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Building Code Reference

Got a CRC R319.1 correction?

Emergency escape window bedrooms

For builders in California, Greater Seattle, the Las Vegas area, the Denver area and Kansas City · CrossBeam Permits

What this code requires, how to fix it, and how cities and counties review it

What this code requires

CRC R319.1 requires every sleeping room, basement and habitable attic in a California residence to have at least one emergency escape and rescue opening (EERO). The opening must provide a minimum net clear area of 5.7 sq ft (5.0 sq ft for a grade-floor opening), a minimum clear height of 24 inches, a minimum clear width of 20 inches, and a maximum sill height of 44 inches above the finished floor. Most single-family and ADU permits get flagged when bedroom windows either fall short of these dimensions or aren't called out on the floor plan at all.

How to fix it

  1. Pull the window schedule and flag every bedroom window

    Go through your plans and identify every room labeled as a bedroom, plus any below-grade habitable space. Pull the window schedule and check whether each bedroom window has a net clear opening column. Nominal window sizes don't count. A 3050 window (3'-0" wide x 5'-0" tall nominal) will have a net clear opening that depends on the specific product's frame depth and sash travel. Get the manufacturer's rough-opening-to-net-clear spec sheet if you're using stock units.

  2. Verify net clear area against the minimums

    Net clear opening must be at least 5.7 square feet. Only a grade-floor opening, with the bottom of the clear opening not more than 44 inches above or below the adjacent finished grade, may drop to 5.0 square feet. Multiply net clear height by net clear width in feet to get the area. Example: 24 inches tall x 34.5 inches wide = 2.0 ft x 2.875 ft = 5.75 sq ft, which just clears the 5.7 sq ft requirement. If you're tight on area, pick a taller window rather than a wider one, since height minimum is 24 inches and width minimum is 20 inches.

  3. Check minimum height and width independently

    Even if the area calculation passes, height and width are each independently enforced. The net clear height must be at least 24 inches (610 mm). The net clear width must be at least 20 inches (508 mm). Both minimums must be satisfied simultaneously. A wide, short window can have enough area but still fail on the 24-inch height requirement. Show both dimensions explicitly on the window schedule.

  4. Confirm sill height from finished floor

    Measure sill height from finished floor, not subfloor or rough framing. If your bedroom has 3/4-inch subfloor plus 3/8-inch hardwood, the finished floor is 1-1/8 inches above the subfloor. Adjust your sill height callout accordingly. The maximum sill height from finished floor to the bottom of the net clear opening is 44 inches. If it's above 44 inches, the occupant may not be able to get out quickly in a fire. Note the finished floor elevation on the plan sheet where the egress window appears.

  5. Add net clear dimensions to the window schedule

    Your window schedule needs a dedicated column for net clear opening: one row each for net clear height (in), net clear width (in), and net clear area (sq ft). Do not rely on nominal size or rough opening size. The plan-checker will verify against manufacturer specs. If you're specifying Andersen, Milgard, or JELD-WEN products, download the net-clear spec sheet from the manufacturer and reference it in a drawing note. Something like: 'Window 1A: Andersen 3052 double-hung, net clear 27" H x 30.5" W = 5.72 sq ft. Complies with CRC R319.1.'

  6. Address window wells for below-grade bedrooms

    If the bedroom is below grade and requires a window well, CRC R319.4 adds requirements for the well itself. The well must allow the window to open fully, and if the well is deeper than 44 inches, a permanently attached ladder or steps must be provided. Show the window well dimensions and ladder on the plan. A quick note citing R319.4 keeps the plan-checker from flagging a separate egress-well correction.

  7. Annotate every bedroom on the floor plan

    Each room labeled as a bedroom needs a note on the floor plan sheet that references the egress window by tag number and confirms compliance. Something like: 'Room 2 (bedroom): Egress window W2 per R319.1. Net clear: 25" H x 28" W = 4.86 sq ft.' Wait—that fails (4.86 < 5.7), illustrating why you do the math before adding the note. Get the numbers right, then put them on the plans. Plan-checkers are looking for explicit code compliance callouts; they don't want to do the math themselves.

  8. Resubmit with a response-to-corrections letter

    When resubmitting after a R319.1 correction, include a short response letter that lists each correction item by number and states how it was resolved. For egress windows: 'Correction #3 (CRC R319.1): Window schedule updated on Sheet A2.1 to show net clear dimensions for all bedroom windows. All bedrooms confirmed >= 5.7 sq ft net clear area, >= 24" height, >= 20" width, sill <= 44" from finished floor.' A clean response letter reduces back-and-forth with the plan-checker.

