions for constructing buildings that conserve energy and are more environmentally friendly. 

In addition to code development, ICC also develops standards following the ANSI consensus-based 

process. Some of these ICC standards are referenced in the I-Codes. 

For more information, please visit codes.iccsafe.org.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Builders with Drawing by Pixy.org

Overview of the ICC Code 

Development Cycle 

Did You Know? 

ICC develops national model building codes through the governmental consensus process. 

How often are codes developed or updated? 

New editions of the I-Codes are released every three years. 

The code development process occurs in intervening years 

and can be summarized as follows:

1. Stakeholders, including members of the public, can

submit proposed changes.

2. Proposed changes are considered in open committee

and public comment hearings.

3. The new code editions are finalized and published, and

the process starts again to develop the next edition.

Who Serves on ICC Committees?

Committee members are organized by one of three 

categories:

General: 

government regulatory 

agencies

User: 

building owners, designers, 

insurance companies, private 

inspection agencies, academics

Producer: 

builders, contractors, 

manufacturers, distributors 

and labor
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

How can I participate?

1 Anyone can submit a code change proposal. If you believe there’s a code provision that 

needs to be added, improvement or removed, it’s as simple as visiting cdpACCESS® to 

submit a code change.

2 Submit a public comment in favor or against any code change proposal in response to 

the committee recommendations online by emailing memberinput@iccsafe.org.

3 Interested in joining a committee? Visit ICC’s Call for Councils and Committees to 

apply.

4 Testify in favor of or against any code change by attending Code Action Hearings.

Visit the International Code Council’s Current Code Development Cycle page for information specific 

to the latest cycle. 

Construction Worker by Josh Olalde
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Tracking Code Adoption 

Nationwide 

Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule

Verisk administers the Building Code Effectiveness 

Grading Schedule to participating communities. The 

BCEGS program evaluates building code enforcement 

efforts at the jurisdiction level in three areas: code 

administration, plan review and field inspection. Verisk 

collects and analyzes more than 1,200 data elements 

to calculate scores for one- and two-family residential 

properties and for commercial or industrial properties. 

Scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum 

of 100. Verisk translates the scores to a scaled 

class rating from 1 (exemplary commitment to building code enforcement) to 10. Communities are 

reevaluated generally every four to five years nationally (every three years in Florida) or as substantial 

changes are made to department operations. FEMA leverages some of this data for building code 

adoption tracking and grants’ criteria. Note: BCEGS scores are proprietary to Verisk, but that Verisk 

always shares the score with the community to which it pertains. 

For more information, contact Verisk’s mitigation team via email at BCEGS_info@verisk.com or call 

their mitigation specialists at 1-800-444-4554.

Did You Know? 

BCEGS assigns each community a 

rating of 1 (highest possible rating) to 

10 (lowest possible rating) based on its 

commitment to adopting and enforcing 

building codes. 

FEMA Building Code Adoption Tracking

FEMA tracks the natural hazard-resistant building 

code adoption status for state, local, tribal and 

territorial governments, covering approximately 22,000 

jurisdictions across the nation. This effort, often referred 

to as Building Code Adoption Tracking (BCAT), evaluates 

several aspects of a community’s natural hazard risks 

and building code adoption, including:

 State or territory requirements for mandatory building 

code adoption

 Building code adoption status for jurisdictions, including construction requirements for 

residential and commercial

 Identification of known weakenings of natural hazard-resistant provisions.

22,000

The approximate number of 

jurisdictions for which FEMA tracks 

current building code adoption status. 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Figure 8. BCAT Map of the United States grouped by FEMA regions (July 2022)

AK

AZ

NV UT

CA

NM

OR

WA

WY

ID

MT ND

SD

NE

CO

KS

OK

TX

MN

IA

MO

AR

LA

WI

MI

IL IN

KY

TN

MS AL GA

FL

SC

NC

VA

OH

WV

RI

DE

NJ PA

NY

ME

NH

VT

MA

CT

MD

HI

DC

PR

USVI CNMI

AS

GU

Higher Resistance (75.0% to 100% of tracked jurisdictions are resistant) 

Moderate Resistance (25.0% to 74.9% of tracked jurisdictions are resistant) 

Lower Resistance 0% to 24.9% of tracked jurisdictions are resistant) 

BCAT Portal 

The data FEMA has collected through BCAT is 

presented through the BCAT Portal, which is an 

interactive map designed through a web-based 

geographic information system that presents data 

down to the jurisdiction level. The map tracks multiple 

natural hazards and displays the following information:

 Code adoption information for Census 

Incorporated Places

 Additional metadata such as the latest decennial 

U.S. Census population and National Flood 

Insurance Program Community Identification 

number

 High-risk areas, code adoption and weakening 

amendments viewable for each individual hazard 

or through a combined hazards layer

Figure 9. BCAT Portal

 Did You Know? 

