National Building Code of the Philippines

Scope, coverage, and key building obligations

The Code applies to design, location, sitting, construction, alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, demolition, and addition to public and private buildings and structures, except traditional indigenous family dwellings defined within the Code.
Buildings or structures constructed before approval of the Code are not affected, except when alterations, additions, conversions, or repairs are made, in which case the Code applies only to the portions being altered, added, converted, or repaired.
All buildings and structures (and accessory facilities) must conform to the principles of safe construction and must be suited to their intended purpose.
Buildings intended for manufacture and/or production must observe adequate environmental safeguards.
Buildings and all parts and facilities must be maintained in safe, sanitary, and good working condition.

Site requirements and defined terms

The land/site for any building, structure, or ancillary or auxiliary facility must be sanitary, hygienic, or safe.
Human habitation sites must be at a safe distance, as determined by competent authorities, from streams or bodies of water and/or sources of air considered polluted; from a volcano or volcanic site; and from any other potential fire or explosion source building.
Definitions are established through Annex “A”, which supplies the meaning of words, terms, and phrases enumerated therein.

Administration, enforcement, and building officials

Administration and enforcement of the Code—including imposition of penalties for administrative violations—are vested in the Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (“Secretary”).
The Secretary is authorized to constitute and provide a professional staff of architects, engineers, and technicians with diversified professional experience in building design and construction.
The Secretary shall formulate policies, plans, standards, and guidelines on building design, construction, use, occupancy, and maintenance in accordance with the Code.
The Secretary shall issue and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the Code and ensure compliance with the formulated policies, plans, standards, and guidelines.
The Secretary shall evaluate, review, approve, and/or take final action on changes/amendments to existing Referral Codes and on incorporation of other referral codes not yet expressly made part of the Code.
The Secretary shall prescribe and fix the fees and other charges that the Building Official shall collect for regulatory functions.

Technical assistance, permits fees, and exemption

The Secretary, with technical staff assistance, shall provide professional, technical, scientific, and other services, including testing laboratories and facilities required to carry out the Code.
The Secretary may secure required services from other National Government agencies and may arrange compensation.
The Secretary may engage and compensate, within available appropriations, consultants, experts, and advisers on full or part-time basis from government or private entities to carry out Code provisions.
The Building Official enforces the Code in the field and enforces orders and decisions made under it, including issuing building permits, except as otherwise provided.
The Secretary may designate Public Works District Engineers, City Engineers, and Municipal Engineers to act as Building Officials in their areas; designations continue until regular Building Official positions are provided or sooner terminated for causes provided by law or decree.
No person may be appointed Building Official unless he is:
- a Filipino citizen of good moral character;
- a duly registered architect or civil engineer;
- a member of good standing of a duly accredited professional organization for not less than two years; and
- has at least five years of diversified and professional experience in building design and construction.
Within territorial jurisdiction, the Building Official enforces the Code and implementing rules and is the official charged with issuing building permits.
The Building Official may enter any building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect compliance with Code requirements and the building permit’s terms and conditions.
If work is found contrary to the Code, the Building Official may order the work stopped and prescribe the terms/conditions for resumption.
The Building Official may order discontinuance of occupancy or use of any building or structure (or portion) found occupied/used contrary to the Code.
Every Building Official must keep permanent records and accurate accounts of all fees and other authorized charges collected under the Code.
A Building Official may retain not more than twenty percent (20%) of collections for operating expenses, and the remaining eighty percent (80%) must be deposited with the provincial, city, or municipal treasurer accruing to the General Fund of the concerned unit.
Public buildings and traditional indigenous family dwellings are exempt from payment of building permit fees.
“Additional indigenous family dwelling” means a dwelling intended for occupancy by the owner’s family only, constructed of native materials such as bamboo, nipa, logs, or lumber, with total cost not exceeding fifteen thousand pesos.

