National Building

Code Of The
Philippines

Presidential Decree No. 1096

CHAPTER 1: General Provisions
CHAPTER 2: Administration and Enforcement
CHAPTER 3: Permits and Inspection
CHAPTER 4: Types of Construction
CHAPTER 5: Requirements for Fire Zones
CHAPTER 6: Fire Resistive Requirements in Construction
CHAPTER 7: Classification and General Requirements of
All Buildings by Use or Occupancy
CHAPTER 8: Light and Ventilation
CHAPTER 9: Sanitation
CHAPTER 10: Building Projection
Over Public Streets
CHAPTER 11: Protection of Pedestrians during Construction or Demolition
CHAPTER 12: General Design and Construction Requirements
CHAPTER 13: Electrical and Mechanical Regulations
CHAPTER 14: Photographic and X-Ray Films
CHAPTER 15: Prefabricated Constructions
CHAPTER 16: Plastics
CHAPTER 17: Sheet Metal Paint Spray Booths
CHAPTER 18: Glass and Glazing
CHAPTER 19: The Use of Computers
CHAPTER 20: Signs
CHAPTER 21: Transitory and Final Provisions
Section 101. Title

“National Building Code of

the Philippines”

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 102.
Declaration of
Policy …to be the policy of the State to
safeguard life, health, property
and public welfare, consistent
with the principles of sound
environmental management
and control;

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 102.
Declaration of
Policy …to provide for all buildings and
structures, a framework of
minimum standards and
requirements to regulate and
control their location, site, design,
quality of materials, construction,
use, occupancy, and maintenance.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 103.
Scope and
Application (a) …shall apply to design,
location, siting, construction,
alteration, repair, conversion, use,
occupancy, maintenance, moving,
demolition of, and addition to
public and private buildings and
structures, except traditional
family dwellings as defined herein.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 103.
Scope and
Application (b) Buildings and/or structures
constructed before the approval of
this Code shall not be affected
thereby except when alterations,
additions, conversions or repairs
are to be made therein in which
case, this Code shall apply only to
portion to be altered, added,
converted or repaired.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 104.
General Building
Requirements (a) All buildings or structures
as well as accessory facilities
thereto shall conform in all
respects to the principles of
safe construction and must be
suited to the purpose for which
they are designed.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 104.
General Building
Requirements
(b) Buildings or structures
intended to be used for the
manufacture and/or production of
any kind of article or product shall
observe adequate environmental
safeguards.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 104.
General Building
Requirements
(c) Buildings or structures and all
parts thereof as well as all
facilities found therein shall be
maintained in safe, sanitary and
good working condition.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 105.
Site
Requirements The land or site…shall be sanitary, hygienic
or safe. In the case of sites and buildings
intended for use as human habitation or
abode, the same shall be at a safe distance,
as determine by competent authorities,
from streams or bodies of water and/or
sources of air considered to be polluted;
from a volcano or volcanic site and/or any
other building considered to be a potential
source of fire or explosion.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 106.
Definitions

Refer to Annex A.

