# India's Building Code: How the NBC Actually Works The National Building Code of India is a model code — it only binds a site once your state or municipality adopts it. NBC 2016 is also marked withdrawn on BIS's own portal, with a new SP 7:2026 already published. Here's what that means for a chippy on site. - Canonical HTML: https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/ - Publisher: Chippy Tools - Language: en - Updated: 2026-09-21 [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/) [India](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/) Topics Stairs - [Indian Stair Rules: Riser, Going, Width & Headroom (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Indian Foundation Rules: Depth, Thickness & Concrete Grade (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Delhi Room and Stair Rules Under UBBL 2016](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/ubbl-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Maharashtra Room & Stair Sizes: The UDCPR 2020 Rules](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/udcpr-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Indian Room Height & Area Rules: The NBC 2016 Numbers](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/rooms/minimum-room-heights/) Ramps - [Indian Ramp Guidance: NBC 2016 Scope and Gradients](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [India Wet-Area Waterproofing: Check the Project Specification](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By state - [Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/) - [Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/) 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/) [India](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/) Topics Stairs - [Indian Stair Rules: Riser, Going, Width & Headroom (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Footings - [Indian Foundation Rules: Depth, Thickness & Concrete Grade (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Delhi Room and Stair Rules Under UBBL 2016](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/ubbl-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Maharashtra Room & Stair Sizes: The UDCPR 2020 Rules](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/udcpr-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Indian Room Height & Area Rules: The NBC 2016 Numbers](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/rooms/minimum-room-heights/) Ramps - [Indian Ramp Guidance: NBC 2016 Scope and Gradients](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [India Wet-Area Waterproofing: Check the Project Specification](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By state - [Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/) - [Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/) 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/) India # India's Building Code: How the NBC Actually Works India's National Building Code is a model code — it has no legal force of its own until a state or municipal authority adopts it into its own building bye-laws or Development Control Regulations. BIS lists SP 7:2026 as the replacement for SP 7:2016. Local instruments may name an edition or refer to documents as amended; check that distinction. This hub carries the NBC 2016 national figures and flags plainly where a state sets its own number instead. ## Which edition applies, by state | Jurisdiction | Current code | Next edition | Adoption / transition | Status | |---------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------| | [Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/) | NBC 2016 (via Maharashtra UDCPR 2020) | Not announced | Maharashtra's Unified DCPR (UDCPR) 2020 incorporates NBC 2016 with its own numbers: habitable-room height… | Adopted | | [Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/) | NBC 2016 (via Delhi Unified Building Bye-Laws 2016) | Not announced | Delhi's Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL) 2016 grades habitable-room minimum area and low-rise staircase width… | Adopted | - [Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/) Adopted Current NBC 2016 (via Maharashtra UDCPR 2020) Next Not announced Maharashtra's Unified DCPR (UDCPR) 2020 incorporates NBC 2016 with its own numbers: habitable-room height capped at 2.75–4.5 m (NBC sets only a 2.75 m minimum), staircase width of 0.75 m for… - [Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/) Adopted Current NBC 2016 (via Delhi Unified Building Bye-Laws 2016) Next Not announced Delhi's Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL) 2016 grades habitable-room minimum area and low-rise staircase width by dwelling-unit size (7.5 m² / 0.9 m for units up to 50 m²; 9.5 m² / 1.0 m above), rather… Adoption timing changes on government timelines — entries marked *Verify* are being confirmed with the relevant authority. ## Rules by topic Find guidance for the work you are doing, then confirm the requirements for your building and location. ### Stairs - [Indian Stair Rules: Riser, Going, Width & Headroom (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) ### Footings & slabs - [Indian Foundation Rules: Depth, Thickness & Concrete Grade (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) ### Room heights - [Delhi Room and Stair Rules Under UBBL 2016](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/ubbl-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Maharashtra Room & Stair Sizes: The UDCPR 2020 Rules](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/udcpr-room-and-stair-rules/) - [Indian Room Height & Area Rules: The NBC 2016 Numbers](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/rooms/minimum-room-heights/) ### Ramps - [Indian Ramp Guidance: NBC 2016 Scope