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Why you got flagged

Plan-checkers flag R319.1 most often when the window schedule on the plans doesn't list net clear opening dimensions for bedroom windows. A contractor might draw a "3068" window on the floor plan, but nominal size and net clear opening are different things. After subtracting the frame and sash, that same window may open to only 18 inches clear width, which is two inches short of the 20-inch minimum. The correction letter cites R319.1 and the project stalls.

The second common scenario is basement bedrooms. A below-grade bedroom is appealing in a California ADU conversion, but the sill must still land at or below 44 inches from the floor, and the net clear area must hit 5.7 sq ft (or 5.0 for a grade-floor opening). When designers specify a small hopper or awning window for a basement bedroom, the opening area rarely gets close to those numbers. Plan-checkers catch it every time.

Egress windows in rooms where the sill falls right at 44 inches often get flagged for measurement ambiguity. Plans may show sill height measured from subfloor rather than finished floor, which can push the sill over the 44-inch limit once finish flooring thickness is applied. City plan-checkers will note this and require a confirmed finished-floor callout.

A fourth pattern: the plans show an egress window that meets dimensions for the master bedroom but ignore secondary bedrooms. Every room used as a bedroom needs its own code-compliant EERO. Missing egress callouts on a secondary bedroom or office-converted-to-bedroom is a routine catch.

The official code

California Residential Code R319.1 — Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings

Read the source →

Common questions

Does CRC R319.1 apply to ADUs?
Yes. ADUs are subject to the California Residential Code when built as detached single-family structures or added to an existing single-family home. Every room used as a bedroom in the ADU needs a compliant egress window. If the ADU has a basement bedroom, the 5.0 sq ft grade-floor minimum applies only if the sill is within 44 inches of the adjacent finished grade; otherwise the standard 5.7 sq ft applies. ADU designers who skip egress callouts on secondary bedrooms or converted dens get flagged almost every time the plan-checker reviews the window schedule.
What's the minimum net clear opening area for an egress window?
5.7 square feet, except for a grade-floor opening (bottom of the clear opening not more than 44 inches above or below the adjacent finished grade), which has a reduced minimum of 5.0 square feet. Net clear area is the actual opening size after the window is opened to its maximum travel, subtracting frame and sash from the rough opening. Nominal window sizes are always larger than net clear. For example, a nominal 3050 window (3'-0" x 5'-0") will have a net clear considerably smaller depending on the manufacturer's frame and hardware. Always check the manufacturer's spec sheet for the actual net clear dimensions before writing your window schedule callout.
Can a casement window qualify as an egress window?
Yes, a casement window can satisfy R319.1 when it swings open to provide the required net clear dimensions: 5.7 sq ft area, 24-inch minimum height, 20-inch minimum width, and sill no higher than 44 inches from finished floor. Casements can be easier to qualify than single-hung or double-hung windows because the full sash swings clear, giving you the maximum net opening for a given rough opening size. Just confirm the window opens fully without being stopped by a screen frame, trim, or physical obstruction.
Does an office or den count as a bedroom for egress purposes?
If a room has a closet and is sized to be used as a bedroom, plan-checkers often require egress even if you label it 'office' or 'bonus room' on the plans. The practical rule: if the city's assessor or a future buyer would call it a bedroom, provide an egress window. Plan-checkers who believe the room will be used as a bedroom will flag the lack of egress regardless of the label on the plan. When in doubt, spec the egress window. The cost of adding a proper window up front is far less than the correction letter and resubmittal fee after the fact.
Is a skylight compliant as the egress opening for a bedroom?
A skylight can qualify as an emergency escape and rescue opening if it meets the same net clear dimensions as a standard window: 5.7 sq ft area, 24-inch height, 20-inch width, and sill no more than 44 inches from the floor. The sill-height requirement is where most skylights fail. In a room with standard 9-foot ceilings, a flat-roof skylight is mounted well above 44 inches from finished floor. Operable skylights on sloped ceilings or cathedral rooflines are generally not compliant for egress because occupants cannot reach them from the floor within the 44-inch sill limit.
What happens if there's a bug screen over the egress window?
Bug screens don't affect compliance as long as they can be opened or removed from the inside without tools, keys, or special knowledge. The code requires the opening to be operable from inside by the occupant in an emergency. A screen that clips in from the outside, requires a screwdriver, or uses a proprietary release mechanism is a problem. Standard screen frames that push out or swing open from inside are fine. If the plan-checker has flagged egress screens before on similar projects, add a drawing note confirming the screen is removable without tools.

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