Chicago Fire Codes
Chicago, Illinois follows more stringent egress lighting requirements than the rest of the US. Exit sign lettering must be red with a tempered glass face and steel body. Emergency lights must also be steel, provide a higher amount of illumination than generic fixtures and have IC housing if recessed into the ceiling.
The following is a selection from Title 13, Chapter 13 of the City of Chicago Municipal code. Chapter 13 refers specifically to Exit Requirements. The full text can be found here.
13-160-050 Minimum number of exits.
There shall be not less than two exits from every building, floor, space or room, except that one exit may be permitted from any room or space under the conditions outlined in subsection (a) through (b) of this section; and one exit may be permitted from a floor under the conditions outlined in subsections (c) through (o) of this section.
(a) In all occupancies except hazardous use units, one exit shall be permitted from any room or space designed or used for an occupancy of not more than 50 persons and: (1) having an area not exceeding 1,200 square feet; or (2) used for business, mercantile, industrial or storage use, not exceeding 4,000 square feet, provided the travel distance from the exit door to the most remote point in the room or space does not exceed 75 feet, or 115 feet if equipped throughout with a standard automatic sprinkler system as defined in Chapter 15-16 of this Code.
(b) In all occupancies one exit shall be permitted from any room or space having an area not exceeding 2,000 square feet and used exclusively for storage purposes with only incidental human occupancy.
(c) In single-family dwellings and townhouses, one exit shall be permitted from any floor not more than one story above or below grade; provided that the area of such floor shall not exceed 1,500 square feet.
(d) In multiple dwellings, one exit serving one family only shall be permitted from the first or second story, and one exit shall be permitted from a basement space provided that the area of such floor or basement shall not exceed 800 square feet.
(e) In multiple dwellings, one exit shall be permitted to a public corridor from a dwelling unit when the travel distance to the most remote door within the unit does not exceed 35 feet and 55 feet from the most remote point of the dwelling unit. Two corridor exit doors are required when these distances are exceeded.
(1) When the dwelling unit is equipped with approved smoke detectors and/or automatic sprinklers the above travel distances may be increased to 40 feet and 60 feet respectively.
(f) In multiple dwellings, two stories high, except in buildings of Type III-C or IV-A or IV-B construction, one inside stairway from the second floor shall be permitted under the following conditions:
(1) The second floor shall have an area not exceeding 4,000 square feet and shall contain not more than four dwelling units.
(2) The stairway and public corridors leading thereto shall be enclosed by walls providing fire resistance of not less than one hour, and all openings in such walls shall be protected with doors having fire resistance not less than a solid wood door one and three- fourths inches thick.
(3) The stairway shall lead directly to an outside exit at grade.
(4) The stairs shall be constructed of noncombustible materials.
(5) The distance to the stairway from the exit door of any dwelling unit shall not exceed 20 feet.
(g) In multiple dwellings of Types I-A, I-B and I- C construction not more than four stories high, one stairway shall be permitted under the following conditions:
(1) No floor served by such stairway shall have an area exceeding 4,000 square feet nor shall contain more than four dwelling units.
(2) The stairway shall be enclosed by walls providing fire resistance of not less than two hours, and all openings in such walls shall be protected with self- closing Class B fire door.
(3) The stairway shall lead directly to an outside exit at grade.
(4) The stairway shall extend to the roof from which there shall be access to an adjoining roof of another building of the same occupancy, height and construction type and having a similar stairway arrangement.
(5) The distance to the stairway from the exit door of any dwelling unit shall not exceed 20 feet.
(h) In multiple dwellings and business units of Types I-A, I-B or I-C construction not more than eight stories in height, one smokeproof tower shall be permitted under the following conditions:
(1) No floor above the first floor shall have an area exceeding 6,000 square feet nor shall contain more than eight dwelling units.
(2) Public corridors leading to the smokeproof tower shall be enclosed by walls providing fire resistance of not less than two hours, and all openings in such walls shall be protected with Class C fire doors.
(i) In fire stations one inside stairway shall be permitted from the second floor where there are not less than two slide poles in addition thereto.
(j) In all public buildings there shall be no less than one primary entrance or exit for the handicapped from the property line to the building, accessible to, and usable by, individuals in wheel chairs, or those with major mobility limitations.
(k) In all group homes there shall be two exits from each floor.
(l) In intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled – 15 or less, every floor containing areas or rooms used by residents shall have at least two exits remote from each other. At least one means of egress shall consist of an interior stairway, an enclosed outside stairway or a horizontal exit.
