What is occupancy classification in fire safety?

It is the grouping of a building by its use, such as residential, assembly or storage, so the fire code can apply the right exits, systems and limits. In India it is set out in clause 3.1 of NBC 2016 Part 4 and NBCS 2026 Part F.

What are the group A to J buildings?

A Residential, B Educational, C Institutional, D Assembly, E Business, F Mercantile, G Industrial, H Storage and J Hazardous. The letter I is skipped. NBCS 2026 adds K for mixed use.

What is Group K in NBCS 2026?

Mixed use: a building where occupancies intermingle. It follows the most restrictive rules of its uses and a separation table that sets 120 to 240 minutes between pairs of uses, or bars the pair.

Which occupancy group is a hostel?

A dormitory: A-3 in NBC 2016 and A-II in NBCS 2026. A hostel inside a school or college is classed as a dormitory, not as educational.

Which group is a coaching centre?

Educational, Group B, once it teaches 20 or more students; under NBC 2016, B-2 applies to training institutions of 100 or more. J&K's bye-laws instead place coaching centres in use class C3.

What is a minor occupancy?

A use incidental to the main one, such as an office in a factory. It is classed with the main use; NBCS 2026 caps it at 30% of the floor area, above which the building is mixed use.

Does changing a shop into a restaurant change the occupancy classification?

Under the NBC, yes: from mercantile to assembly once 50 or more people gather, so the building must then meet assembly rules, and a certificate of occupancy is needed before the change. States can differ: Kerala's building rules keep restaurants in the mercantile group.

Glossary 17 min read

Occupancy classification: NBC groups A to J, the new Group K and each state's version

Updated October 2026By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on 24 October 2026

Quick answer

Occupancy classification sorts a building by its use, so the fire code knows which rules apply. NBC 2016 (Part 4, clause 3.1) uses 9 groups, A Residential to J Hazardous, with 29 subdivisions such as A-4 apartments and D-6 malls. There is no Group I.

NBCS 2026 (Part F, clause 3.1), which replaced NBC 2016 on 30 April 2026, keeps A to J, adds Group K for mixed use and cuts the subdivisions to 15. State rules decide which list your fire NOC uses: Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh still name NBC 2016, while Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir use classes of their own.

NBC 2016 groups: 9; A to J; there is no Group I; At a glance
NBC 2016 subdivisions: 29; From A-1 lodging houses to G-3 high hazard; All subdivisions
NBCS 2026 groups: 10; Group K, mixed use, is new; 2016 against 2026
Minor occupancy cap: 30%; Above it the building is mixed use; Mixed use numbers

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Occupancy classification at a glance

What occupancy classification is, where it is written and how it reaches a fire NOC, with the source of each fact.
What	The rule	Source
What it is	Classing every building, existing or new, by its use or the character of its occupancy into one group	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
NBC 2016 groups	9: A Residential, B Educational, C Institutional, D Assembly, E Business, F Mercantile, G Industrial, H Storage, J Hazardous (Part 4, clause 3.1.1)	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
NBC 2016 subdivisions	29: A-1 to A-6, B-1 and B-2, C-1 to C-3, D-1 to D-7, E-1 to E-5, F-1 to F-3, G-1 to G-3; H and J have none	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
NBCS 2026 groups	10: the same 9 plus K Mixed use (Part F, clause 3.1.11)	BIS, SP 7:2026
NBCS 2026 subdivisions	15: A-I to A-V, C-I to C-III, E-I and E-II, F-I and F-II, G-I to G-III	BIS, SP 7:2026
Minor occupancy	Classed with the main use; capped at 30% of the floor area in NBCS 2026, above which the building is mixed use	BIS, SP 7:2026
Industrial hazard	Set by the Authority from fire load and processes; Annex B gives a broad low, moderate and high list	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Change of use	Moving to a different group or subdivision means meeting the new group's rules, and a certificate of occupancy comes first (clauses 3.1.12 to 3.1.14)	BIS, SP 7:2026
How states use it	By reference (Uttar Pradesh's Act: "as defined in National Building Code"), by fee or risk tables, or with their own classes (Kerala, J&K, Chhattisgarh)	UP Act 16 of 2022
Last verified	24 October 2026, against the BIS texts of NBC 2016 Part 4 and NBCS 2026 Part F and state rules	Not stated

