Commercial Storefront Code Requirements: Title 24, Safety Glazing and Accessible Entrances

Updated October 23, 2026 · 8 min read

Commercial storefront code requirements in California cover four areas: Title 24 energy performance for the glass and framing, safety glazing in doors and low glass, accessibility at the entrance, and structural loads from wind and earthquakes. All four are reviewed during plan check, and each one decides which glass, framing and hardware a storefront can use.

Most storefront code problems are found at inspection, after the glass is set. A storefront that looks right can still fail on a missing safety glass mark, an energy form that does not match the glass installed, or an entrance door that is too heavy to open.

This guide explains each commercial storefront code requirement in plain language, what it means for new storefronts and replacements, and what to have ready for plan check. It is written by the Insight Glass commercial glazing team, licensed California contractors (CSLB 599566) installing storefronts across the Bay Area since 1987.

What Are the Commercial Storefront Code Requirements in California?

Commercial storefront code requirements in California come from the California Building Code and the California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6), both in their 2025 editions, effective January 1, 2026. Together they set the energy performance, glass type, entrance accessibility and structural design of a storefront.

What Are the Title 24 Requirements for Storefront Glass?

Title 24 sets a maximum U-factor (heat loss), a maximum solar heat gain coefficient (heat from the sun) and a minimum visible transmittance (daylight) for storefront glazing in conditioned buildings. In practice, that means Low-E insulated glass units in thermally broken aluminum framing for most Bay Area storefronts.

The key points:

• Performance values: the Energy Code lists maximum U-factor and solar heat gain values for storefront and curtain wall glazing. The values apply to the whole assembly, glass and frame together, not the glass alone.
• Rated or default values: storefront is often assembled on site, so its values come from an NFRC rating or certificate for the system, or from the default values in the Energy Code. Default values are conservative and can make compliance harder.
• Window area: the prescriptive path limits glazing to a share of the wall area. Storefronts with more glass usually comply through the performance path, which models the whole building.
• Compliance forms: the permit set includes Title 24 compliance documents, and the installer confirms the glass and framing installed match them.

Unconditioned spaces, such as some parking garages and warehouses, are treated differently. The energy designer or architect sets the compliance path; the glazing contractor supplies products that match it. Our guide to energy-efficient storefront windows covers the glass options in more detail.

Do Code Requirements Apply When Replacing a Storefront?

Yes. Replacing storefront glass and framing in an existing building is an alteration, and the replacement glazing generally has to meet current Title 24 values. Safety glazing rules apply to any new glass, and work at the entrance can bring accessibility upgrades into the project scope.

What usually happens on a Bay Area storefront replacement:

• Energy: new fenestration must meet the current Energy Code values for alterations, with limited exceptions for small areas. Single-pane storefronts are replaced with insulated glass.
• Safety glass: every new panel in a hazardous location is tempered or laminated, even if the original was not.
• Accessibility: alterations can require the entrance to be brought up to current access rules, including door width, hardware and thresholds, which often affects older buildings in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley.
• Glass only: replacing a single broken panel with matching safety glass is usually simpler, but check with the building department before assuming no permit is needed.

Where Is Safety Glass Required in a Storefront?

Safety glass, meaning tempered or laminated glass, is required in hazardous locations under CBC Section 2406. In a storefront, that covers glass in doors, glass beside doors, and large panels that sit close to the floor, which describes most of a typical storefront.

Each safety glass panel needs a permanent mark identifying it as safety glazing, and inspectors check for it. Laminated glass is often chosen on ground-floor storefronts for security as well as safety, because it holds together when broken.

What Accessibility Rules Apply to Storefront Entrances?

Storefront entrances in California must meet CBC Chapter 11B, which sets the clear opening width, opening force, hardware type and height, threshold height and door closing speed. California is stricter than the federal ADA standard in several places, including exterior door opening force and hardware height.

• Clear width: 32 inches minimum with the door open 90 degrees.
• Opening force: 5 pounds maximum for exterior and interior hinged doors.
• Hardware: usable with one hand without tight grasping or twisting, mounted 34 to 44 inches above the floor.
• Threshold: 1/2 inch maximum height.
• Closing speed: at least 5 seconds from 90 degrees open to 12 degrees from the latch.
• Door bottom: a smooth surface at least 10 inches high across the bottom of the push side of swinging doors.

Where a heavy door or wind pressure makes the 5 pound limit hard to meet, a low energy automatic operator is a common solution.

What Wind and Seismic Requirements Apply to Storefronts?

Storefront framing, anchors and glass have to resist the wind load for the building’s location and height, and allow for building movement in an earthquake. On larger openings, the building department may ask for shop drawings and engineering calculations.

• Wind load: framing members and glass are sized for the design wind pressure, which rises with building height and exposure. Waterfront and hilltop sites see higher loads.
• Deflection: framing that supports glass is limited in how far it can bend under load, so long spans may need deeper mullions or steel reinforcement.
• Seismic movement: glass and framing must allow for the building to move between floors without the glass breaking free, which affects how glass is set in the frame.
• Anchors: the connection to the structure is part of the design, especially on older buildings with unreinforced or soft-story conditions.

Are There Other Local Requirements for Bay Area Storefronts?

Yes. Some Bay Area cities add their own rules on top of the state codes. San Francisco has bird-safe glazing standards that can apply to large areas of clear glass, many cities have design review for storefronts in historic or commercial districts, and storefronts near a property line can need fire-rated glazing.

Check the local planning department as well as the building department early, because design review can affect the frame color, glass tint and mullion layout before plan check begins.

What Do You Need for Storefront Plan Check?

For storefront plan check, expect to submit drawings showing the storefront elevations and details, the glass and framing specifications, Title 24 energy compliance forms, the entrance door and hardware details for accessibility review, and engineering calculations where the building department requires them.

The process is usually the same across Bay Area cities:

1. Design: the architect or designer sets the storefront layout, compliance path and entrance design.
2. Submittals: the glazing contractor provides product data, shop drawings and any engineering the building department requires.
3. Plan check: the building department reviews energy, safety glazing, accessibility and structure, and issues comments.
4. Installation and inspection: the storefront is installed to the approved drawings, and the inspector checks glass marks, entrance hardware and installation details.

Insight Glass installs commercial storefront windows and entrances across the Bay Area, working from approved drawings for owners, property managers and general contractors.

Meeting Commercial Storefront Code Requirements in the Bay Area

Plan the four requirement areas together: Title 24 performance for the glass and framing, safety glass in every hazardous location, an entrance that meets California access rules, and framing sized for wind and seismic loads. Settling them at design avoids changes at plan check and failed inspections later.

Code references are based on the 2025 California Building Code and California Energy Code (Title 24, Part 6), effective January 1, 2026, as published in October 2026. Requirements change and local amendments apply. Confirm with your building department and design professional before ordering.