(m) In multiple and single-family dwellings of any construction type not over three stories in height, units having an area not over 1,500 square feet on the third floor and at least one interior stair serving exclusively that unit, leading from the third floor to an exterior exit, may substitute for the second exit from the third floor of one of the following means of escape:
(1) A continuous exterior deck linking three or more units at the third floor level, with at least one hinged glazed door from each unit to the deck, provided such door has a glass light immediately above the lock rail, made of one or more panes of glass not thicker than double-strength glass, and the edge of the glass light is not further than nine inches from any locking devices in the door.
(2) A stair from each unit leading to the building roof through a penthouse and hinged door, provided the building consists of at least three units and each hinged penthouse door contains a glass light constructed as in paragraph (1) above. In the event that roof decks are provided for more than one-third of the units, an exterior stair or protected interior stair shall be provided from the roof to grade.
(3) An approved automatic sprinkler system complying with one of the following National Fire Prevention Association Standards:
N.F.P.A. 13, 1994 Edition;
N.F.P.A. 13R, 1991 Edition; or
N.F.P.A. 13D, 1991 Edition.
(n) In townhouse dwellings of IIIB construction or better up to four stories in height, units having an area not over 1,500 square feet on the highest story and having at least one interior stair serving exclusively that unit and leading from the highest story to an exterior exit, may substitute for the second exit required from the third or fourth stories a continuous exterior deck linking three or more units at the highest story, provided that:
(1) a clear unobstructed 3 foot wide path is reserved for egress to a stair leading directly to an outside exit at grade;
(2) each habitable room on the third and fourth floor is provided with at least one outside window having a sill height not higher than 44 inches above the finished floor and an operable sash with a clear opening of not less than 24 inches horizontally or 36 inches vertically and a minimum area of six square feet; and
(3) all bedrooms are provided with 1 3/4 inch thick solid core doors and with solid 1 3/4 inch rabbetted door jambs.
(o) In single-family dwellings and in two-unit multi-family dwellings not over three stories, the second exit from the third floor of a unit may be waived if:
(1) the third floor area of that unit is not over 800 square feet;
(2) in addition to the interior stair, a second exit is provided from the second floor to an exterior porch or deck leading to finish grade;
(3) said porch or deck is not higher than 12 feet above finish grade;
(4) each habitable room on the third floor is provided with at least one outside operable window having a sill height not higher than 44 inches above the finished floor and a minimum clear opening of either 24 inches horizontally or 36 inches vertically, and a minimum area of six square feet;
(5) all bedrooms are provided with 1 3/4 inch thick solid core doors and with 1 3/4 solid inch rabbetted door jambs; and
(6) either the interior stair termination at the third floor is enclosed with a solid core door set in solid wood jambs as described in subsection (o)(5) of this section, or a balcony is provided at the third level with a minimum depth of three feet perpendicular to the exterior building wall.
(Prior code § 67-4; Amend Coun. J. 12-21-84, p. 12140; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8040; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-97, p. 54731; Amend Coun. J. 6-5-13, p. 54694, § 2)
13-160-660 Exit lighting.
All exit areas shall be adequately lighted by electricity. Except in single-family and two-family dwellings, such lighting shall be continuous during the time that conditions of occupancy require that the exit ways be open or available and the intensity of lighting required in Section 13-160-670 is not provided by means of natural light. Emergency exit lighting shall be provided in intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled – 15 or less.
(Prior code § 67-17; Amend Coun. J. 12-21-84, p. 12140)
13-160-670 Exit lighting – Intensity.
Normal intensity of lighting shall be not less than one footcandle per square foot on the floor surfaces of vertical exits and not less than one-half footcandle per square foot on the floors of other exits.
(Prior code § 67-17.1)
13-160-690 Emergency lighting.
Emergency lighting shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 14-28 through 14-36 and 14-44 through 14-72* of this Code.
(Prior code § 67-17.3)
* Editor's note – Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 5, repealed Title 14, which pertained to electrical equipment and installation, with the exception of Ch. 14-46, which was renumbered as Ch. 4-400 and also amended.
13-160-700 Exit, stairway, fire escape and directional signs.
Exit, stairway, fire escape and directional signs, illuminated by electricity, shall be installed and maintained in all existing buildings and buildings hereafter erected, altered or converted, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 13-160-710 through 13-160-770.
