OBC DIVISION B · PART 9 — HOUSING AND SMALL BUILDINGSUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code
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Section 9.5 — Design of Areas, Spaces and Doorways
Section 9.5 sets the minimum sizes for rooms and spaces in houses and small residential buildings: how areas are measured, combination rooms, barrier-free provisions in dwellings, ceiling heights, and minimum doorway dimensions. It is the section that determines whether a room legally counts as a bedroom and whether a renovated space is habitable.
On this page:
9.5.1.0A.9.5.1.1.9.5.1.1A.9.5.1.2.9.5.1.3.9.5.2.1.9.5.2.2.9.5.2.4.9.5.3.1.9.5.3.1.9.5.3.2.9.5.3.3.9.5.3A.1.9.5.3B.1.9.5.3C.1.9.5.3D.1.9.5.3D.2.9.5.3D.3.9.5.3D.4.9.5.3D.5.9.5.3D.6.9.5.3E.1.9.5.3F.1.9.5.3F.2.9.5.4.1.9.5.5.1.9.5.5.2.9.5.5.3.
9.5.1.0A.9.5.1.1.9.5.1.1A.9.5.1.2.9.5.1.3.9.5.2.1.9.5.2.2.9.5.2.4.9.5.3.1.9.5.3.1.9.5.3.2.9.5.3.3.9.5.3A.1.9.5.3B.1.9.5.3C.1.9.5.3D.1.9.5.3D.2.9.5.3D.3.9.5.3D.4.9.5.3D.5.9.5.3D.6.9.5.3E.1.9.5.3F.1.9.5.3F.2.9.5.4.1.9.5.5.1.9.5.5.2.9.5.5.3.
9.5.1.General
9.5.1.0A.Application permalink →
(1) Except as otherwise specified in this Part, this Section applies only to dwelling units that are intended for use on a
continuing or year-round basis as the principal residence of the occupant.
9.5.1.1.Method of Measurement permalink →
(1) Except as otherwise specified in this Part, the areas, dimensions and heights of rooms or spaces shall be measured
between finished wall surfaces and between finished floor and ceiling surfaces.
9.5.1.1A.Floor Areas permalink →
(1) Minimum floor areas specified in this Section do not include closets or built-in bedroom cabinets unless otherwise
indicated.
9.5.1.2.Combination Rooms (See Note A-9.5.1.2.) permalink →
(1) Two or more areas may be considered as a combination room if the opening between the areas occupies the larger of
3 m2 or 40% or more of the wall measured on the side of the dependent area.
(2) Where the dependent area is a bedroom, direct passage shall be provided between the two areas.
(3) The opening required in Sentence (1) shall not contain doors or windows.
9.5.1.3.Lesser Areas and Dimensions permalink →
(1) Areas of rooms and spaces are permitted to be less than required in this Section provided it can be shown that the
rooms and spaces are adequate for their intended use, such as by the provision of built-in furniture to compensate for
reduced sizes.
9.5.2.Barrier-Free Design
9.5.2.1.General permalink →
(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2) and Article 3.8.1.1., every building shall be designed in conformance with
Section 3.8.
(2) The requirements of Section 3.8. need not be provided for detached houses, semi-detached houses, houses with a
secondary suite, duplexes, triplexes, row houses and boarding or rooming houses with fewer than eight boarders or
roomers.
9.5.2.2.Protection on Floor Areas With a Barrier-Free Path of Travel permalink →
(1) Where a barrier-free path of travel required in Article 9.5.2.1. is provided to any storey above the first storey, the
requirements in Article 3.3.1.7. shall apply.
9.5.2.3.Reserved
9.5.2.4.Stud Wall Reinforcement permalink →
(1) If wood wall studs or sheet steel wall studs enclose the main bathroom in a dwelling unit, reinforcement shall be
installed to permit the future installation of the following:
(a) for a water closet, a grab bar described in Clauses 3.8.3.8.(3)(a) and a grab bar described in Clause 3.8.3.8.(3)(c),
(b) for a shower, a grab bar described in Clause 3.8.3.13.(2)(g), and
(c) for a bathtub, a grab bar described in Clause 3.8.3.13.(7)(e).
