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Building Code Reference

Got a CRC R602.10 correction?

Shear wall bracing

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 R602.10 is the California Residential Code section that governs wall bracing — the system of panels and hardware that keeps a wood-framed structure from racking sideways under lateral loads like earthquakes and wind. It requires every framing plan to identify braced wall lines, specify the bracing method for each panel (such as WSP or CS-WSP), show minimum panel lengths, and call out hold-down hardware at shear wall ends. Single-family homes, ADUs, and additions in California's Seismic Design Category D all fall under R602.10.

How to fix it

  1. Identify and label every braced wall line on the framing plan

    On your floor framing or wall framing plan, draw each braced wall line as a continuous dashed line running the full width or depth of the building. Label each line with a unique designation (BWL-A, BWL-B, or Line 1, Line 2). Braced wall lines run in both directions, and per Table R602.10.1.3 they are spaced no more than 25 feet apart in SDC D0, D1 and D2 (up to 35 feet for one room of 900 sq ft or less). If your footprint exceeds 25 feet in any direction without a braced wall line, you need to add one.

  2. Assign a bracing method to each panel and call it out

    For each braced wall panel on a given line, note the bracing method using the CRC designation: WSP (wood structural panels), CS-WSP (continuous wood structural panels), PFH (portal frame with hold-downs), ABW (alternate braced wall), or LIB (let-in bracing, not permitted in SDC D0, D1 and D2). The method goes in a general note or directly on the panel tag. A separate bracing schedule table works well. Don't mix methods on the same panel without engineering backup.

  3. Verify and note minimum panel lengths per bracing method

    Pull CRC Table R602.10.5 for the method you're using. For WSP with an 8-foot wall height, panels must be at least 48 inches long. For PFH (portal frame), the minimum panel drops to 16 inches supporting a roof only (24 inches supporting one story and a roof), and it requires hold-downs. Write the required minimum length next to each panel on the plan, or include a bracing schedule table that ties each BWL designation to method, required length, and actual provided length.

  4. Schedule hold-down hardware with model numbers and loads

    Methods ABW, PFH, PFG and CS-PF carry their own hold-down or tension-strap rules under R602.10.6. On your structural notes or detail sheet, list each hold-down location, the hold-down model (e.g., Simpson HDU2, HDU5), and the design load in lbs. For ABW panels, Table R602.10.6.1 sets the minimum hold-down force: 1,800 lb for one story and 3,000 lb for the first of two stories at 8- to 10-foot walls in SDC D0, D1 and D2. A note that just says 'see structural engineer for hold-downs' without specifics will fail plan check.

  5. Detail sheathing grade, thickness, and nailing schedule

    WSP panels must show the sheathing thickness, panel grade, and nail size/spacing on the plan. The prescriptive minimum for Method WSP is 3/8-inch wood structural panel fastened per Table R602.3(3) at 6 inches on center at panel edges and 12 inches in the field; many designers specify 15/32 Structural I with 8d nails. If you're using 4-inch or 3-inch edge nailing to increase capacity, note that explicitly. Plan-checkers will verify nailing schedules against Table R602.3(3) and the bracing method requirements.

  6. Confirm aggregate panel length meets the required bracing length

    Each braced wall line needs a minimum total length of braced wall panels, in feet, from Table R602.10.3(3) for seismic (and R602.10.3(1) for wind) by SDC, story, braced wall line length and method, adjusted per Table R602.10.3(4). Add up the panel lengths on each line and compare. If you're under the required length, add more panels or switch to a higher-capacity method. This calculation should appear as a note or in a bracing summary table on the plans.

  7. Show how ADU or addition bracing ties into existing walls

    When adding an ADU or room addition that interrupts an existing braced wall line, show how the bracing system stays continuous. If the new opening removes a braced panel from the existing line, add compensating panels in the new work or in adjacent bays. The required bracing length applies to the whole braced wall line, new and existing portions together. A common mistake is bracing the new addition correctly but ignoring what changed in the existing wall.

  8. Write a specific resubmittal cover letter addressing each correction

    On your resubmittal cover letter, call out each R602.10 correction item by number and describe exactly what was revised. Reference the sheet number and detail that addresses it. Plan-checkers on second review are looking for the specific response; a general 'bracing revised per comments' note may trigger a third correction letter. Be specific: 'BWL-A panel lengths increased to 4 ft-0 in min. per Table R602.10.5; hold-down schedule added on S2.0.'

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Why you got flagged

Plan-checkers flag R602.10 most often because the braced wall lines aren't drawn on the framing plan at all. The code requires each braced wall line to be labeled with a unique designation — typically a letter or number like BWL-A or BWL-1 — along with the bracing method (WSP, CS-WSP, PFH, ABW, or let-in bracing) and the minimum panel length for that method. When the framing plan just shows studs and headers with no bracing notation, the plan-checker has no way to verify compliance and will cite R602.10 every time.