Occupancy classification in NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026

NBC 2016 had 9 groups and NBCS 2026 has 10 groups. What each group holds in the two editions.
Option	NBC 2016, Part 4, clause 3.1	NBCS 2026, Part F, clause 3.1	Source
Number of groups	9 groups, A to J	10 groups, A to K	BIS, SP 7:2026
A Residential	6 subdivisions, A-1 to A-6, including A-2 one or two-family homes	5 subdivisions, A-I to A-V; the one or two-family home subdivision is gone	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
B Educational	B-1 schools up to senior secondary (20+ students), B-2 other and training institutions (100+)	One group, 20 or more students, no subdivisions	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
C Institutional	C-1 hospitals, C-2 custodial, C-3 penal and mental	C-I, C-II, C-III, the same three	BIS, SP 7:2026
D Assembly	7 subdivisions by stage, seats and type, D-1 to D-7	One group of 50 or more persons; malls and metro railways named as examples	BIS, SP 7:2026
E Business	E-1 offices to E-5 broadcasting stations; computer centres in E-3	E-I human-occupied, E-II data centres as a machine environment	BIS, SP 7:2026
F Mercantile	F-1 up to 500 m², F-2 over 500 m², F-3 underground	F-I shops and markets of any size, F-II underground	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
G Industrial	G-1 low, G-2 moderate, G-3 high hazard	G-I, G-II, G-III; Annex B said to cover fire hazard only	BIS, SP 7:2026
H and J	H Storage, J Hazardous	H Storage, J Hazardous in the detailed clauses; the summary list swaps them by mistake	BIS, SP 7:2026
Mixed occupancy	Most restrictive rules; uses separated by a 240-minute fire resistance rating (clause 3.1.11)	Group K, with a table of 120, 180 or 240 minutes, or not permitted, for each pair of uses	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

Every NBC 2016 occupancy classification subdivision, A-1 to J

NBC 2016 Part 4 has 29 subdivisions under 9 groups. In paraphrase, with the clause; these are the codes most state rules and fee tables still print.

A-1 Lodging and rooming houses (3.1.2): Sleeping rooms without individual cooking under one management: inns, clubs, motels, guest houses. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-2 One or two-family private dwellings: A private home sleeping not more than 20 people; rooms let to outsiders take at most 3 each. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-3 Dormitories: Group sleeping for people not of one family: school and college dormitories, hostels, barracks. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-4 Apartment houses: Homes for 3 or more families living and cooking independently: flats, mansions, chawls. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-5 Hotels and A-6 Starred hotels: Hotels up to four-star in A-5; five-star and above in A-6. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
B-1 and B-2 Educational (3.1.3): B-1 schools up to senior secondary with 20 or more students; B-2 colleges and training institutions with 100 or more. A school's hostel is A-3. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
C-1 to C-3 Institutional (3.1.4): C-1 hospitals, sanatoria and nursing homes; C-2 homes for the aged, convalescents and orphans; C-3 jails and mental hospitals. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
D-1 and D-2 Assembly with a stage: Theatres, cinemas and auditoria with fixed seats: D-1 for over 1,000 people, D-2 up to 1,000. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
D-3 and D-4 Assembly without a stage: Halls with no permanent seating, such as marriage halls, places of worship, museums and passenger terminals: D-3 for 300 or more, D-4 for fewer. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
D-5, D-6 and D-7: D-5 other and temporary structures such as stadia and circus tents; D-6 malls mixing shops, cinemas and food courts; D-7 underground and elevated mass rapid transit. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
E-1 to E-5 Business (3.1.6): E-1 offices, banks, post and police stations; E-2 laboratories, outpatient clinics, libraries; E-3 computer centres, IT parks, call centres; E-4 telephone exchanges; E-5 broadcasting stations and air traffic control towers. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
F-1 to F-3 Mercantile (3.1.7): Shops, stores and markets: F-1 up to 500 m² covered area, F-2 over 500 m², F-3 underground shopping centres. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
G-1 to G-3 Industrial (3.1.8): Factories, plants and workshops by fire hazard: G-1 low, G-2 moderate, G-3 high, set by the Authority from fire load and processes. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
H Storage and J Hazardous (3.1.9, 3.1.10): H for warehouses, cold stores, garages and hangars; J for highly combustible, explosive, toxic or corrosive materials. Neither has subdivisions. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

How states reuse or rename occupancy classification

Fire is a state subject, so the occupancy classification on your certificate is the state's. Some states adopt the NBC groups by reference, some print them in fee tables and some write their own classes.