CHAPTER 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 401.
Types of
Construction
Type I - shall be of wood
construction. The structural
elements may be any of the
materials permitted by the Code.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Section 401.
Types of
Construction Type II - shall be of wood
construction with protective fire-
resistant materials and one-hour
fire-resistive throughout, except,
that permanent non-bearing
partitions may use fire-retardant
treated wood within the framing
assembly with one-hour resistivity.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Section 401.
Types of
Construction Type III - shall be of masonry and
wood construction. Structural
elements may be any of the
materials permitted by the Code
provided, that the building shall be
one-hour fire-resistive throughout.
Exterior walls shall be of
incombustible fire-resistive
construction.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Section 401.
Types of
Construction Type IV - shall be steel, iron, concrete, or
masonry construction and walls, ceiling
and permanent partitions shall be of
incombustible fireresistive construction,
except, that permanent non-bearing
partitions of one-hour fire-resistive
construction may use fire-retardant
treated wood within the framing
assembly.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Section 401.
Types of
Construction
Type V - shall be four-hour fire-
resistive throughout and the
structural elements shall be of
steel, iron, concrete, or masonry
construction.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Division 1- Residential building/structure for
exclusive use of single-family occupants including
school or company staff housing; single (nuclear)
family dwellings; churches or similar places of
worship; church rectories; community facilities
and social centers; parks, playgrounds, pocket
parks, parkways, promenades and play lots;
clubhouses and recreational uses such as golf
courses, tennis courts, basketball courts,
swimming pools and similar uses operated by the
government or private individuals as membership
organizations for the benefit of their members,
families, and guests and not operated primarily
for gain.
Group A – Residential Dwellings
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Division 2- Residential building for the exclusive
use of non-leasing occupants not exceeding 10
persons including single-attached or duplex or
townhouses, each privately-owned; school
dormitories (on campus); convents and
monasteries; military or police
barracks/dormitories; pre-schools, elementary
and high schools, provided that they do not
exceed 16 classrooms; outpatient clinics, family
planning clinics, lying-in clinics, diagnostics
clinics, medical and clinical laboratories; branch
library and museums; steam/dry cleaning
outlets; party needs and accessories (leasing of
tables and chairs, etc.).
Group A – Residential Dwellings
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Group B Occupancies shall be
multiple dwelling units including
boarding or lodging houses,
hotels, apartment buildings, row
houses, convents, monasteries
and other similar building each of
which accommodates more than
10 persons.
Group B – Residentials, Hotels and Apartments
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Group C Occupancies shall be
buildings used for school or day-
care purposes, involving
assemblage for instruction,
education, or recreation, and not
classified in Group I or in Division
1 and 2 or Group H Occupancies.

Group C – Education and Recreation

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 1 - Mental hospitals,
mental sanitaria, jails, prisons,
reformatories, and buildings were
personal liberties of inmates are
similarly restrained.

Group D – Institutional
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 2 - Nurseries for full-time care
of children under kindergarten age,
hospitals, sanitaria, nursing homes with
non-ambulatory patients, and similar
buildings each accommodating more
than five persons.

Group D – Institutional
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 3 - Nursing homes for ambulatory
patients, homes for children of kindergarten
age or over, each accommodating more than
five persons: Provided, that Group D
Occupancies shall not include buildings used
only for private or family group dwelling
purposes.

Group D – Institutional
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 1 - Gasoline filling and service
stations, storage garages and boat
storage structures where no work is
done except exchange of parts and
maintenance requiring no open flame,
welding, or the use of highly flammable
liquids.

Group E - Business and Mercantile

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Division 2 - Wholesale and retail stores,
office buildings, drinking and dining
establishments having an occupant load
of less than one hundred persons,
printing plants, police and fire stations,
factories and workshops using not
highly flammable or combustible
materials and paint stores without bulk
handlings.
Group E - Business and Mercantile
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 3- Aircraft hangars and open
parking garages where no repair work is
done except exchange of parts and
maintenance requiring no open flame,
welding or the use of highly flammable
liquids.

Group E - Business and Mercantile

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Group F Occupancies shall include:
ice plants, power plants, pumping
plants, cold storage, and creameries,
factories and workshops using
incombustible and non-explosive
materials, and storage and sales rooms
for incombustible and non-explosive
materials.

Group F - Industrial
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 1 - Storage and handling of

hazardous and highly flammable
material.

Group G - Storage and Hazardous

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 2 - Storage and handling of
flammable materials, dry cleaning
plants using flammable liquids; paint
stores with bulk handling, paint shops
and spray-painting rooms.

Group G - Storage and Hazardous

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 3 - Wood working
establishments, planning mills and box
factories, shops, factories where loose
combustible fibers or dust are
manufactured, processed or generated;
warehouses where highly combustible
materials is stored.

Group G - Storage and Hazardous

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 4- Repair garages.

Division 5- Aircraft repair hangars.