BCAT is a year-round endeavor. The 

interactive portal is updated every 

quarter while the FEMA Regional fact 

sheets are released every spring. 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

 

Maximizing FEMA Funding 

Opportunities 

Incentivizing Adoption

Natural hazard-resistant communities begin with modern building codes. Looking for ways to fund more

robust codes in your community? FEMA offers a multitude of grants focused on helping communities 

to adopt and enforce building codes. 

i Contact your state hazard mitigation officer for assistance on grant opportunities.

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

FEMA administers the Building Resilient 

Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant

program to help the nation unlock its mitigation 

potential through annual funding opportunities 

that support communities to undertake mitigation 

projects. Building code activities can be funded 

under eligible Capability- and Capacity-Building 

activities (C&CB). 

 

This document uses the FY21 BRIC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as an example. Please visit 

BRIC’s homepage to learn about the latest NOFO.

 Did You Know? 

BRIC has fully embraced building 

codes by boosting subapplicant scores 

when applicants have adopted current 

building codes.

Table 1. Total Available BRIC FY21 Funding

Total Available BRIC Funding 

$1 Billion 

Uses of Assistance 

$56M

State/Territory 

Allocations 

$25M

Tribal Set-Aside 

$919M

National Competition 

of Mitigation Projects 

Management Costs ✓ ✓ ✓

Capability and 

Capacity Building 

Activities 

✓ ✓

Mitigation Projects ✓ ✓ ✓
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Funding for Building Code Projects 

BRIC has placed building codes at the forefront of resilience by funding adoption and enforcement 

projects through its C&CB activities:

C&CB activities must result in a resource, strategy or tangible mitigation product that will reduce 

or eliminate risk and damage from future natural hazards, increase resiliency and promote a 

culture of preparedness. 

C&CB activities are eligible under BRIC’s State/Territory Allocation and Tribal Set-Aside, both of which 

can offer up to $1 million per applicant.

C&CB Activity 

Eligibility 

Open to: 

 State/Territory Allocation: All 50 states, the District of Columbia and

U.S. territories may apply

 Tribal Set-Aside: All federally recognized tribal governments may appl

Eligible Activities: Building Codes (see next page), Partnerships Project 

Scoping, Mitigation Planning and Planning-Related Activities

y

Homes in North Carolina by Zac Gudakov
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Examples of Eligible Building Code & Enforcement Activities under BRIC 

Capability- and Capacity-Building 

Evaluate adoption and/or implementation of codes that reduce risk 

	Evaluate which code adoption and enforcement activities are best suited for the jurisdiction

	Adopt building codes or develop building code requirements that help make the community 

more resilient

	Develop activities related to improving code enforcement

Enhance existing adopted codes to incorporate more current requirements or 

higher standards 

	Improve or modify current or existing building code requirements to reflect current code 

edition, exceed current code edition, or develop or modify building code–coordinated 

requirements, including publication of those requirements, that help make the community 

more resilient

	Enhance existing adopted codes and enforcement to incorporate more current requirements, 

higher standards, electronic permitting, online code access, virtual inspection technology, 

and remote building codes administration

	Conduct public awareness outreach activities (related to new requirements)

Develop professional workforce capabilities through technical assistance and 

training 

	Provide or pursue training, including individual certification courses (inspector, plans 

reviewer, certified floodplain manager, etc.) and training for both the public and private sector 

	Develop planning, training, and exercises for post-hazard building code enforcement through 

the International Code Council’s When Disaster Strike’s Institute training course

	Develop or acquire software and hardware, and associated training, to assist with plan 

reviews, permitting, inspections, and records retention

	Engage consulting services to support activities related to building codes

	Cover costs associated with building department accreditation

	Purchase publications, or obtain digital license or printing permissions of publications, to 

support building code activities
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

How Building Codes Will Help You Win a Competitive BRIC Grant

While funding for building code activities is eligible under BRIC’s Capability- and Capacity-Building 

activities under BRIC’s State/Territory Allocation and Tribal Set-Aside, building code-related projects 

are not eligible under BRIC’s national competition. That said, building code-related criteria do factor 

into how prospective competitive grants are scored and awarded funding.