	The state's scheme	Tie to the NBC groups	Instrument
Uttar Pradesh UP Act 16 of 2022	Special buildings named by NBC group; approving officers set by NBC sub-group, such as A3 and A4 up to 60 m or G-3 up to 7 m	By reference: "as defined in National Building Code as amended from time to time"	Act 16 of 2022, section 26(3)(ii); Rules 2024, Schedule VI
Assam Assam Act LIII of 2025	Schedule I sorts buildings into high, moderate and low vulnerability; every institutional building is high	Cites NBC 2016 Part 4 clause 3.1.5 for assembly and 3.1.6 for business	Fire and Emergency Services Act 2025, Schedule I
Chhattisgarh Home Department, Chhattisgarh	12 classes, from pandals over 50 persons to all underground structures	Class 6 is every NBC 2016 Part 4 assembly building; the fire measures for each class are NBC 2016 Part 4's	Section 14(1) and 14(2) notifications of 29 November 2022
Jammu and Kashmir J&K Gazette	Use classes R3, C3, C4, C5 and PSP1 to PSP4 need a fire NOC	Own planning classes, not NBC letters: R3 is group housing, C4 is 4 and 5-star hotels, PSP2 is secondary schools and small hospitals	Unified Building Bye-Laws 2021, clause 2.18(2)
Kerala KMBR 2019	12 groups: A1, A2, B, C, D, E, F, G1, G2, H, I and J	NBC-like letters, but I is Hazardous and J is a Multiplex Complex	KMBR 2019, rule 25(1) as substituted in 2020
Chandigarh MCC Office Order 23	Fire certificate charges by NBC group, A to J	NBC 2016 groups; A-2 homes, A-4 apartments and places of worship are exempt; PG housing is charged as Group A	MC Office Order No. 23 of 10 February 2025
Meghalaya Meghalaya F&ES	Fees per m² by NBC code: A1 lodging houses, C-1 hospitals, G-1 to G-3 industry	NBC subdivision codes printed in the fee annexure	Fee notification HPL.179/2017/85, Annexure B
West Bengal WBFES	Its own fee Groups A to D, Rs 4.35 to Rs 13.05 per m²	Renamed: Group A covers homes over 14.5 m, schools, libraries and museums together	WBFES Fire Safety Recommendation service
Punjab Local Govt Punjab	Online fire NOC fees by NBC zone	NBC groups as fee zones	Letter No. 41343 of 8 October 2021
Ladakh Gazette notification S.O. 140	Schedule I groups A (A1 to A5), B, C (C1, C2), D (D1 to D6), E, F and G	An NBC-style list with fewer subdivisions; H and J not seen in the copy read	Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Rules 2025
Delhi DFS	Rule 27 sets heights by use: homes over 15 m, hotels over 12 m, schools, institutions and shops over 9 m	NBC group names without subdivision codes	Fire Service Rules 2010, Rule 27, as amended in 2025
Uttarakhand Uttarakhand GO 2025	State fire kits by use for buildings below 12 m	Replaces NBC 2016 Part 4 Table 7 below 12 m; NBC prevails where the order is silent	Government order No. 304272/XX-3/2025 of 6 June 2025

Flamekite found no state that had re-classed buildings on the NBCS 2026 groups, including Group K, by 24 October 2026. Uttar Pradesh's fire service still asks applicants to fix the group and sub-group from the NBC 2016 chart.

What NBCS 2026 changed in occupancy classification

Part F's clause 3.1 keeps the letters but redraws what sits inside them. These are the changes that move a building between classes.