and Gradients](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/ramps/ramp-gradients/) ### Wet areas - [India Wet-Area Waterproofing: Check the Project Specification](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) ## One model code, adopted state by state India’s building rules start with the **National Building Code (NBC)**, published by the **Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)** as **SP 7**. But the NBC is a **model code** — on its own, it has no legal force at all. It only binds a real building site once a **state or municipal authority** adopts it into its own building bye-laws or Development Control Regulations (DCR) — sometimes called a Unified DCR, or UDCPR. A state can adopt the NBC unchanged, adopt it with local amendments, or set its own numbers entirely. So the number that actually governs your job depends on which local bye-law is in force where you’re building, not directly on the BIS text. The pages on this hub carry the **NBC 2016 national model figures** — the older reference summarized here, subject to local rules. Where we’ve been able to confirm a genuine, sourced difference in a state’s own bye-law, we’ve built that state’s own page too. ## The edition you need to check Here’s the fact every chippy building in India should know before relying on any number on this hub: **NBC 2016 (SP 7:2016) has been withdrawn by BIS.** BIS’s own standards portal lists it with `Status: withdrawn`, and BIS has replaced it with **SP 7:2026 (“National Building Construction Standards 2026”)**, which now carries a live “New” listing on bis.gov.in as the current national standard. The change was gazette-notified in 2026 (reported 30 April 2026). This hub is built on **NBC 2016**, clearly labelled as such throughout. This is a change to the **national** standard only. NBC/NBCS still has no direct legal force on its own — it only binds a site once a state or municipal authority adopts it into its own building bye-laws, DCR or UDCPR. Do not assume all local rules still name NBC 2016. Delhi UBBL clause 1.3.4 says referenced documents apply as amended from time to time. Maharashtra’s older text and the Delhi rule are not the same. Confirm the current reference, local amendments and permit conditions for the site. The [official Delhi compendium](https://eodb.mcd.gov.in/assets/doc/file_ref/COMPENDIUM_OF_UBBL-2016.pdf) contains that rule. The 2026 national clauses have not been compared here. ## Where the numbers come from NBC 2016 is published in parts — Part 3 sets out stairs, room sizes and general building requirements; Part 4 covers fire and life safety and restates several Part 3 figures for specific occupancy types; Part 6 covers structural design, including foundations and concrete. A figure that looks settled in the national text can still be overridden the moment your state’s bye-law sets its own number — that’s exactly what Maharashtra and Delhi do for a handful of figures, and why this hub keeps national and state pages separate rather than blending them into one number. One more thing worth flagging plainly: several figures commonly quoted for “Indian building code” ramps and handrails actually come from NBC’s **accessibility annex**, which states outright that it does **not** apply to a private residence. We’ve kept that distinction visible on every page it touches, rather than presenting an accessibility-only figure as a private house rule. ## By state - [Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/) - [Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/) 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 - [Building Code Requirements in Delhi](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/dl/index.md): Delhi's UBBL 2016 grades habitable-room minimum area and low-rise staircase width by dwelling-unit size, rather than following NBC 2016's flat national figures. - [Building Code Requirements in Maharashtra](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/mh/index.md): Maharashtra's UDCPR sets its own habitable-room height cap, a broader stair-width relaxation, and a fixed handrail height — three genuine deltas from NBC 2016's national figures. - [India Wet-Area Waterproofing: Check the Project Specification](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/index.md): Check the local rules, project specification and chosen system for bathroom waterproofing. IS 3067 is a general reference, not a complete shower detail. - [Indian Foundation Rules: Depth, Thickness & Concrete Grade (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/index.md): NBC 2016 sets a flat 500 mm minimum foundation depth with no frost-line figure, a footing-type-driven thickness table, and M20 minimum concrete grade for reinforced footings under mild exposure. - [Indian Ramp Guidance: NBC 2016 Scope and Gradients](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/ramps/ramp-gradients/index.md): The cited NBC 2016 access annex has its own scope and ramp table. Check local duties and the adopted edition before using its slope, width or landing figures. - [Indian Room Height & Area Rules: The NBC 2016 Numbers](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/rooms/minimum-room-heights/index.md): NBC 2016 gives 2.75 m room-height and 9.5 m² room-area baselines within its scope. Confirm the local adopted rules. Here's the natural light table too. - [Indian Stair Rules: Riser, Going, Width & Headroom (NBC 2016)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/in/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/index.md): NBC 2016 sets a 190 mm max riser and 250 mm min going for a residential staircase, 2.2 m headroom and a 1.00 m minimum width — but gives no handrail-height figure for an ordinary house stair at all.