Group G - Storage and Hazardous

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 1- Any assembly building with a

stage and an occupant load of less than
1000 in the building.

Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 2 - Any assembly building

without stage and having an occupant
load of 300 or more in the building.

Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 3 - Any assembly building

without a stage and having an occupant
load of less than 300 in the building.

Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Division 4 - Stadia, reviewing stands,

amusement park structures not
included within Group I or in Division 1,
2, and 3 of this Group.

Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified

Group I Occupancies shall be any

assembly building with a stage and an
occupant load of 1000 or more in the
building.

Group I – Assembly Occupant Load 1000 or More

Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified
Division 1 - Agricultural structures.

Division 2 - Private garages, carports,

fences over 1.80 meters high, tanks,
swimming pools and towers.

Group J - Accessory
Section 701.
Occupancy
Classified Division 3 - Stages, platforms, pelota, tennis,
badminton or basketball courts, tombs,
mausoleums, niches, aviaries, aquariums, zoo
structures, banks and record vaults Other
subgroupings or divisions within Groups A to J
may be determined by the Secretary. Any
other occupancy not mentioned specifically in
this Section, or about which there is any
question, shall be included in the Group which
it most nearly resembles based on the existing
or proposed life and fire hazard.
Group J - Accessory
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A The dwelling shall occupy not more than
Dwellings 90% of a corner lot and 80% of an
inside lot, and subject to the provisions
on Easements of Light and View of the
Civil Code of Philippines, shall be at least
2.00 meters from the property line.

1. Dwelling Location and Lot Occupancy

Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings Every dwelling shall be so constructed
and arranged as to provide adequate
light and ventilation as provided under
Section 805 to Section 811 of the Code

2. Light and Ventilation

Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings Every dwelling shall be provided with at
least one sanitary toilet and adequate
washing and drainage facilities.

3. Sanitation
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Footings shall be of sufficient size and
Dwellings strength to support the load of the
dwelling and shall be at least 250
millimeters thick and 600 millimeters
below the surface of the ground.

4. Foundation
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings

5. Post
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings The live load of the first floor shall be at
least 200 kilograms per sq. meter and
for the second floor, at least 150
kilograms per sq. meter.

6. Floor
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings The wind load for roofs shall be at least
120 kilograms per sq. meter for vertical
projection.

7. Roof
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings Stairs shall be at least 750 millimeters in
clear width, with a rise of 200
millimeters and a minimum run of 200
millimeters.

8. Stairs
Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings
There shall be at least one entrance and
another one for exit.

9. Entrance and Exit

Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings All electrical installations shall conform
to the requirements of the Philippine
Electrical Code.

10. Electrical Requirements

Section 708.
Minimum
Requirements
for Group A
Dwellings Mechanical systems and/or equipment
installations shall be subject to the
requirements of the Philippine
Mechanical Engineering Code.

11. Mechanical Requirements

Section 805.
Ceiling
Heights 1. Habitable rooms provided with artificial
ventilation shall have ceiling heights not less
than 2.40 meters measured from the floor to
the ceiling; provided that for buildings of more
than one (1) storey, the minimum ceiling height
of the first storey shall be 2.70 meters and that
for the second story 2.40 meters and the
succeeding stories shall have an unobstructed
typical head-room clearance of not less than
2.10 meters above the finished floor. Above-
stated rooms with natural ventilation shall have
ceiling heights of not less than 2.70 meters.
CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION
Section 805.
Ceiling
Heights