Clause 3.1.2
Private homes lose their own subdivision
The 2016 A-2 for one or two-family dwellings is gone; residential now runs A-I lodging houses to A-V starred hotels, and apartments move from A-4 to A-III. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.3
One educational group
B-1 and B-2 merge into one group for 20 or more students; a school's hostel is now A-II. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.5
Assembly loses D-1 to D-7
The 2016 split by stage, fixed seats and the 300-person line is gone; assembly is any building where 50 or more people gather. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.6
Business splits into people and machines
E-1 to E-5 become E-I for human-occupied buildings and E-II for data centres. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.7
No 500 m² split for shops
F-1 and F-2 merge into F-I; underground shopping centres become F-II. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.1.1
Minor occupancy gets a 30% cap
An incidental use is still classed with the main one, but above 30% of the floor area the building becomes mixed use. BIS, SP 7:2026
Clause 3.1.11
Group K replaces the flat 240 minutes
Mixed use now has its own group and a separation table by pair of uses, instead of 2016's single 240-minute rating. BIS, SP 7:2026

Mixed occupancy classification separation ratings

Group K's table in clause 3.1.11.1 sets the fire resistance between two uses in one building, or bars the pair. A few of its values, read from Part F.

120 min
Between homes and schools, hospitals, assembly halls, offices, shops or low hazard industry BIS, SP 7:2026
240 min
Between offices and high hazard industry, and between hazardous uses and storage BIS, SP 7:2026
180 min
Between storage and moderate hazard industry BIS, SP 7:2026
4
Uses that may not share a building with homes: moderate and high hazard industry, storage and hazardous BIS, SP 7:2026
30 %
Floor area above which a minor occupancy turns the building into mixed use BIS, SP 7:2026
240 min
The single separation NBC 2016 required between all mixed uses (clause 3.1.11) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

Which occupancy classification group is your building?

Common premises, with the NBC 2016 code most state forms still ask for and the NBCS 2026 group.

If A block of flats
A-4 apartment houses in NBC 2016 (3 or more families cooking separately); A-III in NBCS 2026. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A hostel, PG or dormitory
A-3 dormitories in NBC 2016 and A-II in NBCS 2026. Chandigarh charges PG housing as Group A because it is a commercial use. MCC Office Order 23
If A hotel
A-5 up to four-star and A-6 for five-star in NBC 2016; A-IV and A-V in NBCS 2026. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A nursing home or hospital
C-1 in both editions. Assam treats every institutional building as high risk at any height. Assam Act LIII of 2025
If A restaurant, banquet or marriage hall
Assembly once 50 or more people gather; in NBC 2016 a hall without a stage is D-3 for 300 or more and D-4 below. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A shopping mall with a cinema
D-6 in NBC 2016. In NBCS 2026 it is assembly, and a building mixing more uses falls under Group K. BIS, SP 7:2026
If A data centre or server hall
E-3 computer installations in NBC 2016; E-II, a machine environment, in NBCS 2026. BIS, SP 7:2026
If A warehouse, godown or garage
H storage, unless it holds highly combustible or explosive goods, which makes it J hazardous. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If An LPG or gas store above 70 m³
J hazardous: NBCS 2026 names gases stored above 0.1 N/mm² and 70 m³, LPG, explosives and fireworks. BIS, SP 7:2026

Three buildings, three occupancy classifications each

The same building can carry an NBC 2016 code, an NBCS 2026 group and a state class at once. The state class is the one on the certificate.

Case 1
A 3-star hotel of 40 rooms in Srinagar
16 m high, no stilts, with a restaurant.
What applies A-5 in NBC 2016 and A-IV in NBCS 2026, both covering hotels up to four-star, and class C3 in the J&K bye-laws (hotels other than 4 and 5-star), which is on the fire NOC list in clause 2.18(2). J&K H&UDD
Case 2
A 40-bed nursing home in Bilaspur
Ground plus 3, about 13 m, with an ICU.
What applies C-1 in NBC 2016 and C-I in NBCS 2026; Chhattisgarh class 5, institutional, which covers any building with more than 30 beds or a critical care unit. Home Department, Chhattisgarh
Case 3
A 400 m² community hall in a Kochi suburb
One floor, 8 m, no stage or fixed seats, for up to 250 persons.
What applies D-4 in NBC 2016 (fewer than 300, no permanent seating), Group D assembly in NBCS 2026, and KMBR Group D, which needs a fire NOC at any size. KMBR amendment 2025

