Oak Lawn, IL Building Safety: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2018 International Residential Code
- Local amendment
- Section R313 deleted entirely
- Effect
- No mandatory home fire sprinklers
- Applies to
- One- and two-family dwellings
- Citation
- Village Code section 6-1C-2(B)
Summary
Oak Lawn adopted the 2018 International Residential Code by reference for one- and two-family homes, but its local amendments delete IRC Section R313 entirely, so newly built houses in the Village are not required to install automatic fire sprinkler systems.
B. The following sections are revised as follows: Part 1 - Administrative; Chapter 4 - Foundations R-105.2 Work Exempt From Permit. ... R-309.5 Delete the entire section. R-313 Delete the entire section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-1C-1 of the Village Code adopts the International Residential Code, 2018 edition, by reference for all one- and two-family residential buildings in Oak Lawn. Section 6-1C-2(B) then amends that adopted code section by section, and among its changes it instructs 'R-313 Delete the entire section' -- IRC R313 is the Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems requirement for townhouses and one- and two-family dwellings. By striking that section outright, the Village removed any local mandate for residential fire sprinklers; homeowners and builders may still install them voluntarily, but the Village Code does not require it for new single-family or duplex construction.
Violations & Fines
No sprinkler mandate exists to violate. General Village building-permit and inspection enforcement under the adopted IRC still applies to one- and two-family construction, including stop-work orders for unpermitted or uninspected work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oak Lawn require fire sprinklers in new single-family homes?
Can a homeowner still install residential fire sprinklers voluntarily?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
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