Secretary’s fee income use and implementing rules publication

The Secretary may prescribe procedures for use of all net income realized by the Building Official from collection of fees and charges not exceeding twenty percent (20%), notwithstanding any law to the contrary, following the applicable Section 208 scheme.
Such income may be used for operating expenses including purchase of equipment, supplies and materials, traveling expenses, obligation expenses, and sheriff’s fees, and payment of other prior years’ obligations not adequately funded, subject to existing budgetary and auditing rules and regulations.
The Secretary must formulate necessary rules and regulations and adopt design and construction standards and criteria for buildings and structures.
These standards/rules/regulations take effect after publication once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.

Administrative fines and criminal penalties

For violations of any Code provision or implementing rules and regulations, the Secretary may prescribe and impose administrative fines not exceeding ten thousand pesos (PHP 10,000).
It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use, occupy, or maintain any building or structure or cause such acts to be done contrary to or in violation of the Code.
Upon conviction, violators are punished by a fine of not more than twenty thousand pesos (PHP 20,000) or imprisonment of not more than two years, or both.
If the guilty party is a corporation, firm, partnership, or association, the penalty is imposed on its officials responsible for the violation.
If the guilty party is an alien, he shall be immediately deported after payment of the fine and/or service of the sentence.

Dangerous or ruinous buildings—abatement and remedies

A dangerous building includes buildings declared as such or structurally unsafe, lacking safe egress, constituting a fire hazard, being dangerous to human life, or being a hazard to safety or health or public welfare due to inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment.
Dangerous buildings also include those that contribute to pollution of the site or community to an intolerable degree.
When a building/structure is found or declared dangerous or ruinous, the Building Official shall order repair, vacation, or demolition depending on the degree of danger to life, health, or safety.
Abatement actions are without prejudice to further action under Articles 482 and 694 to 707 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.
The Code’s rights, actions, and remedies are in addition to any other rights of action and remedies under existing laws.

Permits: application, processing, issuance, and expiry

No person, firm, or corporation—including any government agency or instrumentality—may erect, construct, alter, repair, move, convert, or demolish any building or structure (or cause the same to be done) without a building permit from the Building Official assigned to the place where the building is located or where the work is to be done.
To obtain a permit, the applicant must file a written application on the prescribed form from the Building Official’s office, stating at least:
- a description of the work;
- a certified true copy of the TCT for the lot where the work will be done, and if not registered owner, a copy of the lease contract;
- the intended use or occupancy; and
- the estimated cost of the proposed work.
At least five sets of corresponding plans and specifications must accompany the application, prepared, signed, and sealed by a duly mechanical engineer for mechanical plans and by a registered electrical engineer for electrical plans, except where the Building Official exempts or does not require such plans/specifications under the Code.
Processing is under the overall administrative control and supervision of the Building Official and his technical staff of qualified professionals.
In processing, the Building Official must ensure the applicant complies with approved standards on zoning and land use, lines and grades, structural design, sanitary and sewerage, environmental health, electrical and mechanical safety, and other rules and regulations promulgated under the Code.
If satisfied that the work and submitted plans/specifications conform, the Building Official must issue the permit within fifteen days from payment of required fees.
The Building Official may issue permits for construction of only a part or portion of a building when the application plans/specifications do not cover the entire building/structure.
Approved plans and specifications cannot be changed, modified, or altered without Building Official approval, and the work must be done strictly in accordance with the approved plans/specifications.
Issuance of a permit does not authorize disregard or violation of Code provisions.
If permit issuance relied on plans/specifications later found defective, the Building Official may require corrections and may prevent or order stopping of building operations violating the Code.
A building permit expires and becomes null and void if work is not commenced within one year from permit date, or if authorized work is suspended or abandoned any time after commencement for 120 days.
The Building Official may order non-issuance, suspension, or revocation of building permits for: errors in plans/specifications; incorrect or inaccurate data/information; and non-compliance with Code provisions or any rule/regulation.
Written notice stating the reasons/grounds is required for non-issuance, suspension, or revocation.