(See Note A-9.5.2.4.(1))
9.5.3.Ceiling Heights
9.5.3.1.Ceiling Heights of Rooms or Spaces permalink →
(1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3), the ceiling heights and clear heights in rooms or spaces in residential
occupancies and live/work units shall conform to Table 9.5.3.1.
(2) Ceiling heights in secondary suites shall be not less than 1.95 m.
(3) Clear heights under beams and ducting in secondary suites shall be not less than 1.85 m.
(4) Areas in rooms or spaces over which ceiling height and clear height are not less than the minimum specified in Table
This provision includes a table — formatting is preserved from the source; refer to the official code for the authoritative layout.
9.5.3.1.or Sentence (2) or (3) shall be contiguous with the entry or entries to those rooms or spaces. permalink →
Table 9.5.3.1.
Room Ceiling Heights
Forming Part of Sentences 9.5.3.1.(1) and (4)
Room or Space Minimum Heights(1)
Living room or space, dining room or space, kitchen or 2 300 mm over at least 75% of the required floor area with a clear height of
kitchen space 2 100 mm at any point over the required area
2 300 mm over at least 50% of the required area or 2 100 mm over all of the
Bedroom or bedroom space required floor area. Any part of the floor having a clear height of less than
1 400 mm shall not be considered in computing the required floor area
2 100 mm over at least 75% of the basement area except that under beams
Basement space
and ducts the clearance is permitted to be reduced to 1 950 mm
Bathroom, water closet room or laundry area above 2 100 mm in any area where a person would normally be in a standing
grade position
Passage, hall or main entrance vestibule and finished
2 100 mm
rooms not specifically mentioned above
Notes to Table 9.5.3.1.:
(1) Area of the space shall be measured at floor level.
This provision includes a table — formatting is preserved from the source; refer to the official code for the authoritative layout.
9.5.3.2.Mezzanines permalink →
(1) The ceiling height above and below a mezzanine floor assembly in all occupancies shall be not less than 2.1 m.
9.5.3.3.Storage Garages permalink →
(1) The clear height in a storage garage shall be not less than 2 m.
9.5.3A.Living Rooms or Spaces Within Dwelling Units
9.5.3A.1.Areas of Living Rooms and Spaces permalink →
(1) Living areas within dwelling units, either as separate rooms or in combination with other spaces, shall have an area
not less than 13.5 m².
(2) Where the area of a living space is combined with a kitchen and dining area, the living area alone in a dwelling unit
that contains sleeping accommodation for not more than two persons shall be not less than 11 m².
9.5.3B.Dining Rooms or Spaces Within Dwelling Units
9.5.3B.1.Area of Dining Rooms or Spaces permalink →
(1) A dining space in combination with other space shall have an area of not less than 3.25 m².
(2) Dining rooms not combined with other space shall have a minimum area of 7 m².
9.5.3C.Kitchens Within Dwelling Units
9.5.3C.1.Kitchen Areas permalink →
(1) Kitchen areas within dwelling units either separate from or in combination with other spaces, shall have an area of
not less than 4.2 m² including the area occupied by the base cabinets, except that in dwelling units containing sleeping
accommodation for not more than two persons, the minimum area shall be 3.7 m².
9.5.3D.Bedrooms or Spaces in Dwelling Units and Dormitories
9.5.3D.1.Areas of Bedrooms permalink →
(1) Except as provided in Articles 9.5.3D.2. and 9.5.3D.3., bedrooms in dwelling units shall have an area not less than
7 m² where built-in cabinets are not provided and not less than 6 m² where built-in cabinets are provided.
9.5.3D.2.Areas of Master Bedrooms permalink →
(1) Except as provided in Article 9.5.3D.3., at least one bedroom in every dwelling unit shall have an area of not less
than 9.8 m² where built-in cabinets are not provided and not less than 8.8 m² where built-in cabinets are provided.
9.5.3D.3.Areas of Combination Bedrooms permalink →
(1) Bedroom spaces in combination with other spaces in dwelling units shall have an area not less than 4.2 m².
