It may seem too early for code changes to be due for the 2030 plumbing codes, but this is the process to stay on a publishing schedule. It allows jurisdictions 6 to 12 months to review the code before adopting the model code as an ordinance, designating the edition of the code as the building code for that jurisdiction. It takes about two and a half years for the codes to run through this code development process.
The large model plumbing codes in the United States, the International Codes and the Uniform Codes, are developed on a three-year cycle. In many cases, this tight schedule leads to changes to many codes before they are even adopted or used in many jurisdictions.
It seems the model code organizations are always looking for ways to save money. They could accomplish this and increase the number of people familiar with the code changes by adopting a five-year code development process. This would allow the plumbing codes to be used for a couple of years before any changes are made.
There are many advantages to moving to a longer code-change cycle. One very important reason is that the code development process is very expensive for a model code developer to undertake: conducting hearings, broadcasting them online, recording all the information, tracking code change proposals, editing and then publishing the code books. Not to mention the cost of hotel rooms and meals for staff and the cost of the large meeting rooms where the hearings are held.
Both model code organizations — the International Code Council (ICC) and IAPMO — could benefit from cost savings associated with a longer code change update cycle compared with the current three-year cycle. It may not be wise to go longer than five years because the number of code changes might increase, adding to code hearing times. I would like to see the model code organizations meet to discuss aligning on the same code development timeline while also avoiding conflicts.
Many code consultants and manufacturers employ code and standards personnel to follow the entire code development process because changes can affect how a company does business. Manufacturers often hire consultants or assign staff to follow plumbing codes and product standards, including proposed changes that could make a product noncode-compliant, obsolete or less desirable.
The model codes are developed through a consensus process that allows anyone to submit a code change, and everyone can attend the code hearings and comment on the proposed changes during the hearing process. However, there are now time limits on the testimony.
How testimony limits changed the hearing process
In the early days of my attendance at code hearings in the 1990s, no time limits existed on code change testimony until someone abused the process by reading an entire technical report on a product in opposition to a code change. When people spoke up and asked him to stop his long reading of what seemed like a phone book, he responded that he was “trying to give the code committee every bit of information they needed to make an informed decision.”
This long delay in the testimony caused many people to scramble to change travel reservations, and the code hearings dragged on through the night and into the morning to make up for the long proponent or opponent testimony. This prompted the model code organizations to set a time limit for testimony, which was originally five minutes, then reduced to three minutes, and now, I believe, is about two minutes.
This helps the code hearings process move along but does not give much time for oral testimony or an oral reason statement to the committee. So, if you are proposing a code change, your written reason statement should be clear, brief and rock solid.
With the time limits in place, the code hearing process generally averages about 12 code changes per hour. Occasionally, contentious code changes draw many speakers both in support or in opposition, and some propose new code language during the hearings to fix an issue with the language. The newly proposed language then must be read and voted on before the committee can return to the code change as originally submitted or as modified.
When this happens, a code change could last well over an hour. In a few cases, they move the code change to later in the process, and the affected parties can work out the details during breaks or over lunch and bring back revised language that was not written on the fly.
The current code development process by both model code organizations provides a high level of health and safety for the issues related to the plumbing and mechanical codes and for jurisdictions adopting these model codes.
Key IPC code change deadlines
The ICC is the secretariat for the International Plumbing Code (IPC) and updates its complete set of International Codes, known as the I-Codes, on a regular three-year cycle (for example, new editions have been released in 2018, 2021 and 2024).
At the beginning of each code change cycle, the ICC publishes a Code Revision Schedule, which includes deadlines for code change proposals, hearing dates and other important dates in the code change process.
The key Committee Action Hearings (CAH) dates for the 2030 IPC can be found in Table 1.
International codes schedule notes
• Code development process. As noted above, the process will include two CAHs; the same committee members who presided at CAH No. 1 will also preside at CAH No. 2.
The “cdpACCESS OPEN” steps noted as “(tentative)” reflect availability of the applicable codes in the cdpACCESS system.
Web posting of the “Proposed Changes to the I-Codes,” “Comments to CAH No. 1” and “Group A & B Public Comment Agenda” will be posted no later than scheduled. ICC will make every effort to post these documents earlier, subject to code changes, comments and public comment volume, as well as processing time.
• Comment vs. public comment. The ICC publishes Council Policy 28 (CP28), which prescribes the Rules of Procedure for the continued development and maintenance of the International Codes. CP28 uses the term “comment” to indicate a submittal in response to a CAH No. 1 action and “public comment” in response to a CAH No. 2 action to be considered at the public comment hearing. See Sections 7.0 and 9.0 in CP28, which can be found on the ICC website.
Understanding ICC code groups and committee assignments
1. 2027 Group A Codes/Code Development Committees
• IBC = International Building Code
• IBC-E = International Building Code, Egress committee. IBC-E provisions are in Chapters 10 and 11 of IBC.
