Toledo, OH Frost Depth & Snow Load: Ground Snow Load (2026)
Key Facts
- Ground snow load
- 20 lbs/sf, explicitly labelled as ground
- Frost line depth
- 36 inches minimum
- Code edition of the published sheet
- 2013 Residential Code of Ohio: confirm currency
- How it compares
- Same as Columbus and Dublin
Summary
Toledo adopts a ground snow load of 20 pounds per square foot in the Toledo-specific design criteria table its Division of Building Inspection publishes.
RCO Table 301.2(1) CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA (TOLEDO, OHIO): Ground Snow Load (lbs/sf) 20; Frost Line Depth (b) 36" min; Wind Speed 90; Seismic A or B; Weathering Severe. The Residential Code of Ohio (RCO) for One-, Two- and Three-Family Dwellings, 2013 Edition, is used for all residential construction of the same occupancy.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
The Residential Code of Ohio leaves the ground snow load column blank for each jurisdiction to complete, and Toledo's construction procedures sheet fills it with 20 lbs/sf. The column is explicitly labelled as a ground snow load, which is worth noting because several Ohio cities publish a roof figure instead and the two are not interchangeable. Twenty psf matches what Columbus and Dublin adopt, so the Ohio cities we cover cluster at the same snow figure even where their frost depths diverge. The caveat that applies to everything on this sheet applies here too: it is written against the 2013 Residential Code of Ohio and was last revised in January 2018, two editions behind the current state rule.
Violations & Fines
Ground snow load is a design input checked at plan review rather than a citable offence. Drawings must show the structure designed for the adopted figure, with the roof value derived from it under the normal code provisions. Given the sheet's age, confirm the current figure with the Division of Building Inspection before relying on it for a substantial design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ground snow load in Toledo?
Is that a ground or a roof snow load?
How current is the figure?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Toledo
Compare Toledo to another location·View the Ohio frost depth & snow load overview
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