HomeKnowledgeIBC 1017.2 — Exit Access Travel Distance
📋 CodecodesMeans of Egress

IBC 1017.2 — Exit Access Travel Distance

Updated Mar 24, 2026
Maximum travel distance from any point in a building to an exit shall not exceed 200 feet unsprinklered or 250 feet sprinklered for most occupancies. Specific occupancies have modified limits.

The exit access travel distance — measured from the most remote point within a story along the natural and unobstructed path of horizontal and vertical egress travel to the entrance to an exit — shall not exceed the distances given in Table 1017.2. For sprinklered buildings: B occupancy 300ft, F/S occupancy 250ft, H occupancy varies, R occupancy 250ft. Unsprinklered: typically 200ft. One of the most critical code sections for floor plan design in any building. Drives placement of stairwells, exit corridors, and emergency exits.

TAGS
egresstravel-distanceexitssprinkleribc-chapter-10
DETAILS
chapter
10 - Means of Egress
severity
life_safety
code year
2024
code system
IBC
building types
["commercial_office","retail","warehouse","residential_multi"]
section number
1017.2
RELATED KNOWLEDGE
📋 Code
IBC 903.2.1 — Group A Occupancies (Sprinkler Requirements)
Automatic sprinkler system required throughout buildings with Group A occupancy where fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet, or overall building area exceeds 12,000 square feet, or occupant load of the fire area exceeds 300.
📋 Code
IBC 903.2.7 — Group M Occupancies (Retail Sprinkler Requirements)
Automatic sprinkler system required in Group M (mercantile) occupancies where fire area exceeds 12,000 square feet or building is more than three stories above grade.
📋 Code
IBC 903.2.11.3 — Buildings 55 Feet or More in Height
Automatic sprinkler system required throughout buildings with a floor level having an occupant load of 30 or more that is located 55 feet or more above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
📋 Code
IBC 1015.1 — Exit and Exit Access Doorways Required
Two exits or exit access doorways required from any space where occupant load exceeds the table values. Spaces with occupant load exceeding 500 require a minimum of 3 exits. Spaces exceeding 1,000 require 4 exits.
📋 Code
IBC Table 601 — Fire-Resistance Rating Requirements
Specifies minimum fire-resistance ratings for structural elements based on construction type (Type I through V). Type IA requires 3-hour rated structural frame, 2-hour floors, and 1.5-hour roof.
📋 Code
IBC 1607.1 — Live Loads Required (Table 1607.1)
Minimum uniformly distributed live loads for floors: offices 50 psf, retail first floor 100 psf, residential 40 psf, corridors above first floor 80 psf, light storage 125 psf, heavy storage 250 psf.
← Back to Knowledge Garden