Appeals and jobsite supervision requirements

An applicant/permittee may appeal to the Secretary within 15 days from receipt of notice/advice of non-issuance, suspension, or revocation.
The Secretary must render a decision within 15 days from receipt of the notice of appeal.
The Secretary’s decision is final, subject only to review by the Office of the President.
The owner must engage a duly licensed architect or civil engineer to undertake full-time inspection and supervision of construction work.
The inspecting architect/civil engineer may or may not be the same professional who designed the building.
Even if different, the designing architect/civil engineer may inspect to verify compliance with plans/specifications as submitted.
A logbook must be kept at the jobsite at all times to record actual construction progress, tests, weather conditions, and other pertinent data.
Upon completion, the licensed architect/civil engineer must submit the logbook duly signed and sealed and must submit a Certificate of Completion stating construction conforms to the Code and the approved plans/specifications.

Certificate of Occupancy and timing

No building/structure may be used or occupied, and no change in existing use/occupancy classification may be made, until the Building Official issues a Certificate of Occupancy.
The Certificate of Occupancy must be issued by the Building Official within 30 days if, after final inspection and submission of the Certificate of Completion, the building complies with the Code.
The Certificate of Occupancy must be posted or displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises and may not be removed except by order of the Building Official.
Non-issuance, suspension, revocation, and appeal procedures for Certificates of Occupancy are governed by the applicable provisions on permit non-issuance/suspension/revocation and appeals.

Construction types, fire zones, and structural limitations

Buildings are classified by type based on their construction classification, including: Type I (wood construction), Type II (wood with protective fire-resistant materials and one-hour fire-resistive throughout), Type III (masonry and wood with one-hour fire-resistive throughout and exterior walls incombustible fire-resistive construction), Type IV (steel/iron/concrete/masonry with incombustible fire-resistive walls/ceiling/permanent partitions), and Type V (fire-resistive with steel/iron/concrete/masonry structural elements and incombustible fire-resistive walls/ceilings/permanent partitions).
No change in the type of construction may be made that would place the building in a different sub-type or type unless compliance is made with requirements for that sub-type/type, except if the Building Official approves upon showing the new construction is less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing construction.
The Secretary prescribes standards for each type of construction, including structural framework, exterior walls and openings, interior walls and enclosures, floors, stairs construction, and roofs.
Fire zones are areas where only certain building types are permitted based on use/occupancy, type of construction, and resistance to fire.
If a building lies partly in one fire zone and partly in another, it is considered in the more highly restrictive fire zone when more than one-third of total floor area is in that zone.
Any building moved within or into any fire zone must comply with that fire zone’s building requirements.
Temporary buildings in fire zones (e.g., reviewing stands and other miscellaneous structures, sheds, canopies, and fences used around construction for protection) may be erected by special permit from the Building Official for a limited period and must be completely removed upon permit expiration.
The center line of an adjoining street or alley may be treated as an adjacent property line for measuring distances in fire-zone rules; distances are measured at right angles to the street or alley.
Existing buildings in fire zones that do not comply may not be enlarged, altered, remodeled, repaired, or moved except if: entirely demolished; moved outside the limits to a zone meeting minimum standards; subject to restrictions where in any 12-month period the value of work does not exceed 20% of the existing building value, does not add additional combustible material, and does not increase fire hazard in the opinion of the Building Official; separated by fire walls as required by Sub-section 604(b); or repaired after damage from fire/earthquake/typhoon/fortuitous events using the same materials provided cost does not exceed 20% of replacement cost.
The Secretary designates fire zones by promulgating specific restrictions for each fire zone type; cities/municipalities divide into fire zones based on local physical/spatial framework plans submitted by local planning and/or development bodies.