Four myths about occupancy classification

You may have read
The NBC groups run from A to I.
Myth
What the sources say
There is no Group I in NBC 2016 or NBCS 2026: H is storage and J is hazardous. Some guides still print "A to I". InfraLensnews report
You may have read
Group J means hazardous everywhere.
Myth
What the sources say
In Kerala's building rules Group I is hazardous and Group J is a multiplex complex. KMBR 2019
You may have read
Data centres are classed E-3.
Myth
What the sources say
That was NBC 2016. NBCS 2026 puts them in their own subdivision, E-II. BIS, SP 7:2026
You may have read
NBCS 2026 calls storage Group J.
Myth
What the sources say
Its summary list in clause 3.1.1 swaps H and J, but the detailed clauses 3.1.9 and 3.1.10 and the tables keep H as storage and J as hazardous. BIS, SP 7:2026

Occupancy classification mistakes that change a fire NOC

A wrong class means the wrong fire systems, the wrong fee and sometimes the wrong approving officer.

If Changing the use without telling anyone
A move to a new group or subdivision must meet the new group's rules, and a certificate of occupancy is needed before the change (NBC 2016 clauses 3.1.12 and 3.1.14). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If Letting a side use grow past 30% of the floor
Under NBCS 2026 the building stops being a single occupancy and becomes mixed use, with separation between the uses. BIS, SP 7:2026
If Classing a whole factory by its office
Where hazards differ, the most hazardous part governs unless it is segregated or protected as the code specifies (clause 3.1.8). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If Using NBC 2026 codes on a UP or Chhattisgarh form
Both states' instruments name NBC 2016; use its codes, such as A-4 for flats, until they adopt the new standard. Home Department, Chhattisgarh
If Reading a Kerala Group J as hazardous
It is a multiplex complex, which needs a fire NOC at any size under rule 5(4). KMBR amendment 2025

How India's occupancy classification grew, 1970 to 2026

The groups are older than most state fire laws. The subdivisions are what changed.

1970
The first National Building Code of India is published. Bureau of Indian Standards
1997
Amendment 3 to the 1983 code adds an annex classing industrial and non-industrial occupancies into low, moderate and high hazard. BIS, SP 7:2026
2005
NBC 2005 adds A-6 starred hotels, D-6 mixed assembly, D-7 underground and elevated railways and E-5 TV stations, and puts heritage monuments in D-3. BIS, SP 7:2026
2016
NBC 2016 Part 4 reviews the subdivisions and clarifies mixed and minor occupancy, ending at 29 subdivisions. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
24 September 2020
Kerala substitutes KMBR rule 25(1) with 12 groups, from A1 Residential to J Multiplex Complex. KMBR 2019
24 December 2021
J&K's Unified Building Bye-Laws name the use classes R3, C3, C4, C5 and PSP1 to PSP4 for the fire NOC. J&K Gazette
29 November 2022
Chhattisgarh notifies 12 classes of buildings needing a fire NOC, with NBC 2016 Part 4 measures for each. Home Department, Chhattisgarh
13 December 2022
Uttar Pradesh's Act names special buildings "as defined in National Building Code as amended from time to time". UP Act 16 of 2022
24 December 2025
Assam's new Act sorts buildings into fire vulnerability classes in Schedule I, citing NBC 2016 clauses. Assam Act LIII of 2025
30 April 2026
NBCS 2026 adds Group K and E-II data centres and cuts the subdivisions to 15. Gazette of India

How occupancy classification drives the rest of the fire code

The group is the first input; almost every later table in the fire chapter is read against it.

