Florida Building Code — Residential vs. Commercial

FBC Residential (FBC-R) applies to detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories in height. This includes single-family homes, duplexes, and townhouses. FBC-R is based on the International Residential Code (IRC) with Florida-specific amendments. For most single-family home projects in Florida, FBC-R is the applicable code.

FBC Building (FBC-B) applies to all buildings not covered by FBC-R, including: multi-family residential buildings (three or more units), commercial buildings, mixed-use buildings, and institutional buildings. FBC-B is based on the International Building Code (IBC) with Florida-specific amendments.

The key differences between FBC-R and FBC-B include: occupancy classifications (FBC-B uses IBC occupancy classifications; FBC-R does not), fire protection requirements (FBC-B has more stringent fire protection requirements for larger buildings), accessibility requirements (FBC-B requires ADA compliance; FBC-R does not for single-family homes), and structural design methods (FBC-B references ASCE 7 for all loads; FBC-R has prescriptive wind and seismic provisions for simple structures).