• IBC-FS = International Building Code, Fire Safety committee. IBC Fire Safety provisions are in IBC Chapters 7, 8, 9 (partial), 14 and 26. The majority of IBC Chapter 9 is maintained by the International Fire Code. See Code Group Notes.
• IFC = International Fire Code. The majority of IFC Chapter 10 is maintained by the IBC-E committee. See Code Group Notes.
• IFGC = International Fuel Gas Code
• IMC = International Mechanical Code
• IPC = International Plumbing Code
• IPSDC = International Private Sewage Disposal Code. These code changes are heard by the IPC committee (combined IPC and IPSDC committees).
• IRC-M = International Residential Code, Mechanical. The IRC Mechanical provisions are in Chapters 12–23 (code changes heard by the IRC-MP committee).
• IRC-P = International Residential Code, Plumbing. The IRC Plumbing provisions are in Chapters 25–33 (code changes heard by the IRC–MP committee).
• ISPSC = International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
• IWUIC = International Wildland Urban Interface Code
2. 2028 Group B Codes/Code Development Committees
• Administration: Chapter 1 of all the I-Codes except the IgCC and IRC. Also includes updates to the currently referenced standards in all the 2021 codes, except the IgCC. See Code Group Notes below for the IECC and the ICC PC.
• IBC-G = International Building Code, General. The IBC General provisions are in Chapters 3–6, 12, 13, 27–33.
• IBC-S = International Building Code, Structural provisions. These appear in IBC Chapters 15–25 and IEBC structural provisions. See Code Group Notes.
• IEBC – International Existing Building Code. These are the IEBC nonstructural provisions. See Code Group Notes.
• IgCC = International Green Construction Code
• IPMC = International Property Maintenance Code. The code changes are heard by the combined IPMC and IZC code committees.
• IRC-B = International Residential Code, Building. The building provisions are in Chapters 1–10 and are heard by the IRC-B committee.
• IZC = International Zoning Code. These code changes are heard by the combined IPMC and IZC code committees.
3. International Code Group Notes
• Be sure to review the document entitled “2027/2028/2029 Group A and B Code Development Committee Responsibilities Matrix,” which will be posted. This identifies responsibilities that differ from Group A and B codes and committees that may impact the applicable code change cycle and the resulting code change deadline.
As an example, throughout Chapter 4 of the IBC (IBC General), numerous sections include the designation “[F],” which indicates that the provisions of the section are maintained by the IFC Committee. Similarly, numerous sections in the IEBC include the designation “[BS].” These are structural provisions that will be heard by the IBC Structural Committee. The designations in the code are identified in the matrix.
• In the International Codes, Chapter 1 Administration is heard by a separate committee dealing with code administrative issues. Proposed changes to the provisions in Chapter 1 of the majority of the International Codes are heard with the Group B codes (see Admin for exceptions). Be sure to review the brackets ([ ]) of the applicable code for which the code committee will consider proposed changes.
• Be sure to review the brackets ([ ]) in Chapter 2 of the applicable code and the matrix to determine which committee will consider proposed changes to the definitions.
• The 2030 edition of the ICC Performance Code will be updated using the ICC standards process (https://bit.ly/4y5ROS8).
• The 2030 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code and Chapter 11 of the International Residential Code will be updated using the ICC standards process (https://bit.ly/4gKsIkK).
Key UPC and UMC proposal deadlines
In July 2026, IAPMO called for formal code proposals to support the development of the 2030 editions of these American National Standard-designated model codes: the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) and the Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC). All proposals recommending new text, revised text or the deletion of text must be written in legislative format and clearly state the reason behind the recommendation.
Proposals can be submitted using the new IAPMO Codes Portal at https://bit.ly/4iy3ad9. An account must be created to submit a proposal. Instructions for submitting code changes are available at https://bit.ly/3Slltb4.
No proposals will be accepted after the 5 p.m. PDT deadline on Jan. 8, 2027.
For any assistance or questions about using the IAPMO Codes Portal, please contact Alma Ramos at 909-230-5528 or [email protected].
After code changes are received and placed in numerical order by code section, the IAPMO staff will distribute a Report on Proposals of code change proposals to the public and the technical committees around April 2, 2027. The proposed changes will be the basis for discussion at the code change hearings to be held in New Orleans: the UPC Technical Committee hearings May 3-5, 2027, and the UMC hearings May 6-7, 2027.
The IAPMO Technical Committees vote at their code hearings, but that vote is not final. The final vote comes after a May 28, 2027, distribution of initial printed ballots to the Technical Committees with any proposed revisions by the committee or from any revisions made during the code hearings. Then the public and the committee are given time to comment on the results of the May hearings, where IAPMO staff circulate any comments on the code change ballots by June 11, 2027.
All code committee members will then have until June 25, 2027, to send in their final ballots.
The full UPC and UMC code development schedule is shown in Table 2. Check the IAPMO website for any updates.
Mark your calendars with these dates and follow the code model organization websites for the exact dates of each code hearing throughout the code development process. I’ll see you there!