Technical Criterion 4: Applicant has Mandatory Tribal-, Territory-, or State-Wide Building 

Code Adoption Requirement.

“To receive the point allotment for this criterion, the applicant must have adopted 

mandatory tribal-, territory-, or state-wide building codes based on versions listed 

below of both the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential 

Code (IRC) model codes published by the International Code Council.” 

Figure 10. Point Allocation for Scoring BRIC’s Technical Criteria

As shown in Figure 10, applicants who successfully meet the two building code-related 

criteria are guaranteed nearly thirty-five percent of all available points, thus helping 

guarantee a successful application. 

House Floor Plan by Pixabay
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Technical Criterion 5: Subapplicant has Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule 

Rating.

“The BCEGS is an independent assessment of a community’s building code 

adoption and enforcement activities, resulting in a score of 1 (best) to 10. For more 

information on BCEGS, please visit the ISO-Mitigation website. 

To receive the point allotment for this criterion, a subapplicant at the local level 

(including those located in territories) must have a BCEGS rating between 1 and 5 

(considered by FEMA as a disaster-resistant code) when the application is submitted. 

To receive the point allotment for this criterion, a state or territory acting as a 

subapplicant must: 

 Have a class ranking between 1 and 5 on both the Commercial and Residential 

BCEGS State Averages as indicated in the 2020 State Averages as published on 

ISO’s website at https://www.isomitigation.com/bcegs/facts-and-figures/; or 

 Submit a BCEGS score provided by ISO (for territories and the District of 

Columbia) 

Subapplicants at the state or territory level may submit documentation verified by ISO 

that provides more updated information on their BCEGS rating, if applicable. BCEGS 

scores for tribal applicants/subapplicants are required but can be dependent on the 

relationship between the local municipality and the tribal entity that determines how 

building code requirements are managed.” 

For information on how points are allocated per code adoption status combination, please review 

the table below:

Table 2. Technical Criterion 4 Adoption Status Combinations 

2015 International 

Building Code 

2018 International 

Building Code 

2021 International 

Building Code 

2015 International 

Residential Code 10 10 10 

2018 International 

Residential Code 10 20 20 

2021 International 

Residential Code 10 20 20 

For more information on how competitive grants are scored under BRIC’s Technical Criteria, please 

visit BRIC’s page on what to do before applying.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

BRIC Direct Technical Assistance

BRIC Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) can provide project or application-specific and communitywide resilience needs for up to 36 months after the declared disaster. FEMA can connect 

communities with experienced mentors who provide support and lessons learned. There is no DTA 

requirement for a previous BRIC grant sub-application or award or an approved hazard mitigation 

plan. For more information on DTA, please review the Program Support Material.

Other Building Code Funding Opportunities

FEMA provides many building code-funding opportunities beyond BRIC. The following chart details 

the grant program’s name, who can apply and what potential eligible activities are available to help 

adopt or enforce building codes. For more information, click on the grant title to get more details.

NEHRP State 

Assistance Grant 

Program 

Hazard Mitigation 

Grant Program 

Hazard Mitigation 

Grant Program PostFire Funding 

Public Assistance 

Program 

Non-Disaster Disaster-Related Disaster-Related Disaster-Related

Open To: 

States and territories 

determined to have 

a high or very highrisk of earthquakes 

(Individual State 

Earthquake 

Assistance) or Nonprofits and higher 

State, territories and 

tribal governments 

submit on behalf of 

subapplicants after 

presidential major 

disaster declaration.

State, territories and 

tribal governments 

affected by fires 

that resulted in a 

Fire Management 

Assistance Grant 

declaration on or after 

October 5, 2018 with 

Government or Private 

Non-profits up to 180 

days following the 

disaster.

Please see DRRA 

1206 flyer for more 

details. 

education institutes 

(Multi-State and 

National Earthquake 

Assistance).

a FEMA-approved 

mitigation plan.

Eligible Code Activities: 

Update building 

codes, zoning codes 

and ordinances to 

enhance seismic 

safety

Post-Disaster Code 

Enforcement

Building Code 

Improvements: 

Evaluate or implement 

building codes 

that reduce risk, 

enhance existing 

building codes to 

incorporate more 

current requirements 

or higher standards, 

develop professional 

workforce capabilities.

