# CA all-gender restroom



## Robert (Aug 2, 2020)

It seems in CA they will only allow single occupant all-gender restrooms if you are B or M occupancies. I am working on an A3 occupancy and If I provide the required fixture counts and satisfy the CPC, is there any reason I still couldn't provide an all gender single occupant restroom (above and beyond what is required?). Maybe more to the point: what is the rationale for only allowing them for B and M occupancies? Thank you.


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## cda (Aug 2, 2020)

There are a few replies to that, anyway 

Call it a family bathroom, if over what is required


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## e hilton (Aug 3, 2020)

Robert ... code is minimum.   Nothing wrong with an extra restroom, same as nothing wrong with doors or stairs a few extra inches wide.


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## rgrace (Aug 3, 2020)

Robert, are you referring to CPC 422.2 exception 3? The answer may not matter, the language is there, right? I am more familiar with the IPC, and it had similar language that created similar issues (2015 IPC) with single-user toilet room restrictions. Changes made to the 2018 IPC eliminated those issues and recognized the use of single-user toilet rooms, identified for use by anyone regardless of their gender, in all occupancies. Perhaps the next edition of the CPC has similar changes?


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## mark handler (Aug 3, 2020)

Assembly Bill 1732 Requirements
Effective March 1, 2017, *California Law* requires that *all* single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment, *place of public accommodation*, or government agency to be identified as *All*-*Gender* toilet facilities.

Your A3 occupancy, may very well be a  *public accommodation.* And may require the *single occupant restrooms* be classified as all gender facilities. 

*Per CA Code:*
_PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION. A facility operated by a private entity whose operations affect commerce and fall within at least one of the following categories:
Place of lodging, except for an establishment located within a facility that contains not more than five rooms for rent or hire and that actually is occupied by the proprietor of the establishment as the residence of the proprietor. For purposes of this code, a facility is a "place of lodging" if it is
An inn, hotel or motel; or
A facility that
Provides guest rooms for sleeping for stays that primarily are short-term in nature (generally 30 days or less) where the occupant does not have the right to return to a specific room or unit after the conclusion of his or her stay; and
Provides guest rooms under conditions and with amenities similar to a hotel, motel, or inn, including the following:
On- or off-site management and reservations service;
Rooms available on a walk-up or call-in basis;
Availability of housekeeping or linen service; and
Acceptance of reservations for a guest room type without guaranteeing a particular unit or room until check-in, and without a prior lease or security deposit.
A restaurant, bar, or other establishment serving food or drink;
A motion picture house, theater, concert hall, stadium, or other place of exhibition or entertainment;
An auditorium, convention center, lecture hall, or other place of public gathering;
A bakery, grocery store, clothing store, hardware store, shopping center, or other sales or rental establishment;
A laundromat, dry-cleaner, bank, barber shop, beauty shop, travel service, shoe repair service, funeral parlor, gas station, office of an accountant or lawyer, pharmacy, insurance office, professional office of a health care provider, hospital, or other service establishment;
A terminal, depot, or other station used for specified public transportation;
A museum, library, gallery, or other place of public display or collection;
A park, zoo, amusement park, or other place of recreation;
A nursery, elementary, secondary, undergraduate, or postgraduate private school, or other place of education;
A day-care center, senior citizen center, homeless shelter, food bank, adoption agency, or other social service center establishment;
A gymnasium, health spa, bowling alley, golf course, or other place of exercise or recreation;
A religious facility;
An office building; and
A public curb or sidewalk._​


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## ADAguy (Aug 3, 2020)

Good stuff MH. Thanks.


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## ADAguy (Aug 3, 2020)

Also, what of fixture count if using All-Gender, can it then be less?


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## mark handler (Aug 3, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> Also, what of fixture count if using All-Gender, can it then be less?


NO


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## e hilton (Aug 3, 2020)

mark handler said:


> _PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION.
> A public curb or sidewalk._​



Wonderful.  Now they are requiring single gender restrooms on sidewalks.​


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## Robert (Aug 3, 2020)

Yes, if I provide one it definitely has to be all gender. My question was more about the code only allowing them for B & M occupancies. I don't understand why not other occupancies? In my A3 for instance, I would only be able to provide one if I also had separate M/F restrooms that satisfied the fixture count. CPC 422.2 exception 3 says a single user toilet facility can be provided only for business or mercantile occupancies and only if OL is less than 50.


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## steveray (Aug 4, 2020)

Here is what we do:

(Amd) 403.1.2 Single-user toilet facility and bathing room fixtures. The
plumbing fixtures located in single-user toilet facilities and bathing
rooms, including family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms that
are required by Section 1109.2.1 of the International Building Code, shall
contribute towards the total number of required plumbing fixtures for
a building or tenant space.  Single user toilet facilities and bathing
rooms, and family or assisted-use toilet and bathing rooms
shall be identified for use by any person.


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## mark handler (Aug 4, 2020)

Robert said:


> Yes, if I provide one it definitely has to be all gender. My question was more about the code only allowing them for B & M occupancies. I don't understand why not other occupancies? In my A3 for instance, I would only be able to provide one if I also had separate M/F restrooms that satisfied the fixture count. CPC 422.2 exception 3 says a single user toilet facility can be provided only for business or mercantile occupancies and only if OL is less than 50.


Many A3's have single user restrooms in non-public areas, like employee restrooms and as listed above family or assisted-user restrooms. 

If you you have a *single user *restroom, in CA, unless it is in a private office, make it a All gender restroom.
it has nothing to do with multiple user Restrooms.


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## ADAguy (Aug 4, 2020)

So MH, in CA we are still bound by the fixture table in CPC as to min. req'd.
If gender neutral, would a urinal no longer be required or do you have to provide
both if in a bar?


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## Min Lim (Nov 15, 2020)

ADAguy said:


> So MH, in CA we are still bound by the fixture table in CPC as to min. req'd.
> If gender neutral, would a urinal no longer be required or do you have to provide
> both if in a bar?


Per CPC, A and B occupancy requires minimum one urinal in addition to water closet in unisex toilet room.


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## mark handler (Nov 16, 2020)

Min Lim said:


> Per CPC, A and B occupancy requires minimum one urinal in addition to water closet in unisex toilet room.


That is correct
The word "unisex" is no longer in the CA code.


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## Yikes (Jul 12, 2022)

Just updating this thread with the discussion on upcoming California code changes to allow, and potentially require, multi-user public restrooms to be gender-neutral:
https://www.thebuildingcodeforum.co...toilet-facilities-to-be-gender-neutral.32678/


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## Ed Cooke (Aug 2, 2022)

If the required number of toilets or urinals have you designing a restroom with multiple fixtures, then the all gender does not come into play. It is only there if it is a single user restroom. In other words, if there are (2) or more fixtures per room, just design as usual!


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## Msradell (Aug 2, 2022)

Ed Cooke said:


> If the required number of toilets or urinals have you designing a restroom with multiple fixtures, then the all gender does not come into play. It is only there if it is a single user restroom. In other words, if there are (2) or more fixtures per room, just design as usual!


That's not the case if the municipality adopts a code otherwise like mentioned above!  In that case they would be one restroom, multiple fixtures for use by both sexes.


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