The Chicago Plumbing Code

§ 18-29-403

Minimum Plumbing Facilities.

§ 18-29-403.1 Minimum number of fixtures.

Plumbing fixtures shall be provided for each occupancy and use in the minimum number shown in Table § 18-29-403.1. Occupancies and uses not shown in Table § 18-29-403.1 shall be considered individually by the building commissioner. Occupancies and the number of persons (for various occupancies and uses) shall be as determined by Chapter 13-56.

Table § 18-29-403.1
Minimum Number of Plumbing Facilities a for New Buildings or Buildings With a Change of Occupancy

For a printer-friendly PDF version of Table § 18-29-403.1, please click here.

OCCUPANCY/USE

WATER CLOSETS (Urinals, see Section 419.2)

LAVA- TORIES

BATHTUB/ SHOWERS

DRINKING FOUNTAINS (See Section 410.1)

OTHERS

Male

Female

A

S

S

E

M

B

L

Y

Restaurants and Nightclubs (more than 100)

1 per each 30 to 90

1 per each 25 up to 100

1 per 50

1 per 500

1 service sink

1 per each 50 above 90

1 per each 30 above 100

Theaters, halls, museums, coliseums, arenas, etc.

1 per each 30 up to 60

1 per each 15 up to 60

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

1 per each 70 between 61 and 340

1 per each 30 between 61 and 340

1 per each 100 above 340

1 per each 50 above 340

Churches b

1 per each 30 up to 90

1 per each 20 up to 100

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

1 per each 50 above 90

1 per each 25 above 100

Stadiums, etc. (open air)

1 per each 60 up to 240

1 per each 30 up to 240

1 per 50

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

1 per each 100 between 241 and 1040

1 per each 50 between 241 and 1040

1 per each 150 above 1040

1 per each 75 above 1040

Health Club

1 per each 30 up to 90

1 per each 25 up to 100

1 per 50

1 per 500

1 service sink

1 per each 50 above 90

1 per each 30 above 100

Business
(see Sections 403.2, 403.4 and 403.5)

1 for first 10
2 for 11-25
1 additional for each 25 in excess of 25

1 per 40

1 per 100

1 service sink

Educational

1 per 100

1 service sink

Factory and industrial

(See Section 411)

1 per 400

1 service sink

High hazard
(see Sections 403.2 and 403.4)

(See Section 411)

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

I

N

S

T

I

T

U

T

I

O

N

A

L

Residential care

1 per 10

1 per 10

1 per 8

1 per 100

1 service sink

Hospitals, ambulatory nursing home patients c

1 per room d

1 per room d

1 per 15

1 per 100

1 service sink per floor

Day nurseries, sanitariums, non-ambulatory nursing home patients, etc. c

1 per 15

1 per 15

1 per 15 e

1 per 100

1 service sink

Employees, other than residential care c

1 per 25

1 per 35

1 per 100

Visitors, other than residential care

1 per 75

1 per 100

1 per 500

Prisons c

1 per cell

1 per cell

1 per 15

1 per 100

1 service sink

Asylums, reformatories, etc. c

1 per 15

1 per 15

1 per 15

1 per 100

1 service sink

M

E

R

C

A

N

T

I

L

E

Mercantile Stores, malls, etc. (see Sections 403.2, 403.4 and 403.5)

1 per each 25 up to 100

1 per each 15 up to 90

1 per 40

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

1 per each 40 above 100

1 per each 25 above 90

Mercantile Restaurants & nightclubs of 100 or less
(see Sections 403.2, 403.4 and 403.5)

1 per each 30 to 90

1 per each 25 up to 100

1 per 50

1 per 500

1 service sink

1 per each 50 above 90

1 per each 30 above 100

R

E

S

I

D

E

N

T

I

A

L

Hotels, motels

1 per guestroom

1 per guest- room

1 per guestroom

1 service sink

Lodges

1 per 10

1 per 10

1 per 8

1 per 100

1 service sink

Multiple family

1 per dwelling unit

1 per dwelling unit

1 per dwelling unit

1 kitchen sink per dw. unit., 1 auto. clothes washer connect per 20 dw. units

Dormitories

1 per 10

1 per 10

1 per 8

1 per 100

1 service sink

One- and two-family dwellings

1 per dwelling unit

1 per dwelling unit

1 per dwelling unit

1 kitchen sink per dw. unit.; 1 auto. clothes washer connection per dwelling unit f

Storage
(see Sections 403.2 and 403.4)

1 per 100

1 per 100

(see Section 411)

1 per 1,000

1 service sink

a The fixtures shown are based on one fixture being the minimum required for the number of persons indicated or any fraction of the number of persons indicated. The number of occupants shall be determined by the building code.

b Fixtures located in adjacent buildings under the ownership or control of the church shall be made available during periods the church is occupied.

c Toilet facilities for employees shall be separate from facilities for inmates or patients.

d A single-occupant toilet room with one water closet and one lavatory serving not more than two adjacent patient rooms shall be permitted where such room is provided with direct access from each patient room and with provisions for privacy.

e For day nurseries, a maximum of one bathtub shall be required.

f For attached one- and two-family dwellings, one automatic clothes washer connection shall be required per 20 dwelling units.