Building Code 

Administration, 

Code Enforcement, 

Floodplain 

Management 

Ordinance 

Administration 

and Enforcement, 

Substantial Damage 

Determinations

Other federal agencies including the Department of Energy and Department of Housing and 

Urban Development also have programs that support the adoption and implementation of codes. 

Jurisdictions should also identify opportunities to leverage this funding.
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Code Adoption Checklists 

Two adoption checklists are presented here to help inform those in charge of building code adoption 

of the general processes followed. 

If you are involved in the local government, please reference the Building Code Adoption Checklist 

for Jurisdictions page. If you are involved in statewide building code adoption, please refer to the 

Statewide Building Code Adoption Checklist page.

Often, a jurisdiction’s authority to adopt building codes is dependent on the level of home-rule 

authority granted by the state to its political subdivisions. Broadly speaking, there are two general 

categories states fall into, although some may not fall into either category or may be a combination of 

both. Those categories are:

 Non-Home Rule: Jurisdictions do not inherently possess the authority to amend the state building 

code (if there is one) nor to adopt their own code but may do so if and only if the state has 

formally delegated such authority to them.

 Home Rule: Jurisdictions do not need the state to expressly grant them the authority to adopt 

a building code but instead inherently possess that authority. However, if the state has adopted 

and mandated a building code statewide, this may restrict the local jurisdiction’s ability to adopt 

a separate code or to amend the state’s code with local amendments and may even override a 

local building code previously adopted by the jurisdiction.

 In states that adopt a statewide building code and follow a combination of the two rules, 

jurisdictions are permitted to modify the state code with local amendments applicable within 

their respective boundaries.

i Contact your office of legal counsel to learn more about your legal authority. 

 Did You Know? 

Requiring current natural hazard-resistant codes—i.e., the IRC and IBC—could prevent roughly 

$14,000 in losses per building in areas where codes have not been updated in the past two 

decades, an $11 to $1 return on investment.

$14,000 

losses prevented per building 

$11 to $1 

return on investment 
20

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Building Code Adoption Checklist 

for Jurisdictions 

As noted in the ”Code Adoption Checklists” page, a jurisdiction’s ability to adopt building codes can 

vary. The following checklist provides a general overview of how local jurisdictions can go about 

adopting current, natural hazard-resistant building codes. 

Recommended Adoption Checklist

If your state, tribe or territory follows Non-Home Rule exclusively, please visit here for information on 

your statewide building codes and who to contact for related questions. 

Jurisdiction Code Adoption Checklist Checkbox 

1. Determine if your jurisdiction has the legal authority to adopt its own codes. 

If your jurisdiction has the legislative authority to adopt its own code, please proceed to step 2a.

If your state has adopted a code and your jurisdiction has the power to choose whether to adopt 

the state code, please proceed to step 2b.

2a. Reach out to your local International Code Council chapter or Government 

Relations Representative for help determining which I-Code editions should 

be adopted and enforced in your area. Chapter representatives can also help 

you determine if any modifications are necessary through formal amendment. 

Remember, natural hazards are unpredictable and only getting stronger due to 

climate change. AHJs should consider above-model code legislation. 

For additional information, sample code ordinances can be found here. 



2b. Decide whether you would like to adopt the code chosen by your state. Typically, 

the AHJ will release a public notice of intent and give the public an opportunity to 

review the proposed code and formally submit proposals for code amendments. 

The proposals are voted on by a council composed of representative stakeholders 

such as government agencies, utility companies, professionals from the design 

and construction industry, builders and others. The approved amendments are 

then incorporated into a revised code, which gets voted on by the council in order 

to formally adopt. Amendments to remove or weaken the natural hazard-resistant 

provisions of the code should not be approved. 


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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Jurisdiction Code Adoption Checklist Checkbox 

3. A group of representatives appointed by the governing body or administration

should release a notice to the public describing the code.

The notice should state the following:

 The purpose of adopting a building code

 The name of the building code that will be adopted

 Stakeholders who support the adoption of this code

Consult your city, county or state attorney for the available options.



4. Once the notice has been released, stakeholders may provide feedback and

possible amendments. 

5. The representatives and other stakeholders involved should review all comments

received and decide if they should be rejected or incorporated into the code. 

6. The code is formally voted on. 

7. Proceed to enforce the adopted and/or amended code within your jurisdiction. 

For resources to help you adopt, check out the “Resources” section.

Local jurisdictions who adopt current building codes without weakening the natural hazardresistant provisions are safer and stronger against natural hazards. Building codes minimize the 

damage caused by hazards which results in fewer deaths, injuries and damage to the jurisdiction. 

