Oklahoma moves to 2024 building and fire codes; Gainesville's ordinance names 2021 editions

Oklahoma has moved to 2024 building and fire codes, while Gainesville's ordinance specifies the 2021 editions. The Town of Kingston, which does its own permitting, is an Oklahoma town, not a Cooke County community, according to its permitting records.

The Oklahoma State Fire Marshal announced that the amended 2024 International Building, Existing Building and Fire codes took effect Sept. 14, 2026. State adoption records show the new building and fire codes replaced the 2018 editions, which had been in force since Sept. 14, 2021. The statewide notice does not establish Kingston's specific enforcement date.

The State Fire Marshal's list of jurisdictions places Kingston among those that handle their own plan reviews, building permits and inspections. State guidance says local governments in Oklahoma may adopt stricter standards than the state commission's code but not weaker ones. The Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission says its statewide standards are intended to protect life, property, public health, safety and welfare. A statement attributed to Kingston's fire marshal about construction and renovation safety could not be independently verified.

Under the State Fire Marshal's published policy, the state office will accept plans designed or bid and bonded in 2026 under the 2018 codes until March 14, 2027. It may ask for proof on bid and bonded projects. That is the state office's policy, and Kingston's adoption of it has not been verified. Tulsa says it acknowledges the statewide date, but its matching city ordinance has a pending adoption date of Jan. 1, 2027. Plans submitted there after that date must meet the new codes.

Gainesville adopted its current standards through Ordinance 1588-05-2025 on May 20, 2025. The municipal code names the 2021 International Building, Residential, Existing Building and Fire codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code. Sherman reports it adopted the 2021 International Code Council building codes and the 2023 electrical code on Feb. 5, 2024.

Oklahoma's records show the state adopted the 2009 building code effective Nov. 1, 2012, and the 2015 edition effective Nov. 1, 2015, before the 2018 and 2024 editions.

The International Code Council identifies lithium-ion battery storage, charging for powered scooters and bikes, and energy-storage systems as significant subjects in the 2024 fire code. It also says carbon-monoxide detection provisions expanded beyond residential and school occupancies to all occupancy types. Those are model-code provisions, and they have not been checked here against Oklahoma's amendments for local application.

A December 2020 presentation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Building Codes Save study reported about $32 billion in avoided losses over 20 years. The study examined roughly 18 million structures built since 2000 and covered flood, hurricane-wind and earthquake hazards. It does not estimate savings from Kingston's code change.

The code commission's training schedule for officials moving from the 2018 to the 2024 codes lists International Residential Code classes on Nov. 16 in Tulsa and Dec. 2 in Oklahoma City.