2. Mezzanine floors shall have a clear

ceiling height not less than 1.80 meters
above and below it.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 806.
Sizes and
Dimensions 1. Minimum sizes of rooms and their least
horizontal dimensions shall be as
of Rooms follows:
a. Rooms for Human Habitations – 6.00
sq. meters with a least dimension of
2.00 meters;
b. Kitchen – 3.00 sq. meters with a least
dimension of 1.50 meters; and
c. Bath and toilet – 1.20 sq. meters with a
least dimension of 900 millimeters.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 807.
Air Space
Requirements in 1. Minimum air space shall be provided
Determining the as follows:
Size of Rooms a. School Rooms – 3.00 cu. meters with
1.00 sq. meter of floor area per person;
b. Workshop, Factories, and Offices –
12.00 cu. meters of air space per person;
and
c. Habitable Rooms – 14.00 cu. meters of
air space per person.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings 1. Rooms intended for any use, not provided with
artificial ventilation system, shall be provided
with a window or windows with a total free
area of openings equal to at least 10% of the
floor area of the room, provided that such
opening shall be not less than 1.00 sq. meter.
However, toilet and bath rooms, laundry rooms
and similar rooms shall be provided with
window or windows with an area not less than
1/20 of the floor area of such rooms, provided
that such opening shall not be less than 240 sq.
millimeters. Such window or windows shall
open directly to a court, yard, public street or
alley, or open watercourse.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings 2. Required windows may open into a
roofed porch where the porch:
a. Abuts a court, yard, public street or
alley, or open watercourse and other
public open spaces;
b. Has a ceiling height of not less than 2.70
meters;
c. Has one of the longer sides at least 65%
open and unobstructed.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings

3. Eaves, canopies, awnings (or media

agua) over required windows shall
not be less than 750 millimeters from
the side and rear property lines. 74

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings
4. There shall absolutely be no
openings on/at/within/through all
types of abutments (such as
firewalls) erected along property
lines except for permitted vent wells.
This Rule strictly applies to all new
and existing developments.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings
5. In locating window openings it
should be borne in mind that in cases
of extreme emergencies windows
must serve as emergency egress to
vacate the premises or access for
rescue operations. Such windows
shall meet the following
requirements:

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
Openings

a. They can be opened from the inside

without the use of any tools;
b. the minimum clear opening shall
have a width not less than 820
millimeters and a height of 1 meter;

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 808.
Window
c. The bottom of the opening should not
Openings
be more than 820 millimeters from the
floor;
d. Where storm shutters, screens or iron
grilles are used, these shall be provided
with quick opening mechanism so that
they can be readily opened from the
inside for emergency egress and shall
be so designed that when opened they
will not drop to the ground;
CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION
Section 808.
Window
Openings

e. All areas immediately outside a fire

exit window/grille must be free of
obstacles and must lead to a direct
access down into the ground or
street level.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 809.
Vent Shafts
1. Ventilation or vent shafts shall have
a horizontal cross-sectional area of
not less than 1.00 sq. meter for
every meter of height of shaft but in
no case shall the area be less than
1.00 sq. meter. No vent shaft shall
have its least dimension less than
600 millimeters.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 809.
Vent Shafts

2. Unless open to the outer air at the

top for its full area, vent shafts shall
be covered by a skylight having a net
free area or fixed louver openings
equal to the maximum required
shaft area.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 809.
Vent Shafts
3. Air ducts shall open to a street or
court by a horizontal duct or intake.
Such duct or intake shall have a
minimum unobstructed cross-
sectional area of not less than 0.30 sq.
meter with a minimum dimension of
300 millimeters. The openings to the
duct or intake shall be not less than
300 millimeters above the street
surface or level of court.
CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION
Section 810.
Ventilation
Skylights Ventilation skylights shall have a glass
area not less than that required for the
windows that are replaced. They shall
be equipped with movable sashes or
louvers with an aggregate net free area
not less than the parts in the replaced
window that can be opened, or else
provide artificial ventilation of
equivalent effectiveness.
CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION
Section 811.
Artificial
Ventilation
1. Rooms or spaces housing industrial,
or heating equipment shall be
provided with artificial means of
ventilation to prevent excessive
accumulation of hot and/or polluted
air.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Section 811.
Artificial
Ventilation
2. Whenever artificial ventilation is
required, the equipment shall be
designed to meet the following
minimum requirements in air
changes as shown in Table VIII.4.
hereafter.

CHAPTER 8 – LIGHT AND VENTILATION

-End-