Gavel by Sora Shimazaki
22 

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Statewide Building Code Adoption 

Checklist 

As noted in the ”Code Adoption Checklists” page, each state has its own set of rules that determine 

how adopted building codes are followed within the state. There are two general processes a state 

follows when adopting a building code. Those are called legislative action and regulatory action.

Recommended Legislative Action Checklist

Legislative action is a process followed by states, tribes and territories when adopting a code.

Legislative Action Adoption Checklist Checkbox 

1. A representative should present a bill for a new building code to be adopted in 

their state. 

2. The appropriate state legislature committee(s) should review the bill and 

determine if any adjustments need to be made. 

Although this might vary according to your jurisdiction’s processes, the Bill will be reviewed at 

a committee or subcommittee level, released from one or both committees and then get voted 

on by the house or senate and then cross over into the other chamber for their review, potential 

modification and vote. 

3. Public hearings are conducted to allow for additional comments and feedback. 

4. Revisions are made based on comments received. 

5. The bill is voted on. Modifications should not weaken natural hazard-resistant 

provisions. 

During this step, the opinions of many other stakeholders, including non-technical 

stakeholders, are considered. It is also determined whether modifications need to be 

made to the code.



6. If the bill is voted for, the code is adopted statewide. 

A state department is designated as having responsibility for implementation, but roles 

for local governments may also be included.

Note: Codes are not always voted on and some states may require a final level of 

approval either by the Governor, their designee or the Legislature.



When states, tribes and territories adopt current building codes without weakening the natural 

hazard-resistant provisions in them, buildings are better able to withstand the harsh impacts of 

natural hazards. Strong buildings keep state residents safer as well as reduce financial losses 

from any damage incurred. 
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Recommended Regulatory Action Checklist

When codes are adopted through regulatory action, the state usually asks a group of stakeholders or 

interested parties to be in charge of carrying out the adoption process. The process is set up through 

a prior legislative action providing direction to the responsible agency, potentially including a timeline 

for updates.

Regulatory Action Adoption Checklist Checkbox 

1. The representatives should release a notice to stakeholders that describes the

code and the intent to update the code.

The notice must state the following: 

 The purpose of adopting a building code

 The name of the building code that will be adopted

 Stakeholders who support the adoption of this code



2. Once the notice has been released, the public may provide feedback or propose

amendments. 

3. The representatives and other stakeholders involved should review all comments

received and decide if they should be rejected or incorporated into the code. 

4. The code is formally voted on by those that the state requires to be involved in this

process. 

5. If the bill passes, the code can be implemented.

Note: Some states may require a final level of approval either by the Governor, their 

designee or the Legislature.



Blueprint by Daniel McCullough
24 

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Code Enforcement Process 

How Building Code Enforcement Works

After a community adopts codes, it is the AHJ’s responsibility 

to ensure that the construction of new buildings and the repair, 

alteration and addition of existing buildings is carried out in 

compliance with the adopted codes. Professionals such as 

building officials and building inspectors help communities 

safeguard the well-being of their citizens through proper code 

enforcement.

Who Enforces Building Codes? 

The following position types enforce the adopted building code 

ordinance at the direction of their AHJ: 

Building Code Official: An officer or other designated authority 

charged with the administration and enforcement of the code, or a duly authorized representative 

such as a building, zoning, planning, fire or floodplain management official.

 

Building Plans Examiner: A Building Plans Examiner is part of the building code professional 

team responsible for reviewing submitted plans to determine if they meet the requirements of the 

comprehensive building code package that their jurisdiction has adopted. They issue the Permit for 

Construction.

Building Inspector: A building inspector is part of the building code professional team who reviews 

plans and visits construction sites to ensure the project is being constructed in accordance with 

approved set of plans. They issue the final Certificate of Occupancy.

Enforcement through Permitting 

1. A developer, designer, owner or contractor submits an application for a permit to construct, repair 

or remodel a building or change a building’s use.

2. Building code officials/inspectors or their designees will process the 

application and review the plans prior to issuing any permits. Note: 

several revisions to the plan may be required before a permit is 

processed and issued.

3. A permit is issued per the community’s adopted codes and based on 

the approved set of plans.

Note: A community may have additional requirements in approving a 

permit, including planning and zoning. 

4. At set milestones during construction, the Building Code Official 

conducts inspections to ensure compliance with the adopted building in 

accordance with approved sets of plans.