(Prior code § 67-18)
13-160-710 Directional signs – Where required.
Exit, stairway, fire escape and directional signs shall be installed to mark all ways of egress in the following buildings or parts of buildings in the case of multiple occupancies:
(a) Multiple dwellings of the corridor type two stories or more in height;
(b) Institutional buildings two stories or more in height;
(c) Assembly units;
(d) Schools;
(e) Intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled – 15 or less;
(f) Business units, mercantile units, industrial units, storage units, and hazardous use units over two stories in height; business units, mercantile units, industrial units, storage units and hazardous use units two stories or less in height having a ground area of 10,000 square feet or more;
(g) Theatres;
(h) Churches;
(i) Open air assembly units with a capacity exceeding 250 persons where such unit is used at any time when natural light does not clearly indicate all means of egress.
(Prior code § 67-18.1; Amend Coun. J. 12-21-84, p. 12140)
13-160-720 Directional signs – Fixture requirements.
Every such sign shall consist of a flat sided glass globe, a rectangular 20 U.S. gauge sheet metal box provided with channels to hold a glass sign or a plastic edge glow type of sign, bearing the lettering hereinafter required.
(Prior code § 67-18.2)
13-160-730 Directional signs – Illumination.
Every such sign shall be internally illuminated by a ten watt or larger incandescent electric lamp.
(Prior code § 67-18.3)
13-160-740 Directional signs – Location.
Exit signs shall be located over or immediately adjoining every opening to a horizontal means of egress or ramp leading out of a building; also over every opening leading from a public assembly room to a mezzanine floor, corridor or hallway.
Stairway or exit signs shall be located at every stairway on every floor in existing buildings. In buildings hereafter erected stairway signs only shall be located at every stairway on every floor.
Fire escape signs shall be located over or immediately adjoining every doorway or opening to a fire escape.
All such signs shall be clearly visible from all means of approach to such ways of egress.
Directional signs shall be located where the path of exit travel or the location of the exit, stairway or fire escape is not clear and unmistakable due to bridges, tunnels, intersections of hallways, intervening partitions or turns in corridors. Such signs shall be located at every yard, court, passageway or other exterior space leading from any exit to a space serving as a way of departure from every theater, public assembly building, hotel, school or church.
(Prior code § 67-18.4)
13-160-750 Directional signs – Lettering.
Every exit, stairway and fire escape sign shall bear the words “EXIT”, “STAIRWAY” and “FIRE ESCAPE”, respectively, in block letters at least four and one-half inches high with nine-sixteenths inch stroke.
Every directional sign shall bear the word “EXIT” to indicate the direction of an exit, stairway or fire escape and shall bear a horizontal arrow pointed in the direction of travel. Lettering shall be in block letters at least three and three-eighths inches high with nine- sixteenths inch stroke. The arrow shall be one-half inch wide and as long as the lettering.
All such letters and arrows shall be red on a white translucent field.
(Prior code § 67-18.5)
13-160-760 Directional signs – Phosphorescent signs.
Exit, stairway, fire escape and directional signs of luminous phosphorescent material illuminated as herein before required may be used in lieu of requirements of Systems II and III, as defined in Sections 14-48-060 and 14-48-070* of the Municipal Code of Chicago, in all existing buildings and in buildings hereafter erected, altered, or converted, in accordance with Section 14-48-030* of the Municipal Code of Chicago.
* Editor's note – Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 5, repealed Title 14, which pertained to electrical equipment and installation, with the exception of Ch. 14-46, which was renumbered as Ch. 4-400 and also amended.
Phosphorescent signs shall be made of materials which meet or exceed the specifications for luminous material and equipment (nonradioactive), electric lamp activated as hereinafter in this section set forth. No such sign shall be installed or used until it has been tested as hereinafter specified in Section 13-160-790 by a laboratory equipped to make such tests and maintained by the City of Chicago as a testing laboratory or by any other qualified laboratory equipped to make such tests as herein provided and acceptable to and approved by the fire commissioner of the City of Chicago and until such laboratory has certified to the fire commissioner that such sign meets the requirements as set forth in Section 13-160-790 upon which certification the fire commissioner shall approve such sign for installation subject to further inspection as hereinafter provided.
No person shall sell or offer for sale, install or use any such phosphorescent sign until it has been approved by the commissioner as aforesaid.
(Prior code § 67-18.6; Amend Coun. J. 6-14-95, p. 2841)