(Amend Coun. J. 3-27-02, p. 82090, 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, 1)

§ 18-29-403.2 Separate facilities.

Where plumbing fixtures are required, separate facilities shall be provided for both genders.

Exceptions:

  1. Separate facilities shall not be required in residential occupancies.
  2. Separate employee facilities shall not be required in occupancies in which five or less people are employed.
  3. Separate facilities shall not be required in structures or tenant spaces in which food or beverage is served for consumption within the structure or tenant space when the total occupant load is five or less, including both employees and customers.

§ 18-29-403.3 Number of occupants for both genders.

The required water closets, lavatories, and showers or bathtubs shall be distributed equally between genders based on the percentage of both genders anticipated in the occupant load. The occupant load shall be composed of 50 percent for both genders, unless statistical data approved by the building commissioner indicate a different distribution of both genders.

(Amend Coun. J. 3-5-03, p. 104990,�� 48; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II,�� 1)

§ 18-29-403.4 Location of employee toilet facilities in occupancies other than assembly or mercantile.

Access to toilet facilities in occupancies other than mercantile and assembly occupancies shall be located within the employees regular working area. The required toilet facilities shall be located not more than one story above or below the employees regular working area and the path of travel to such facilities shall not exceed a distance of 200 feet (61 m). Employee facilities shall be either separate facilities or public customer facilities.

Exception: Facilities that are required for employees in storage structures or kiosks, situated in adjacent structures under the same ownership, lease or control, shall be located at a maximum travel distance of 500 feet (152 m) from the employees regular working area.

§ 18-29-403.5 Toilet facilities in mercantile and assembly occupancies.

Employees shall be provided with toilet facilities in buildings and tenant spaces utilized as restaurants, nightclubs, places of public assembly and mercantile occupancies. The employee facilities shall be either separate facilities or public customer facilities.

Exception: Employee toilet facilities shall not be required in tenant spaces of 900 square feet (84 m2) or less where the travel distance from the main entrance of the tenant space to a central toilet area does not exceed 200 feet (61 m) and such central toilet facilities are located not more than one story above or below the tenant space.

§ 18-29-403.6 Customer facilities.

Customers, patrons and visitors shall be provided with public toilet facilities in structures and tenant spaces intended for public use and utilized as restaurants, nightclubs, places of assembly, business and mercantile occupancies. Customer toilet facilities shall be located not more than one story above or below the space required to be provided with customer toilet facilities and the path of travel to such facilities shall not exceed a distance of 200 feet (61 m). In covered mall buildings, required facilities shall be based on total square footage, and facilities shall be installed in each individual store or in a central toilet area located in accordance with this section. The maximum travel distance to the central toilet facilities in covered mall buildings shall be measured from the main entrance of any store or tenant space.

Exception: Toilet facilities for the public shall not be required in mercantile units of less than seven thousand five hundred (7500) square feet in gross area. In mercantile units of seven thousand five hundred (7500) square feet or more in gross area the occupancy content shall be determined by dividing the net floor area used by the public, as shown in an actual floor plan layout, by one hundred (100), or a minimum of twenty- five percent (25%) of the gross area whichever is smaller.

(Amend Coun. J. 3-27-02, p. 82090,�� 3)

§ 18-29-403.6.1 Pay facilities.

Required facilities shall be free of charge and designated by legible signs for both genders. It is prohibited to charge any sum of money for the use of any toilet facility in any municipally owned building or any building that is open to accommodate or serve the public.

§ 18-29-403.6.1.1� Included buildings.

As used herein, building that is open to accommodate or serve the public; shall include the following: hotel, motel, inn, department store, restaurant, cafeteria, lunchroom, lunch counter, soda fountain, tavern, motion picture house, theater, concert hall, sports arena, stadium or other place of exhibition or entertainment, airport, railroad station or terminal, bus station or terminal, clothing store, food store, gas station, garage, bank or office building.

§ 18-29-403.7 Drinking fountains.

Drinking fountains shall be of an approved type and shall be located on the same floor or one floor above or below and within 200 feet (61 m) of all locations at which workers are regularly employed. No bubbler shall be installed on or above any plumbing fixture other than a drinking fountain. No drinking fountain or bubbler shall be installed in any toilet room, except in penal institutions.

§ 18-29-403.8 Multiple dwellings.

In multiple dwellings and institutional units, toilet rooms shall be provided on every floor having sleeping accommodations.

§ 18-29-403.9 Kitchens.

Except in family units, no bathroom or toilet room shall open directly into a room where food is prepared, stored or served without an intervening vestibule.

§ 18-29-404 Accessible Plumbing Facilities.