1. Group and subdivision (clause 3.1)
Fix the use first, including any minor use under 30% of the floor and any mixed use. BIS, SP 7:2026
2. Whether the chapter applies (clause 1.2)
Each group has its own height and area trigger in NBCS 2026, from 9 m for schools and storage to 24 m for homes. BIS, SP 7:2026
3. Occupant load and exits (Tables 2 and 4)
Occupant load factors and travel distances are set per occupancy. BIS, SP 7:2026
4. Fire-fighting installations (Tables 7A to 7J)
One table per occupancy sets extinguishers, hose reels, risers, sprinklers and alarms. BIS, SP 7:2026
5. Occupancy-wise extras (clause 6)
Added duties for each group, such as progressive evacuation in hospitals. BIS, SP 7:2026
6. The state's fee and validity
Many states price the certificate or set its term by group: Chandigarh at Rs 12 or Rs 14 per m², Meghalaya by NBC code. MCC Office Order 23

Before you fix your building's occupancy classification

Every use in the building, with its floor area, so you can test the 30% minor occupancy cap BIS, SP 7:2026
Which edition your state's rules name: NBC 2016 codes (A-1 to J) or NBCS 2026 groups (A to K) UP Act 16 of 2022
Whether your state uses its own classes instead, as Kerala, J&K and Chhattisgarh do Home Department, Chhattisgarh
For assembly: the number of people and whether there is a stage and fixed seating (D-1 to D-5 in NBC 2016) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
For shops: the covered area, since NBC 2016 splits F-1 and F-2 at 500 m² BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
For industry: the materials and processes, to place it in G-1, G-2 or G-3 using Annex B Assam hazard list
For gas stores: the pressure and volume, since storage above 0.1 N/mm² and 70 m³ is hazardous BIS, SP 7:2026

What Flamekite could not confirm about occupancy classification

These gaps are stated, not guessed.

The full Ladakh Rules 2025 schedule: the copy Flamekite read shows groups A to G, and whether it also lists storage and hazardous groups is not confirmed.

Whether any state or city had re-classed buildings on the NBCS 2026 groups, including Group K and E-II, after 24 October 2026. None had by that date in the instruments Flamekite read.

The occupancy classes in Gujarat's GDCR, Maharashtra's UDCPR and Delhi's Unified Building Bye-Laws 2016 were not read for this page; the fire NOC thresholds on those states' pages use their fire rules instead.

NBC and NBCS text is copyright of the Bureau of Indian Standards. This page paraphrases 29 subdivisions and cites clause numbers; read the clause itself before a design decision.

Questions about occupancy classification

What is occupancy classification in fire safety?: It is the grouping of a building by its use, such as residential, assembly or storage, so the fire code can apply the right exits, systems and limits. In India it is set out in clause 3.1 of NBC 2016 Part 4 and NBCS 2026 Part F.
What are the group A to J buildings?: A Residential, B Educational, C Institutional, D Assembly, E Business, F Mercantile, G Industrial, H Storage and J Hazardous. The letter I is skipped. NBCS 2026 adds K for mixed use.
What is Group K in NBCS 2026?: Mixed use: a building where occupancies intermingle. It follows the most restrictive rules of its uses and a separation table that sets 120 to 240 minutes between pairs of uses, or bars the pair.
Which occupancy group is a hostel?: A dormitory: A-3 in NBC 2016 and A-II in NBCS 2026. A hostel inside a school or college is classed as a dormitory, not as educational.
Which group is a coaching centre?: Educational, Group B, once it teaches 20 or more students; under NBC 2016, B-2 applies to training institutions of 100 or more. J&K's bye-laws instead place coaching centres in use class C3.
What is a minor occupancy?: A use incidental to the main one, such as an office in a factory. It is classed with the main use; NBCS 2026 caps it at 30% of the floor area, above which the building is mixed use.
Does changing a shop into a restaurant change the occupancy classification?: Under the NBC, yes: from mercantile to assembly once 50 or more people gather, so the building must then meet assembly rules, and a certificate of occupancy is needed before the change. States can differ: Kerala's building rules keep restaurants in the mercantile group.

Keep reading

National Building Code 2026How NBCS 2026 replaced NBC 2016, and when Part F applies.
High-rise buildingThe 15 m and 24 m lines and every state's height.
Fire NOC in Uttar PradeshApproving officers by NBC sub-group under Schedule VI.
Fire NOC in KeralaKMBR groups A1 to J and the 1,000 m² or 15 m line.
Fire NOC in ChhattisgarhThe 12 classes that need a fire NOC.
Fire NOC in Jammu and KashmirUse classes R3, C3 and PSP on the fire NOC list.
Fire NOC checkerYour state, use, height and area: do you need a fire NOC?

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