A comprehensive reference to CPSC 16 CFR 1201, ANSI Z97.1, IBC Chapter 24, and IRC Section R308. Know exactly when and where safety glass is required by law in your building.
Last Updated: March 10, 2026
The diagram below shows the locations in a typical home where safety glass (tempered or laminated) is required by the International Residential Code (IRC R308). Red zones indicate mandatory safety glazing.
Glass safety is governed by federal standards, national codes, and sometimes local amendments. The following are the primary standards that regulate safety glazing in the United States.
This is the primary federal regulation governing safety glass in buildings. Issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it became effective in 1977 and applies to all architectural glass used in hazardous locations throughout the United States. It is not a voluntary standard -- it is a federal mandate.
Section R308 of the International Residential Code (IRC) defines where safety glazing is required in residential buildings. Most local jurisdictions in Virginia, Maryland, and DC adopt the IRC with minor local amendments.
Note: Safety glazing is always required in doors, shower/bathtub enclosures, and glass panels adjacent to stairs regardless of whether all four conditions above are met. These are separate provisions in R308.4.
The International Building Code Chapter 24 governs glass installation in commercial, institutional, and multi-family residential buildings. It includes all the residential safety glazing requirements plus additional provisions for guards, railings, structural glass, and fire-rated glazing.
The following locations are classified as hazardous by building codes and require safety glazing (tempered or laminated glass). This list applies to both residential (IRC) and commercial (IBC) buildings.
| Location | Requirement | Code Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All glass doors | Tempered or laminated | IRC R308.4.1 | Includes storm doors, sliding doors, French doors, and swinging doors |
| Sidelights near doors | Tempered or laminated | IRC R308.4.2 | Glass within 24 inches of a door opening when bottom edge is below 60 inches |
| Shower and bathtub enclosures | Tempered or laminated | IRC R308.4.5 | All glass enclosing or within the wet area of showers, tubs, whirlpools, saunas, and steam rooms |
| Glass near stairs | Tempered or laminated | IRC R308.4.7 | Glass within 60 inches horizontally of the bottom tread, landing, or walking surface of a stairway, and within 60 inches of the walking surface |
| Low windows (meeting all 4 criteria) | Tempered or laminated | IRC R308.4.3 | Bottom edge below 18 inches, top edge above 36 inches, larger than 9 sq ft, and within 24 inches of a door |
| Glass in guards and railings | Tempered laminated | IBC 2407 | Must withstand 200-lb concentrated load and 50 psf uniform load per IBC 1607.8 |
| Overhead and skylight glass | Laminated or wired | IBC 2405 | Must not fall as large shards if broken; fully tempered not permitted alone for overhead |
| Glass floors and walkways | Laminated tempered | IBC 2409 | Must support live loads; requires structural engineering review |
Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland each adopt the national model codes with certain local amendments. Here is how safety glazing requirements apply in the DMV region.
DC adopts the IBC and IRC through the DC Construction Code. The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) enforces safety glazing requirements. DC closely follows the national codes with minimal local amendments regarding safety glass.
Current adoption: 2021 IBC / 2021 IRC with DC amendments
Virginia enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC), which is based on the IBC and IRC. Local jurisdictions (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun counties, etc.) enforce these codes through their building inspection departments. Safety glazing provisions follow the national codes closely.
Current adoption: 2021 IBC / 2021 IRC with Virginia amendments (VUSBC 2021)
Maryland adopts the IBC and IRC through the Maryland Building Performance Standards (COMAR 09.12.01). Montgomery County and Prince George's County enforce these codes locally. Safety glazing provisions mirror the national codes with Maryland-specific administrative amendments.
Current adoption: 2021 IBC / 2021 IRC with Maryland amendments
Federal law requires all safety glass to bear a permanent identification label. Understanding these labels helps verify that installed glass meets applicable safety standards.
Glass without a visible safety label in a hazardous location should be treated as non-safety glass. During home inspections, missing labels are frequently flagged as safety concerns requiring professional assessment or glass replacement.