A second common trigger is missing or undersized panel lengths. Each bracing method has its own minimum panel length from CRC Table R602.10.5. The standard WSP method requires 48-inch-minimum panels in most configurations, but in Seismic Design Category D with 8-foot wall heights, the required length depends on the braced wall line length and spacing. Contractors often dimension their panels at the architectural minimum without checking whether those dimensions satisfy the seismic bracing schedule for that specific line.

Hold-down hardware is the third failure point. Perforated shear walls and many portal frame configurations require specific hold-down devices at panel ends, and those devices must be called out with model numbers or load capacities on the plans. A general note saying "hold-downs per engineer" doesn't satisfy R602.10 if the bracing method calls for prescriptive hardware. Plan-checkers in Orange County routinely send corrections when hold-down locations and forces are absent from the structural notes.

Additions and ADUs frequently trigger R602.10 corrections because the designer braces the new framing but doesn't verify the existing adjacent walls. R602.10 requires that the entire bracing system remain in compliance when new construction interrupts existing braced wall lines — cutting an opening in an existing wall without adding compensating bracing is a common cause of corrections on ADU tie-in work.

The official code

CRC R602.10 Wall Bracing — 2025 California Residential Code (Part 2.5)

Read the source →

Common questions

Do I need an engineer for R602.10 or can I use the prescriptive method?
For most standard single-family homes and ADUs under two stories, the CRC prescriptive bracing method works fine without a licensed structural engineer. R602.10 is designed as a prescriptive path — you follow the tables, pick a bracing method, meet the panel length requirements, and you're compliant. You need an engineer when your building falls outside the prescriptive scope: irregular floor plans, stories over 18 feet, or when you're using engineered shear wall products that require a stamped design. If you're in SDC D (all of Orange County qualifies), the prescriptive tables are stricter but still usable for standard construction.
What's the difference between WSP and CS-WSP bracing under R602.10?
WSP (Wood Structural Panel) bracing uses individual full-height sheathed panels scattered along a braced wall line. Each panel must meet the minimum length for the method. CS-WSP (Continuous Wood Structural Panel) sheaths the entire wall line from end to end, including over openings. CS-WSP is more work to detail but lets you use shorter individual panels since the continuity of sheathing across the whole line provides the required capacity. In tight floor plans where you can't fit 4-foot clear panels around windows and doors, CS-WSP is often the fix. Both methods work under the prescriptive R602.10 tables.
How far apart do braced wall lines need to be in California SDC D?
In Seismic Design Category D, which covers most of California including all of Orange County, braced wall lines in each direction must be spaced no more than 25 feet apart per CRC Table R602.10.1.3 (up to 35 feet to allow one room of 900 sq ft or less). If your building footprint exceeds 25 feet without a braced wall line in between, you need an intermediate line. The spacing is measured perpendicular to the braced wall line direction. Interior walls can serve as braced wall lines if they meet the sheathing and panel length requirements.
Can I use let-in bracing on a new home in Orange County?
Let-in bracing (diagonal 1x4 boards notched into studs) is not permitted in Seismic Design Categories D0, D1 and D2, which covers Orange County, under CRC Table R602.10.3(3). Elsewhere its minimum panel length is 55 inches at an 8-foot wall height. WSP or CS-WSP sheathing is the standard approach for new single-family homes. Let-in bracing shows up mostly on repairs and additions where matching the original framing method is simpler than retrofitting sheathing panels.
My engineer stamped the plans but I still got an R602.10 correction — why?
A stamped engineer doesn't automatically satisfy R602.10 unless the stamped drawings actually show all the required elements: braced wall line locations, panel method designations, panel lengths, and hold-down hardware schedules. Plan-checkers review the drawings themselves, not just the stamp. If your engineer's plans are missing the bracing notation, contact the engineer and ask them to add a bracing plan or schedule sheet. The corrections letter will call out exactly what's missing; pass those items back to the engineer. This is a documentation gap more often than a design gap.
Does R602.10 apply to a garage conversion ADU?
Yes. Converting a garage to an ADU is treated as a change of occupancy in most Orange County jurisdictions, which triggers a full code review including R602.10. The existing garage walls were typically designed for garage loads, not residential seismic bracing. You'll need to show that the existing walls meet the braced wall line requirements for a habitable space, or add sheathing and hold-downs to bring them up to compliance. Garage-to-ADU conversions are one of the most common places to see R602.10 corrections because the original framing was never intended for it.

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