The 8th edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC) will go into effect on December 31, 2023. The 8th edition is based on the 2021 International Building Code.
It combines the 7th edition (2020) FBC and the proposed Supplements.
Building product evaluations must be updated to reflect this new code. Within this code, reference standards such as the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM), National Design Standard For Wood Construction (NDS), and ASCE 7 have been updated. Performance evaluations need to demonstrate compliance with all listed referenced standards.
Can I use a 2020 Florida Building Code Product Approval after January 1, 2024?
Maybe. If the master permit for the project in question is dated prior to the onset of the 8th Edition Florida Building Code, supplemental building components installed within this permit are generally permitted to be installed using their 2020 FBC performance evaluation. For this reason, these approvals are still useful for quite some time into the newer building code cycle.
Do I have to update my Florida Product Approval to the new building code?
If you are a manufacturer with a Florida Product Approval or Miami Dade NOA, and want your product to be considered for use in projects permitted after December 31, 2023, then yes you need to update your product approval to the 8th Edition Florida Building Code (2023). If you don’t update your product, only permits active within the 7th Edition Florida Building Code (2020) will be permitted to still be used after the onset of the new code.
How do I create a Florida Product Approval for the Eighth Edition Florida Building Code?
You need to contact a design professional experienced with the testing and certification standards of submitting a Florida Product Approval to the State at FloridaBuilding.org. EngineeringPlans.com also contains a mirror copy of these evaluations which can also be filtered by approval evaluator to help obtain a list of skilled design professionals within the category of your building product.
What if my project is outside Florida? Can I use a Florida Product Approval outside the state of Florida?
While a performance standard registered with the State of Florida is a binding document of record, technically they are only certified to the Florida Building Code which may likely differ from state codes outside of Florida, namely the International Building Code. Additionally, the design professional certifying the Florida Approval may not be licensed in the project’s state. This can be resolved by retaining a design professional within the state of the project (generally an architect or engineer) to review the performance standard and approve the product for use on the project. A site-specific evaluation should also accompany this review and certification, and the local design professional of record for the project would then be responsible for the use and installation of the building component. Alternatively, the product-evaluating design professional can be retained to do this work if they are licensed within the state of the project.
Other helpful information
The 8th edition of the FBC includes:
- Provisions for the installation, alteration, repair, and replacement of plumbing systems
- A requirement that glass must be strong enough to withstand any wind from either part of the state
The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of safety, public health & general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, energy conservation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.
Search for building products that meet the 8th Edition Florida Building Code (2023) from Miami Dade and the Florida Product Approval System right here on EngineeringPlans.com. Just Click Here to start your search.