9.5.3D.4.Areas of Other Sleeping Rooms permalink →
(1) Sleeping rooms other than in dwelling units shall have an area not less than 7 m² per person for single occupancy
and 4.6 m² per person for multiple occupancy.
9.5.3D.5.Recreational Camps permalink →
(1) Recreational camps shall have an area in the sleeping quarters of at least 3.72 m² per camper or, if double or triple
tier bunk units are used, 2.79 m² per camper.
9.5.3D.6.Camps for Housing Workers permalink →
(1) A camp for housing of workers shall have a minimum area of 3.72 m² per employee in every room used for sleeping
purposes.
9.5.3E.Combined Spaces
9.5.3E.1.Combined Living, Dining, Bedroom and Kitchen Spaces permalink →
(1) Despite Subsections 9.5.3A. to 9.5.3D., where living, dining, bedroom and kitchen spaces are combined in a
dwelling unit that contains sleeping accommodation for not more than two persons, the area of the combined spaces shall
be not less than 13.5 m2.
9.5.3F.Bathrooms and Water Closet Rooms
9.5.3F.1.Space to Accommodate Fixtures permalink →
(1) In every dwelling unit an enclosed space of sufficient size shall be provided to accommodate a water closet, lavatory
and bathtub or shower stall.
9.5.3F.2.Doors to Rooms Containing Water Closets permalink →
(1) A door shall be provided to each room containing a water closet within a dwelling unit.
9.5.4.Hallways
9.5.4.1.Hallway Width permalink →
(1) The unobstructed width of a hallway within a dwelling unit shall be not less than 860 mm, except that the hallway
width is permitted to be 710 mm where
(a) there are only bedrooms and bathrooms at the end of the hallway furthest from the living area, and
(b) a second exit is provided
(i) in the hallway near the end furthest from the living area, or
(ii) in each bedroom served by the hallway.
9.5.5.Doorway Sizes
9.5.5.1.Doorway Opening Sizes permalink →
(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2) and Articles 9.5.5.3., 9.9.6.2. and 9.9.6.3., doorway openings within dwelling
units and within houses with a secondary suite including their common spaces shall be designed to accommodate at least
the door sizes given in Table 9.5.5.1. for swing-type and folding doors.
(2) Doorway openings within secondary suites shall be designed to accommodate swing-type and folding doors not less
than 1 890 mm high where the ceiling height complies with Sentence 9.5.3.1.(2).
Table 9.5.5.1.
Minimum Door Sizes
Forming Part of Sentence 9.5.5.1.(1)
At Entrance to: Minimum Width, mm Minimum Height, mm
Dwelling unit or house with a secondary suite including common spaces
(required entrance) 810 1 980
Vestibule or entrance hall
Stairs to a floor level that contains a finished space
All doors in at least one line of passage from the exterior to the basement 810 1 980
Utility rooms
Walk-in closet 610 1 980
Bathroom, water-closet room, shower room(1) 610 1 980
Rooms located off hallways that are permitted to be 710 mm wide 610 1 980
Rooms not mentioned above, exterior balconies 760 1 980
Notes to Table 9.5.5.1.:
(1) See Article 9.5.5.3.
This provision includes a table — formatting is preserved from the source; refer to the official code for the authoritative layout.
9.5.5.2.Doors to Public Water-Closet Rooms permalink →
(1) Doors to public water closet rooms shall be not less than 810 mm wide and 2 030 mm high.
9.5.5.3.Doors to Bathrooms permalink →
(1) Where a barrier-free path of travel conforming to Section 3.8. is provided into a suite of residential occupancy and
where a bathroom within the suite is at the level of the suite entrance door, the doorway to such bathroom and to each
bedroom at the same level as such bathroom shall have, when the door is in the open position, a clear width of not less
than,
(a) 760 mm where the door is served by a corridor or space not less than 1 060 mm wide, and
(b) 810 mm where the door is served by a corridor or space less than 1 060 mm wide.
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Code text is reproduced for reference from the Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, 2024 Building Code Compendium). This page is provided for general information and is not an official copy. Always verify requirements against the official Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.