BSD All Codes

National Building Code of the Philippines - Architectural Code of the Philippines - National Structural Code of the Philippines - Philippine Electrical Code - The Fire Code of the Philippines - National Plumbing Code of the Philippines - Code on Sanitation of the Philippines

PD 1096

The primary presidential decree establishing uniform technical standards for architectural, structural, and environmental design across the Philippines.

Building Official

The executive officer in a local government unit authorized to review plans, enforce safety decrees, and issue site clearances and work stop-orders.

Building Permit

The formal statutory authorization required before commencing any physical erection, alteration, or structural rectification on private or public land.

Ancillary Permits

The technical plan authorizations signed by respective licensed professionals (civil, electrical, sanitary, mechanical, architectural) accompanying the main project clearance.

Accessory Permits

Specialized site clearances issued for supplementary or preparatory site operations such as excavation, perimeter fencing, scaffolding, or bank stabilization.

Certificate of Occupancy

The final administrative document required before turning on utilities and legally habitating a newly completed architectural structure.

Certificate of Completion

The legally verified document executed by the supervising design professionals affirming that execution fully matched the registered blueprints.

Right-of-Way (RROW)

The entire horizontal width of public land reserved for infrastructural utilities, vehicular transit, and pedestrian circulation from boundary line to boundary line.

Carriageway

The specific portion of a transit reservation designated strictly for motorized vehicle movement, excluding curbs and shoulders.

Curb and Gutter

The integrated edge element defining the vehicular edge while channelling surface water into municipal stormwater collection basins.

Sidewalk

The elevated, paved pathway constructed within public land reservations exclusively for unhindered pedestrian movement.

Planting Strip

The unpaved longitudinal earth zone along a street edge dedicated to shade trees, ornamental greenery, and direct rainfall percolation.

Carriageway, Sidewalk, Planting Strip, Curb and Gutter

The four fundamental spatial divisions comprising a standard urban street reservation corridor.

Arcade

A continuous covered exterior pedestrian walkway supported by piers or arches, constructed directly above a sidewalk along a lot boundary.

Setback

The mandatory clear horizontal gap required between any property perimeter line and the outermost vertical face of a superstructure.

Yard

An open, unoccupied ground space on the same lot with a structure, extending entirely unobstructed from finished grade toward the sky.

Front Yard

The required open space running the full width of a parcel between the street boundary and the nearest facing exterior wall.

Rear Yard

The required clear spatial buffer spanning the entire rear parcel dimension between the back boundary and the rear wall.

Side Yard

The required open space running between an adjacent lateral boundary line and the nearest parallel exterior structure face.

Front Yard, Rear Yard, Side Yard

The three traditional peripheral open zones surrounding a structure on a plot.

Total Lot Area (TLA)

The aggregate horizontal surface area enclosed within the legally registered cadastral boundaries of a private parcel.

Building Footprint

The horizontal ground plane area enveloped by the outer perimeter walls of a structure at grade.

Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF)

The legally capped maximum horizontal area that a proposed foundation profile can cover over a parcel at ground level.

Percentage of Site Occupancy (PSO)

The mathematical fraction of a site's overall surface that may legally be covered by physical superstructures at grade.

Total Open Space within Lot (TOSL)

The remaining percentage of a plot that must remain unbuilt, divided into hardscaped and softscaped surfaces.

Paved Open Space (POS)

The section of an unroofed parcel finished with impermeable surfaces like vehicular driveways, exterior concrete slabs, or flagstones.

Unpaved Surface Area (USA)

The portion of required exterior lot area that must remain bare earth, grass, or planted soil to facilitate biological absorption.

Paved Open Space (POS), Unpaved Surface Area (USA)

The two sub-classifications comprising the unbuilt balance of an urban lot.

Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF), Paved Open Space (POS), Unpaved Surface Area (USA)

The three mutually exclusive spatial components that sum up to 100 percent of a parcel's surface area.

Maximum Allowable Construction Area (MACA)

The combined sum of the built ground footprint plus the exterior hardscaped/paved site surface area.

Gross Floor Area (GFA)

The total indoor usable floor area within the perimeter of exterior walls, legally discounting open courts, uncovered terraces, and exterior stairs.

Total Gross Floor Area (TGFA)

The comprehensive spatial sum of all enclosed spaces at all levels, including basements, service penthouses, and structural mezzanines.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

The mathematical quotient of total usable interior multi-level area divided by the legal cadastral property surface.

