Riser and tread
Riser height and tread depth on the section, compared with IBC Section 1011.5.2: 7 inches maximum riser and 11 inches minimum tread for most commercial stairs.
Plan check correction · Egress
Plan check correction: stair, handrail, and guard details
Stair comments are among the most specific a reviewer writes, because every value can be checked against a number. A section without dimensions, or a guard detail without a height, gets a correction.
The comment asks for stair sections and details dimensioned well enough to verify riser height, tread depth, headroom, width, handrail height and extensions, and guard height and openings. Clear it with a dimensioned stair section, enlarged handrail and guard details, and a note on the design loads the guard is built for.
Read the comment
What the plans examiner is asking for
Headroom and width
Minimum headroom of 80 inches measured from the nosing line, and the stair width required by the occupant load.
Handrails
Height between 34 and 38 inches, graspability, continuity, and extensions at the top and bottom under IBC Section 1014.
Guards
Guard height of 42 inches in most occupancies, and openings that stop a 4-inch sphere up to 36 inches high and a 4-3/8-inch sphere above that, under IBC Section 1015, plus the structural loads in Chapter 16.
Published correction lists
How city lists word this correction
Published lists ask for stair sections, handrail details, guard details, or specific dimensions such as riser height and headroom. Paraphrased from each department’s own published list; the lists do not rank items by how often they are issued.
| City | What the published list asks for | Code cited | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Detail every stairway: 7 in. maximum riser, 11 in. minimum tread, 6 ft 8 in. headroom, required width, landings, handrail height, grip size and extensions, and 42 in. guards. | CBC 1011.2, 1011.3, 1011.5, 1011.6, 1014.2, 1014.4, 1014.7, 1015.3 | Commercial Plan Check Correction Sheets (2026 LABC), Part II, H. Means of Egress, item 25 |
| San Diego | Include dimensioned details of all stairs, handrails and guardrails, and show each stairway's location and travel direction on floor plans. | — | Project Submittal Manual Section 2, checklist items 5.6.1 and 5.1.8 |
| Seattle | Stair plans and sections show landing size, rise and run, headroom, handrail grip, extensions and returns, guard height and intermediate rail spacing, and protection under enclosed stairs. | — | Screening Standards - NEW Commercial Projects, Stair Information and Stair Section |
| New York City | Include stair plans and stair sections with handrail and guard details, including guards at balconies and atriums. | — | Plan Examination Guidelines – Sections 2.4.1 (Egress) and 2.4.3 Building Sections |
| Denver | Stair drawings and details must show and dimension stair width, headroom, riser/tread dimensions, overall vertical rise, landings, and handrails. | DRC R318.7.1-R318.7.8 | Permitting Checklist for New Homes and Additions, Details/Enlarged Drawings table, Stairs row |
| Denver | Denver added a local requirement that interior exit stairways and ramps running to the top story of buildings four or more stories above grade have a roof hatch openable to the exterior, at least 16 square feet in area with a 2-foot minimum dimension, with narrow exceptions for pressurized enclosures, penthouse-protected enclosures, and steep roof slopes. | DBC 1011.12.3 | 2025 Denver Building Code, Chapter 10: Means of Egress, Section 1011 Stairways |
| Portland | For any project involving stairs, provide stair details with dimensions for risers, treads, headroom clearance, guardrails and handrails. | — | Life Safety and Structural Review Completeness Checklist for Residential Additions and Alterations, Architectural Drawings section |
| Phoenix | Residential stair details must dimension stair width, rise and run, landing width, handrail height, and guardrail height and intermediate rail spacing. | IRC R311.7 | Residential Plan Submittal Checklist, Floor Plans item 13 |
| Austin | Detail stairway headroom, landing dimensions, a maximum 12-ft vertical rise between landings, handrails on each side per Section 1014, and 42-in. guards at open sides with intermediate rails that block a 4-in. sphere. | IBC 1011.3; 1011.6; 1011.8; 1011.11; 1015; 1015.4 | Architectural Plan Review Commercial Checklist, Section L items 122-132 |
| Chicago | Handrail and guard details must be shown on the drawings to satisfy the stair and ramp handrail/guard provisions. | 14B-10-1014; 14B-10-1015 | Sample Code Compliance Matrix, item B.10.10 |
Sources reviewed September 12, 2026. Code sections are as cited on each list and follow that city’s adopted code. Confirm the current list and edition with the department.
Revise the set
What changes on the drawings, and what else to re-check
Stair geometry is tied to floor-to-floor heights and structure, so small changes can move landings.
| Change | Sheets to revise | Also re-check |
|---|---|---|
| Riser count changed | Stair plans and sections | Floor-to-floor heights on building sections, landing lengths, structural stringers |
| Handrail extension added | Stair plans; handrail detail | Clear width at landings, door swings into the stair, wall blocking |
| Guard height or infill changed | Guard detail; stair section | Structural attachment, specification section for metal railings, delegated design notes |
| Headroom corrected | Stair section | Beam and duct locations above the stair on structural and mechanical sheets |
Close the comment
A response the reviewer can verify
An illustrative example written for this guide, not a real project or a city’s wording. Name the sheet, the detail, and the change, so the recheck does not start with a search.
Comment
Provide a dimensioned stair section and guard details. Show riser, tread, headroom, handrail height and extensions, and guard openings.
Response
Revised as requested. Stair 1 section on A5.01 shows 17 risers at 6.94 inches, 11-inch treads, and 7 feet 2 inches minimum headroom. Handrail detail 3/A5.02 shows 36-inch height and 12-inch top extension. Guard detail 4/A5.02 shows 42-inch height and 3.5-inch picket spacing; guard load notes added.
Before you submit
Catch it before the plans examiner does
Dimension the section
Show risers, treads, headroom, and landing lengths on the stair section itself, not only in notes.
Detail every rail
Draw handrail and guard details with heights, extensions, and opening sizes.
Check what is above
Look at structural and mechanical sheets for beams and ducts that reduce headroom.
Groundbook compares the drawings, schedules, and specifications with the adopted code and local amendments, and links each potential issue to the sheets and sections behind it. We read the amendments governments publish online and use licensed model codes only where a license allows it. Your team verifies each finding; the jurisdiction makes every approval decision. See the pre-permit review and drawing-to-code review.
Questions, answered
Stairs, handrails, and guards: questions
What riser and tread dimensions do most commercial stairs need?
Under IBC Section 1011.5.2, risers are between 4 and 7 inches and treads at least 11 inches. Dwelling units and some other stairs have different limits; check the adopted code.
Is a guard the same as a handrail?
No. A handrail is something to hold while using the stair. A guard prevents falls from an open side. A stair can need both, and each has its own height and details.
Do reviewers need guard load calculations?
Many departments ask for the design loads on the drawings and calculations or a deferred submittal when the guard is delegated to a fabricator. Check the correction wording.
Keep going
Related corrections and city guides
Number and separation of exits
Enough exits for the occupant load of each space and story, placed far enough apart that one fire cannot block both.
Read this correctionOccupant load and egress width
Occupant load tabulated by space, and exit, door, corridor, and stair widths sized for that load.
Read this correctionDeferred submittals
The systems designed later by others, such as fire sprinklers or trusses, listed on the cover sheet with the approval they need.
Read this correctionLos Angeles plan check
How LADBS reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideSan Diego plan check
How DSD reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideSeattle plan check
How SDCI reviews a permit set and what its published lists ask for.
Open the city guideRespond to plan check comments
Response letter format, six response types, and a free response log.
Read the guideFind the corrections before the plans examiner does
Upload the drawing set. We read the local amendments that governments publish online, and link each potential issue to its sources for your team to verify.