780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code, is an amended version of the 2021 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC) that will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
The new Massachusetts building code requires an NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Program to be submitted and approved by both the Building and Fire Officials at the time of the building permit application as part of the project’s building permit documentation. Under the previous versions of the Massachusetts State Building Code, the building code was not clear in establishing when this critical document was to be submitted, leaving enforcement up to local municipalities and their permitting process. Massachusetts utilizes NFPA 1 as its model fire code, and the code change to the building code keeps Massachusetts in line with jurisdictions enforcing Chapter 33 of the 2021 edition of the International Fire Code (IFC), which is referenced by IBC Chapter 33.
Building owners, developers, contractors, and others with a vested interest in the timely approval of permit documents should be aware of this change, as local municipalities may modify their permitting processes to meet Massachusetts’s new standard. This change was intended to reinforce where the NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Program fits into the permitting process and may not be a significant change in jurisdictions that have developed more robust NFPA 241 review processes, such as Boston, where NFPA 241 Fire Safety Programs are required at the time the building permit is filed.
This code change underscores the importance of project teams having a well-developed and thoughtful NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Plan before filing for building permits. Code Red Consultants has supported the development of more than 1,000 NFPA 241 Construction Fire Safety Programs and is well-positioned to help designers, contractors, owners, and authorities navigate the code requirements associated with NFPA 241.
This blog is part of a series leading up to July 1, 2025, when the concurrency period between the 9th and 10th Editions of the Massachusetts State Building Code expires. Projects applying for a building permit after this date must meet the requirements of the 10th Edition.
If you have questions about how this impacts your project, please get in touch with us at info@crcfire.com.