Building Height Limit (BHL)

The statutory vertical ceiling measured from established street datum to the highest structural parapet or ridge beam.

Grade Line

The reference ground datum elevation established either naturally or by municipal survey at the building perimeter.

Firewall

A heavy, non-combustible exterior boundary divider engineered with a high hourly endurance rating to halt lateral flame migration into adjacent properties.

Firewall Clearance

The required minimum vertical extension of a perimeter masonry partition above the highest adjoining roof finish (400 mm to 1000 mm).

Firewall Abutment

The direct placement of a zero-clearance boundary barrier along a shared cadastral dividing line.

Fire Resistance Rating

The standardized duration (expressed in hours) that a structural element can endure standard furnace heating without thermal or physical integrity breakdown.

Inner Court

An internal open-air void bounded entirely on all four sides by the interior facades of a single structure.

Outer Court

An external open light void enclosed by structure faces on three sides, with one end discharging into a public street or yard.

Court Minimum Dimension

The strict horizontal clearance limit for any required light/vent shaft under Rule VIII, set at not less than 2.00 meters.

Court, Yard, Vent Well, Shaft

The four primary spatial configurations utilized to meet natural illumination and fresh air standards in architectural plans.

Vent Shaft

A vertical structural duct or lightwell traversing two or more floor plates to ventilate internal sanitary or utility spaces.

Mezzanine

A low-ceilinged intermediate floor platform inserted within a main story, legally limited in area and clear height.

Mezzanine Area Restriction

The statutory threshold limiting an intermediate partial story to no more than one-third (33.33%) of the main room below.

Mezzanine Ceiling Clearance

The strict minimum clear vertical headroom mandated both above and underneath an intermediate floor platform (1.80 meters).

Clear Ceiling Height (Habitable Room)

The standard vertical distance from floor to ceiling for regular naturally ventilated living spaces at ground elevation (2.70 meters).

Ceiling Height (Air-Conditioned Habitable Room)

The reduced minimum vertical clearance allowed between finished floor and ceiling when mechanical environmental cooling is permanently installed (2.40 meters).

Ceiling Height (Upper Floors)

The minimum statutory headroom clearance permitted for habitable residential or business levels above the ground floor (2.40 meters).

Minimum Habitable Room Area

The smallest legally permitted footprint for human sleeping quarters, mandated at 6.00 square meters with a minimum horizontal span of 2.00 meters.

Kitchen Minimum Area

The baseline floor area for dedicated food preparation quarters, fixed at 3.00 square meters with a least dimension of 1.50 meters.

Bath and Toilet Minimum Area

The minimum spatial dimension for a standard personal hygiene cubicle, set at 1.20 square meters with a least width of 0.90 meters.

Window Opening Ratio (Habitable Rooms)

The mandatory natural ventilation aperture factor requiring clear glass/screen area equal to at least 10 percent of the served floor footprint.

Window Opening Ratio (Bathrooms and Water Closets)

The reduced natural airflow opening threshold requiring ventilation panels equal to at least 5 percent of the floor area (or 0.24 sq.m.).

Air Space Requirement (Habitable Rooms)

The statutory volume of enclosed atmospheric space required per occupant in living quarters (14.00 cubic meters).

Air Space Requirement (School Rooms)

The statutory volumetric allowance assigned per student in academic teaching spaces (3.00 cubic meters, with 1.00 sq.m. floor space).

Air Space Requirement (Workshops and Offices)

The statutory enclosed volume required per individual in commercial and manufacturing facilities (12.00 cubic meters).

Type I Construction

The most combustible building structural designation, consisting predominantly of unprotected timber framing.

Type II Construction

Structural classification utilizing wood framing treated or shielded by non-combustible materials to achieve a 1-hour thermal endurance.

Type III Construction

Structural classification requiring non-combustible exterior masonry partitions combined with one-hour rated internal framing.

Type IV Construction

Structural classification utilizing large, solid wood members (mill construction) designed without concealed structural voids.

Type V Construction

The most fire-resistive structural category, fabricated completely out of reinforced concrete, structural masonry, and fire-encased steel.

Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, Type V

The five legal classifications of building structures ranked by the thermal integrity of their framing.

Group A Occupancy

The administrative classification covering single-family detached homes, duplexes, and private carports.

