# Ontario Building Code: Stairs & Guards Ontario runs the 2024 Ontario Building Code — its own edition of the NBC — but the residential stair and guard numbers match the national code. Here's what applies. - Canonical HTML: https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/on/ - Publisher: Chippy Tools - Language: en - Updated: 2026-09-13 [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Topics Stairs - [NBC Stair & Guard Rules: Riser, Run, Handrails, Guards](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Canada Footing Sizes (NBC 9.15)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Canada Minimum Ceiling Heights (NBC 9.5)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [Canada Ramp Slopes (NBC 9.8)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Shower & Bathtub Waterproof Finish (NBC 9.29.2)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By province & territory - [Alberta](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ab/) - [British Columbia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/bc/) - [Manitoba](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/mb/) - [New Brunswick](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nb/) - [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nl/) - [Nova Scotia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ns/) - [Northern Territory](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nt/) - [Nunavut](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nu/) - [Ontario](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/on/) - [Prince Edward Island](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/pe/) - [Québec](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/qc/) - [Saskatchewan](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/sk/) - [Yukon](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/yt/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) In this section [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Topics Stairs - [NBC Stair & Guard Rules: Riser, Run, Handrails, Guards](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Canada Footing Sizes (NBC 9.15)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Canada Minimum Ceiling Heights (NBC 9.5)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [Canada Ramp Slopes (NBC 9.8)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Shower & Bathtub Waterproof Finish (NBC 9.29.2)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By province & territory - [Alberta](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ab/) - [British Columbia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/bc/) - [Manitoba](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/mb/) - [New Brunswick](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nb/) - [Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nl/) - [Nova Scotia](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/ns/) - [Northern Territory](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nt/) - [Nunavut](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/nu/) - [Ontario](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/on/) - [Prince Edward Island](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/pe/) - [Québec](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/qc/) - [Saskatchewan](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/sk/) - [Yukon](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/yt/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) [Building Codes](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [Canada](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) Ontario # Ontario Building Code: Stairs & Guards Ontario runs the 2024 Ontario Building Code — its own edition of the NBC — but the residential stair and guard numbers match the national code. Here's what applies. Ontario doesn’t use the National Building Code directly — it runs its own **Ontario Building Code (OBC)**, currently the **2024 edition** (O. Reg. 163/24), in force since **1 January 2025**. The OBC adopts the [NBC 2020](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/) as its model and layers Ontario amendments on top (it runs to some 800 pages). For a house stair, the Part 9 (Section 9.8) figures **match the NBC 2020 baseline** — 200 mm max riser, 255 mm min run, 1950 mm headroom, 860 mm min width, 900 mm guards (1070 mm otherwise), the 600 mm guarding trigger and the 100 mm gap. See the [Canada stair & guard rules](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/ca/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) for the full set, and confirm any figure against the official 2024 Building Code Compendium before you build. ## Adoption status Adopted Current code in force Ontario Building Code (2024) Next edition — Adoption / transition Ontario uses the 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, in force 1 January 2025), which adopts NBC 2020 with Ontario amendments. The residential stair and guard figures match the NBC baseline. [Official source →](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240163) Last verified 2026-07-28 No state-specific variations recorded yet for this jurisdiction. This page is general information for tradespeople and is not compliance, engineering or legal advice. Requirements are subject to state and territory variations and adoption timing. Always confirm requirements with your building certifier and relevant state authority. ## Page directory