Tempered (or laminated) safety glass is required by the International Residential Code (IRC R308) in the following locations: all glass in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, bathtubs, showers, and saunas; glass sidelights within 24 inches of a door; glass panels with a bottom edge less than 18 inches from the floor, a top edge more than 36 inches above the floor, and an area exceeding 9 square feet; glass within 60 inches of the walking surface at stairways and landings; and glass in walls and fences enclosing swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas.
CPSC 16 CFR 1201 is a federal safety standard established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission that specifies performance requirements for architectural glass used in hazardous locations. It defines two categories: Category I for glass up to 9 square feet (tested with a 150-foot-pound impact), and Category II for glass larger than 9 square feet (tested with a 400-foot-pound impact). Glass meeting this standard must fracture safely when broken -- either into small granules (tempered) or remain intact with the interlayer (laminated). All safety glass must bear a permanent label identifying the manufacturer, standard compliance, and glass type.
CPSC 16 CFR 1201 is a mandatory federal regulation enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, while ANSI Z97.1 is a voluntary industry standard published by the American National Standards Institute. Both test safety glazing materials using similar impact test methods, but CPSC 16 CFR 1201 has slightly more stringent requirements. Most building codes reference CPSC 16 CFR 1201 as the minimum requirement. Glass that meets CPSC 16 CFR 1201 automatically meets ANSI Z97.1, but the reverse is not always true.
No, not all windows require safety glass. Safety glazing is required only in hazardous locations as defined by IRC R308 and IBC Section 2406. Standard windows that are not near doors, not near floor level, not in wet areas, and not near stairs do not require safety glass. However, if any of the four criteria in IRC R308.4 are met (within 24 inches of a door, bottom edge below 18 inches, top edge above 36 inches, and area exceeding 9 square feet), safety glazing is required. When in doubt, using safety glass in all locations is a conservative approach that avoids code violations.
Commercial buildings follow the International Building Code (IBC), which has more extensive safety glazing requirements than residential codes. IBC Section 2406 requires safety glazing in all hazardous locations similar to residential, plus additional requirements for: entrance and exit doors, glass in guards and railings (IBC 2407), glass in athletic facilities, glass near walking surfaces, and glass subject to human impact. Commercial glass also must comply with wind load requirements (ASCE 7), accessibility standards (ADA), and fire-rated glazing requirements where applicable.
No, traditional wired glass does not meet CPSC 16 CFR 1201 safety glazing standards and has been largely removed from building codes as an acceptable safety glazing material. Wired glass was historically used in fire-rated applications but produces dangerous shards when broken. Modern building codes require that glass used in hazardous locations meet CPSC 16 CFR 1201, which wired glass fails. Fire-rated glazing now uses specially engineered products like ceramics (e.g., Pyran) or intumescent-interlayer laminated glass that meet both fire and impact safety requirements.
Non-compliant glass does not typically need to be replaced proactively in existing buildings under most jurisdictions -- building codes are generally not retroactive. However, when glass is replaced or renovated, the new installation must comply with current building codes. Additionally, non-compliant glass can create liability exposure: if someone is injured by non-safety glass in a location that should have safety glass, the property owner may be held liable. During property sales, home inspectors frequently flag non-compliant glass as a safety concern that may need to be addressed.
Look for a permanent etching or label in one corner of the glass. Safety glass is required to bear a label showing the manufacturer name, CPSC 16 CFR 1201 compliance, the category (I or II), and the glass type (tempered or laminated). If no label is visible, you can check for tempered glass by looking at the glass through polarized sunglasses at an angle -- tempered glass shows a pattern of dark and light spots (strain patterns) caused by the tempering process. A professional glass technician can also identify glass type during an inspection.
Our technicians can assess your property for safety glass compliance, identify non-compliant glazing, and provide code-compliant replacement. Free assessments throughout the DMV area.
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