Fire-resistive ratings and required fire testing standards

Fire-resistive rating is the degree a material can withstand fire as determined by generally recognized and accepted testing methods.
Fire-resistive time period rating is the length of time a material can withstand being burned (e.g., one-hour, two-hours, three-hours, four-hours, etc.).
Materials and assemblies must be classified based on fire-retardant or flame-spread ratings determined by general accepted testing methods and/or by the Secretary.
The Secretary sets standards and promulgates rules on testing, including flame-spread characteristics, fire damage tests, fire tests of construction materials and building construction, door assemblies and fire doors, window assemblies, installation of fire doors/windows and smoke and fire detectors for fire protective signaling systems, controlled interior finish use, fire-resistive protection for structural members, fire-resistive walls/partitions, fire-resistive floors/roof ceilings, fire-resistive assemblies for protection of openings, and fire-retardant roof coverings.

Occupancy classification and changes in use

Buildings proposed for construction must be identified and classified by use/character of occupancy into Groups A through J, including:
- Group A: Residential dwellings.
- Group B: Multiple dwelling units including boarding/lodging houses, hotels, apartment buildings, row houses, convents, monasteries, and other similar buildings accommodating more than ten persons.
- Group C: School/day-care buildings involving assemblage for instruction/education/recreation, not classified in Group I or in Division 1 and 2 or Group H.
- Group D (Institutional):
  - Division 1: mental hospitals/mental sanitaria, jails/prisons/reformatories, and similar buildings with personal liberties similarly restrained;
  - 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;
  - Division 3: nursing homes for ambulatory patients and homes for children of kindergarten age or over, each accommodating more than five persons; provided Group D excludes buildings used only for private or family group dwelling purposes.
- Group E (Business and Mercantile):
  - Division 1: gasoline filling/service stations, storage garages/boot storage structures where no work except exchange of parts and maintenance requiring no open flame, welding, or highly flammable liquids;
  - Division 2: wholesale/retail stores, office buildings, drinking/dining establishments with occupant load less than one hundred, printing plants, police/fire stations, factories/workshops using not highly flammable or combustible materials and paint stores without bulk handling;
  - Division 3: aircraft hangers and open parking garages with no repair work except exchange of parts and maintenance requiring no open flame, welding, or highly flammable liquids.
- Group F (Industrial): ice plants, power plants, pumping plants, cold storage, creameries, factories/workshops using incombustible and non-explosive materials, and storage/sale rooms for incombustible and non-explosive materials.
- Group G (Storage and Hazardous):
  - Division 1: storage/handling of hazardous and highly flammable materials;
  - Division 2: storage/handling of flammable materials, dry cleaning plants using flammable liquids, paint stores with bulk handling, paint shops, and spray painting rooms;
  - Division 3: wood working establishments, planning mills and box factories, shops/factories where loose combustible fibers or dust are manufactured/processed/generated; warehouses where highly combustible material is stored;
  - Division 4: repair garages;
  - Division 5: aircraft repair hangers.
- Group H (Assembly Other Than Group I):
  - Division 1: assembly buildings with a stage and occupant load less than 1000;
  - Division 2: assembly buildings without stage with occupant load 300 or more;
  - Division 3: assembly buildings without stage with occupant load less than 300;
  - Division 4: stadia/reviewing stands/amusement park structures not included within Group I or Division 1, 2, 3 of this Group.
- Group I (Assembly Occupant Load 1000 or More): assembly buildings with occupant load 1000 or more.
- Group J (Accessory):
  - Division 1: private garages, carports, sheds, and agriculture buildings;
  - Division 2: fences over 1.80 meters high, tanks, and towers.
The Secretary may determine other subgroupings or divisions within Groups A to J; any occupancy not specifically mentioned or with questions is included in the group most nearly resembling it based on existing or proposed life and fire hazard.
No change may be made in occupancy or use that would place a building in a different division of the same group or a different group unless the building complies with requirements for the new division or group; existing buildings may be changed only subject to Building Official approval, and the new use must be less hazardous based on life and fire risk.