 Where and How We Build: 

Watch FEMA’s webinar on how land use 

and building codes interact to increase 

resiliency.

Stay Connected! 

Sign up for notifications on new 

and upcoming enforcement-related 

resources from FEMA!
25

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

5. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued when the Building Code Official is satisfied all requirements

have been met and occupants can move into the building.

6. The International Property Maintenance Code or an equivalent may prompt future safety

inspections.

Throughout this process, Building Code Officials are responsible for:

a. Keeping official records such as permit applications, approved sets of plans, permits, fees,

inspections, notices and issued orders.

b. Interpreting the codes’ application.

c. Requiring corrections to bring the building into compliance with the code if issues are

identified.

d. Other duties identified in the community’s adopted codes.

For more information, visit ICC’s Bring on Building Safety: Code Enforcement Explained. 

Post-Disaster Assistance for Building Code Administration and Enforcement

The FEMA Public Assistance Program can reimburse eligible building code administration and 

enforcement activities that occur up to 180 days after a major disaster declaration. 

For more information, visit: 

 FEMA Policy FP 204-079-01

 Applying for Building Code Administration and Enforcement Reimbursement through FEMA’s

Public Assistance Program Flyer

 DRRA 1206 Frequently Asked Questions Vol 1

 DRRA 1206 Frequently Asked Questions Vol 2

Building Engineers by Scott Blake
26 

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Resources 

Benefits of Building Codes

Building Codes Save 

This publication provides readers with information on the financial losses avoided 

through the adoption of natural hazard-resistant building codes.

Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves Report 

This report provides an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of mitigation efforts such as 

building code adoption and retrofitting. 

Resilient Building Codes Toolkit 

This publication’s intent is to bring transparency and clarity to building codes, especially 

with respect to resilience.

FEMA Grant Information 

FEMA Grants 

This page provides information on the types of available grants and how eligible applicants can 

obtain them.

FEMA Building Science 

FEMA Building Codes Strategy 

This page contains information on FEMA’s strategy to organize and prioritize activities to advance 

the adoption and enforcement of hazard-resistant building codes and standards for FEMA programs.

Building Science Resource Library 

This page contains all of FEMA’s natural hazard-specific guidance that focuses on creating natural 

hazard-resistant communities.

Building Code Documents 

This page contains building code documents, which provide guidance on the natural hazardresistant provisions in the building codes for property owners, engineers, design professionals, 

building code officials and the general public.

Seismic Building Codes 

This page includes nuanced information on seismic building codes as well as relevant resources. 

Building Science Training 

This page lists a variety of training courses designed to help users obtain the knowledge, tools, and 

support they need to plan and implement mitigation strategies that involve building science.
27 

BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK 

Acknowledgments 

FEMA would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following persons to the Building Codes 

Adoption Playbook:

Project Management 

Juan Nieves, Project Officer, FEMA

Christina Aronson, PE, SE, mASCE, FEMA

Shane Crawford, PhD, FEMA

Larissa L. Santoro, LEED AP, FEMA

Gregory Wilson, CFM, FEMA

Authors 

Annie Laukaitis, Gemini Tech Services, LLC.

Madeleine Stallworth, Gemini Tech Services, LLC.

Darieus Zagara II, Creative Engagement Solutions, LLC.

Design

Steph Brendel, Gemini Tech Services, LLC.

Christina Zagara, Creative Engagement Solutions, LLC.

Review Panel

Charles Baker, FEMA

Dan Bass, RA, CFM, FEMA

Bill Blanton, CFM, FEMA

Michelle Buckley, FEMA

Rafael Canizares, FEMA

Zach Corcoran, J.D., Stantec Inc.

Alexis Eshleman, FEMA

Julie Furr, PE, SECB, Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc.

Andrew Herseth, PE, SE, FEMA 

John Ingargiola, CBO, CFM, FEMA

Ed Laatsch, PE, FEMA

Sharon Magorien, FEMA

Mike Mahoney, FEMA

Brian Metzger, USFA

Maher Mirza, FEMA

Stephen Mitchell, CBO, CFM, S. Mitchell & Associates Consulting

David Ratté, PE, FEMA

Pataya Scott, PhD, EIT, FEMA

Dale K. Thomure, Verisk

Mai Tong, PhD, FEMA

Jonathan Westcott, PE, FEMA

Mariam Yousuf, EIT, CFM, FEMA

And the International Code Council
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BUILDING CODES ADOPTION PLAYBOOK