Code of Massachusetts Regulations
780 CMR - STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Chapter 5 - General Building Heights and Areas
Section 503 - GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHT AND AREA LIMITATIONS
Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
TABLE 503 ALLOWABLE BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREASa
Building height limitations shown in feet above grade plane. Story limitations shown as stories above grade plane. Building area limitations shown in square feet, as determined by the definition of "Area, building," per story
| GROUP | TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION | |||||||||
| TYPE I | TYPE II | TYPE III | TYPE IV | TYPE V | ||||||
| A | B | A | B | A | B | HT | A | B | ||
| HEIGHT (feet) | UL | 160 | 65 | 55 | 65 | 55 | 65 | 50 | 40 | |
| STORIES(S) AREA (A) | ||||||||||
| A-1 | S A | UL UL | 5 UL | 3 15,500 | 2 8,500 | 3 14,000 | 2 8,500 | 3 15,000 | 2 11,500 | 1 5,500 |
| A-2 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 3 15,500 | 2 9,500 | 3 14,000 | 2 9,500 | 3 15,000 | 2 11,500 | 1 6,000 |
| A-3 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 3 15,500 | 2 9,500 | 3 14,000 | 2 9,500 | 3 15,000 | 2 11,500 | 1 6,000 |
| A-4 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 3 15,500 | 2 9,500 | 3 14,000 | 2 9,500 | 3 15,000 | 2 11,500 | 1 6,000 |
| A-5 | S A | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL | UL UL |
| B | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 5 37,500 | 3 23,000 | 5 28,500 | 3 19,000 | 5 36,000 | 3 18,000 | 2 9,000 |
| E | S A | UL UL | 5 UL | 3 26,500 | 2 14,500 | 3 23,500 | 2 14,500 | 3 25,500 | 1 18,500 | 1 9,500 |
| F-1 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 25,000 | 2 15,500 | 3 19,000 | 2 12,000 | 4 33,500 | 2 14,000 | 1 8,500 |
| F-2 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 5 37,500 | 3 23,000 | 4 28,500 | 3 18,000 | 5 50,500 | 3 21,000 | 2 13,000 |
| H-1 | S A | 1 21,000 | 1 16,500 | 1 11,000 | 1 7,000 | 1 9,500 | 1 7,000 | 1 10,500 | 1 7,500 | NP NP |
| H-2d | S A | UL 21,000 | 3 16,500 | 2 11,000 | 1 7,000 | 2 9,500 | 1 7,000 | 2 10,500 | 1 7,500 | 1 3,000 |
| H-3d | S A | UL UL | 6 60,000 | 4 26,500 | 2 14,000 | 4 17,500 | 2 13,000 | 4 25,500 | 2 10,000 | 1 5,000 |
| H-4 | S A | UL UL | 7 UL | 5 37,500 | 3 17,500 | 5 28,500 | 3 17,500 | 5 36,000 | 3 18,000 | 2 6,500 |
| H-5 | S A | 4 UL | 4 UL | 3 37,500 | 3 23,000 | 3 28,500 | 3 19,000 | 3 36,000 | 3 18,000 | 2 9,000 |
| I-1 | S A | UL UL | 9 55,000 | 4 19,000 | 3 10,000 | 4 16,500 | 3 10,000 | 4 18,000 | 3 10,500 | 2 4,500 |
| I-2 | S A | UL UL | 4 UL | 2 15,000 | 1 11,000 | 1 12,000 | NP NP | 1 12,000 | 1 9,500 | NP NP |
| I-3 | S A | UL UL | 4 UL | 2 15,000 | 1 10,000 | 2 10,500 | 1 7,500 | 2 12,000 | 2 7,500 | 1 5,000 |
| I-4 | S A | UL UL | 5 60,500 | 3 26,500 | 2 13,000 | 3 23,500 | 2 13,000 | 3 25,500 | 1 18,500 | 1 9,000 |
| M | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 21,500 | 2 12,500 | 4 18,500 | 2 12,500 | 4 20,500 | 3 14,000 | 1 9,000 |
| R-1 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 20,500 | 3 12,000 | 2 7,000 |
| R-2 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 20,500 | 3 12,000 | 2 7,000 |
| R-3 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 UL | 4 UL | 4 UL | 4 UL | 4 UL | 3 UL | 3 UL |
| R-4 | S A | UL UL | 11 UL | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 24,000 | 4 16,000 | 4 20,500 | 3 12,000 | 2 7,000 |
| S-1 | S A | UL UL | 11 48,000 | 4 26,000 | 2 17,500 | 3 26,000 | 2 17,500 | 4 25,500 | 3 14,000 | 1 9,000 |
| S-2b, c | S A | UL UL | 11 79,000 | 5 39,000 | 3 26,000 | 4 39,000 | 3 26,000 | 5 38,500 | 4 21,000 | 2 13,500 |
| Uc | S A | UL UL | 5 35,500 | 4 19,000 | 2 8,500 | 3 14,000 | 2 8,500 | 4 18,000 | 2 9,000 | 1 5,500 |
| For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929
m2. A = building area per story, S = stories above grade plane, UL = Unlimited, NP = Not permitted. a. See the following sections for general exceptions to Table 503: 1. Section 504.2, Allowable building height and story increase due to automatic sprinkler system installation. 2. Section 506.2, Allowable building area increase due to street frontage. 3. Section 506.3, Allowable building area increase due to automatic sprinkler system installation. 4. Section 507, Unlimited area buildings. b. For open parking structures, see Section 406.3. c. For private garages, see Section 406.1. d. See Section 415.5 for limitations. |
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