Mixed occupancy separation and property location rules

For mixed occupancy or buildings used for more than one occupancy, the whole building is subject to the most restrictive requirements pertaining to any occupancy type found, except: when a one-storey building houses more than one occupancy, each portion must conform to the particular occupancy requirements; and when minor accessory uses do not exceed 10% of the area of any floor or of the basic area permitted in the occupancy requirements, the major use determines classification.
Occupancy separations must be vertical or horizontal or both, or other forms required to provide complete separation between occupancy divisions.
Occupancy separations must be classified as One-Hour, Two-Hour, Three-Hour, or Four-Hour Fire-Resistive, with the following operative requirements:
- One-Hour: not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction; all openings must be protected by a one-hour fire-resistive rated fire assembly.
- Two-Hour: not less than two-hour fire-resistive construction; all openings protected by a two-hour fire-resistive rated fire assembly.
- Three-Hour: not less than three-hour fire-resistive construction; openings in separation walls protected by a three-hour rated fire assembly; in any three-hour separation wall in one-storey, total width of openings in that storey must not exceed 25% of wall length, and no single opening may have area greater than 10.00 square meters; openings in floors protected by vertical enclosures extending above and below openings with walls of not less than two-hour fire-resistive construction and openings protected by a three-hour rated fire assembly.
- Four-Hour: no openings; not less than four-hour fire-resistive construction.
Occupancy separations between groups/divisions require minimums set by the Secretary’s rules for appropriate separations; when a separation is required, the minimum is at least One-Hour Fire-Resistive, and when the separation is horizontal, the structural member supporting it must be protected by equivalent fire-resistive construction.
No building may be constructed unless it adjoins or has direct access to a public space yard or street on at least one side.
The center line of an adjoining street or alley is treated as an adjacent property line; eaves over required windows must be at least 750 millimeters from side and rear property lines.
Exterior walls must have fire resistance and opening protection per the Secretary’s requirements.
Projections beyond the exterior wall are limited by a measured rule tied to the location where opening fire-resistive protection is first required, and distances must be measured at right angles from the property line.
When exterior wall openings require protection due to distance from property line, the sum of opening areas in any storey must not exceed 50% of total wall area in that storey.
For buildings on the same property, court walls assume a property line between buildings; when new building is erected on same property with existing building, the assumed property line distance from the existing building applies as set by the Secretary.
Multiple buildings may be treated as one building if the aggregate area is within allowable floor areas for a single building; when treated as one, the area allowed is the limit for the most restrictive occupancy or construction.
Allowable floor areas are limited by the Secretary for each occupancy group and/or type of construction for one-storey and over one-storey buildings.
Area separation walls may allow portions of a building to be considered separate buildings for allowable floor area purposes if the area separation walls meet requirements prescribed by the Secretary.
Allowable floor area may be increased in specific instances where the building has public space, streets or yards along and adjoining two or more sides, subject to Building Official approval.
Maximum height and number of storeys depend on occupancy character and type of construction determined by the Secretary based on population density, building bulk, street widths, and car parking requirements; height is measured from the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface, except the height measured from the lowest adjoining surface cannot exceed the maximum by more than 3.00 meters.
Towers/spires/steeples not used for habitation or storage are limited by structural design if completely incombustible materials, or may extend up to 6.00 meters above height limits for the occupancy group if of combustible materials.

Minimum Group A dwelling, other occupancies, and light/ventilation

A Group A dwelling must occupy not more than 90% of a corner lot and 80% of an inside lot, and must be at least 2 meters from the property line subject to applicable Civil Code easement on light and view rules.
Every dwelling must be constructed to provide adequate light and ventilation as required under Section 805.
Every dwelling must have at least one sanitary toilet and adequate washing and drainage facilities.
Foundations must support loads and must be at least 250 millimeters thick and 600 millimeters below ground surface.
Wooden post dimensions must follow Table 708-A (Annex B-1) and each post must be anchored to footing by strap and bolts of adequate size.
First-floor live load must be at least 200 kilograms per square meter, and second-floor live load at least 150 kilograms per square meter.
Roof wind load must be at least 120 kilograms per square meter for vertical projection.
Stairs must be at least 750 millimeters in clear width, with a rise of 200 millimeters and minimum run of 200 millimeters.
A dwelling must have at least one entrance and another one for exit.
Electrical installations must conform to the Philippine Electrical Code.
Mechanical