Maryland Building Performance Standards: Stairs & Guards

Maryland builds to the Maryland Building Performance Standards (MBPS), COMAR 09.12.51 — a single statewide standard based on the 2021 IRC, effective 29 May 2023. Local jurisdictions were required to implement and enforce it by 29 May 2024, and they may adopt local amendments on top of the state standard.

For a house stair, the figures match the IRC baseline — 7¾ in max riser, 10 in min tread, 6 ft 8 in headroom, 36 in min width, 34–38 in handrails, 36 in guards, the 30 in guard trigger and the 4 in sphere. No Maryland-specific stair or guard amendment has been confirmed at the state level, but because local jurisdictions can layer their own changes, always check with your county or municipal building department. See the US stair & guard rules for the shared figures.