Group B Occupancy

The occupancy designation covering multi-unit residential structures such as boarding houses, convents, dormitories, and apartments.

Group C Occupancy

The occupancy group encompassing non-assembly academic facilities, primary schools, and daycares.

Group D Occupancy

The occupancy category for facilities housing occupants whose mobility or personal freedom is restricted, such as clinics, sanitariums, and prisons.

Group E Occupancy

The administrative occupancy group designated for business offices, retail outlets, commercial banks, and printing shops.

Group F Occupancy

The occupancy classification covering moderate-hazard manufacturing, assembling, packaging, and processing operations.

Group G Occupancy

The occupancy group reserved for high-hazard storage and industries handling rapid-combustion, volatile, or toxic products.

Group H Occupancy

The occupancy class for gathering venues with fixed performance stages, theatrical scenery, and large viewing halls.

Group I Occupancy

The occupancy designation for large gathering venues lacking theatrical stages, accommodating assemblies of 300 or more people.

Group J Occupancy

The occupancy designation covering sheds, outhouses, agricultural structures, private car enclosures, and tall boundary masonry walls.

Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H, Group I, Group J

The 10 fundamental occupancy divisions defined under Title II of the Philippine Building Law.

Architectural Permit, Structural Permit, Sanitary Permit, Electrical Permit, Mechanical Permit

The five core supplementary clearances required for the formal release of a prime building license.

Demolition, Repair, Renovation, Alteration, Addition

The five distinct physical site interventions on existing structures that mandate prior statutory licensing.

Cornice

A prominent, horizontal decorative architectural molding crowning the exterior upper edge of a wall or facade.

Balcony

An exterior floor platform cantilevering beyond an upper story wall, enclosed by balustrades and accessible by doors.

Canopy

An overhead cantilevered shelter projecting over a doorway or window, supported purely from the wall without ground-bearing columns.

Marquee

A substantial, permanent roofed structure cantilevered over an entrance driveway or sidewalk, frequently bearing signage.

Canopy / Marquee Clearance

The minimum legal clear distance from the lowest edge of an overhanging entrance shelter down to the public walking surface (3.00 meters).

Awning

A light, often retractable or cloth-faced shading shield projecting out from an exterior facade over an opening.

Pedestrian Walkway (Construction)

A temporary covered sidewalk built alongside an active building site to shield passersby from dropped equipment or mortar.

Catch Platform

A heavy inclined safety net or timber ledge extended outward from exterior scaffolding to arrest falling construction materials.

Eaves

The bottom horizontal edges of an angled roof structure projecting past the exterior vertical wall plane.

Fire Zone

A designated municipal sector where structural types and exterior cladding materials are restricted to curb urban conflagrations.

Non-Fire Zone, Restrictive Fire Zone, Highly Restrictive Fire Zone

The three geographic risk tiers designated across municipal masterplans to govern structural combustibility.

Building Permit Exemption (Minor Work)

Specific petty works (e.g., sheds up to 6.0 sq.m., decorative pools under 500 mm deep, low garden walls) excused from administrative review.

Non-Conforming Building

A physical structure that was legally erected under older laws but violates modern density, yard, or height restrictions.

Non-Conforming Use

An operational activity ongoing inside a building that was lawful at the start but conflicts with updated municipal zoning classifications.

Dangerous Building

A structural classification for an edifice exhibiting structural decay, damage, overstressing, or lack of proper egress that endangers human life.

Abatement

The judicial or administrative execution of structural demolition, eviction, or forced retrofitting on a hazardous structure.

Order of Demolition

The official legal directive served by local authorities compelling an owner to level an unsound or unpermitted structure.

Public Nuisance

An environmental hazard, open excavation, or dilapidated edifice that offends common decency or imperils community health.

Clearance

The minimum vertical or horizontal open gap legally required between two objects to permit unhindered movement or maintenance.

Clear Headroom

The unobstructed vertical headroom measured from the floor surface to the bottom of the lowest structural beam or light luminaire.

Corridor Width (General)

The baseline clear width for public egress hallways in commercial structures, set at not less than 1.10 meters.

Dead End Distance (Without Sprinkler)

The maximum allowable travel distance inside a dead-end circulation hallway lacking automatic suppression, capped at 6.00 meters.

Exit Door Swing

The legal life-safety requirement demanding that egress door panels serving high occupant densities must open along the direction of escape.