Publication summary of NBC editions and related documents

The first National Building Code of Canada (NBC) was published in 1941. Subsequent editions were published in 1953, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2005.

Note that the NBC is a model code which has no legal status until adopted by a province, territory or municipal government. There is often a gap of several years between the publication of the model code and its adoption, at which time the government authority may put a different date on the cover of its code. For example, the Ontario Building Code 1997 is based on the NBC 1995. Prior to the 1970s, municipal governments rather than provincial governments adopted building regulations.

Supplements and user's guides are published to provide Code users with additional information to assist in the design of buildings but are not legally enforceable documents.

1941

• National Building Code 1941

1953

• National Building Code of Canada 1953 (bound and loose-leaf formats)

1960

• National Building Code of Canada 1960 (bound and loose-leaf formats)
  
  • Revision Series 1 January 1962
  • Revision Series 2 July 1962
  • Revision Series 3 January 1963
• Five supplements to the NBC 1960 were published:
  
  • Supp. No. 1 Climate Information for Building Design in Canada
  • Supp. No. 2 Fire-Resistance Ratings
  • Supp. No. 3 Pressure Coefficients for Wind Loads
  • Supp. No. 4 Handbook of Plumbing Sketches
  • Supp. No. 5 Housing Standards Canada 1962
    • Revisions & Errata March 1962
    • Errata July 1962
    • Reprinted in 1963 with all corrections and revisions

1965

• National Building Code of Canada 1965 (bound in one volume;
  parts of code available in 6 in. x 9 in. booklets)
  • Errata July 1965
  • Revisions December 1965
  • Revisions April 1966
  • Revisions December 1966
  • Second Printing, 1966 (includes all corrections and revisions to January 1966)
  • Revisions December 1967
  • Third Printing, 1967 (includes all corrections and revisions to January 1967)
  • Revisions December 1968
• In 1965, seven supplements to the NBC were published in a loose-leaf binder:
  
  • Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada
  • Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings
  • Supp. No. 3 Structural Information for Building Design in Canada
  • Supp. No. 4 Handbook of Plumbing Sketches
  • Supp. No. 5 Residential Standards Canada 1965
  • Supp. No. 6 Farm Building Standards
  • Supp. No. 7 Building Standards for the Handicapped
• Additional publications:
  
  • Building Code for the North - 1968
  • Supplement to the Building Code for the North - 1968
  • Various commentaries - 1968

1970

• National Building Code of Canada 1970 (case-bound and paperback editions)
  
  • Change Series 1 - Errata & Revisions July 1971
  • Second Printing, September 1971 (includes corrections and errata to April 1971)
  • Change Series 2 - Errata & Revisions July 1972 (incorporates revisions
    from Change Series 1)
  • Third Printing, October 1972
  • Change Series 3 - Revisions October 1973 (incorporates revisions
    from Change Series 1 & 2)
• In 1971, three supplements were updated and published:
  
  • Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1970
  • Supp. No. 4 Canadian Structural Design Manual 1970
  • Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1970
• Additional documents:
  
  • Canadian Code for Residential Construction 1970 (Residential Standards)
  • Canadian Code for Construction Safety 1970

1975

• National Building Code of Canada 1975 (soft cover)
  
  • Errata July 1975
• Four NBC supplements were updated and published:
  
  • Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1975
  • Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings 1975
  • Supp. No. 4 Commentaries on Part 4 of the NBC of Canada 1975
  • Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1975
• Additional documents:
  • Measures for Fire Safety in High Buildings 1973
  • Canadian Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning Code 1975
  • Canadian Construction Safety Code 1975
  • Residential Standards 1975
    • Errata July 1975

1977

• National Building Code of Canada 1977
  
  • Errata 1977
  • Second Printing 1978 (incorporates errata of 1977)
  • Revisions June 1978
• Four supplements were updated and published:
  
  • Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1977
  • Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings 1977
  • Supp. No. 4 Commentaries on Part 4 of the NBC of Canada 1977
  • Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1977
• Five other existing documents were updated:
  
  • Canadian Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning Code 1977
  • Canadian Construction Safety Code 1977
  • Residential Standards 1977
    
    • Errata and Revisions December 1978
  • Measures for Fire Safety in High Buildings 1977
• Additional documents were published:
  
  • Span Tables for Wood Joists, Rafters, Trusses and Beams 1977
  • Commentary on Parts 1 and 2 of the NBC 1977

1980

• National Building Code of Canada 1980
  
  • Errata May 1980
  • Revisions & Errata January 1981
  • Revisions & Errata June 1981
  • Second Printing, July 1982 (incorporates errata issued to 1981)
  • Revisions March 1982
  • Revisions & Errata January 1983
  • Revisions June 1983
  • Revisions January 1984
• One supplement was updated and published:
  
  • Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1981
• Additional documents were published:
  
  • Supplement to the NBC 1980
  • Commentary on Part 3 (Use and Occupancy of the NBC 1980)
  • Administrative Requirements for use with the NBC 1980

1985

• National Building Code of Canada 1985
  
  • First Errata October 1985
  • First Revisions January 1986
  • Second Errata January 1986
  • Second Revisions July 1986
  • Second Printing, March 1987 (includes revisions and errata to January 1986)
  • Third Revisions November 1986
  • Fourth Revisions January 1987
  • Third Errata January 1988
  • Fifth Revisions January 1988
  • Sixth Revisions December 1988
  • Seventh Revisions January 1989
• Additional documents were updated and published:
  
  • Supplement to the NBC 1985
  • Commentary on Part 3 of the NBC 1985
  • Administrative Requirements for Use with the NBC 1985

1990

• National Building Code of Canada 1990 (full size loose-leaf)
  
  • First Revisions & Errata January 1991
  • Second Printing, September 1991 (includes revisions & errata of January 1991)
  • Second Revisions & Errata January 1992
  • Correction to Second Revisions July 1992
  • Third Revisions September 1992
  • Fourth Revisions & Errata January 1993
  • Fifth Revisions & Errata January 1994
  • Third Printing, May 1994 (includes revisions & errata to September 1992)
• National Building Code of Canada 1990 (soft cover, reduced size, Second Printing)
  
  • (compact edition started with 2nd printing)
  • Second Revisions & Errata January 1992
  • Third Revisions & Errata September 1992
  • Third Printing, March 1993 (includes revisions & errata to September 1992)
  • Fourth Revisions & Errata January 1993
  • Fifth Revisions & Errata January 1994
• Additional documents were published:
  
  • Supplement to the NBC 1990
  • Guidelines for Application of Part 3 of the NBC to Existing Buildings (1993)
  • Commentary on Part 5 Wind, Water and Vapour Protection (1994)
  • Canadian Housing Code 1990
    
    • First Revisions & Errata January 1991
    • Second Revisions & Errata January 1992
    • Third Revisions & Errata January 1993

1995

• National Building Code of Canada 1995 (loose-leaf, full size; soft cover,
  reduced size; and CD-ROM)
  
  • First Revisions & Errata July 1998
  • Second Revisions & Errata November 1999
  • Third Revisions & Errata June 2001
  • Fourth Revisions & Errata April 2002
  • Fifth Revisions June 2003
• Additional documents were published:
  
  • User's Guide - NBC 1995 Structural Commentaries (Part 4) -- 1996
  • User's Guide - NBC 1995 Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility (Part 3) -- 1997
  • National Housing Code of Canada 1998 and Illustrated Guide
  • User's Guide - NBC 1995 Environmental Separation (Part 5) -- 1999

2005

• National Building Code of Canada 2005 (loose-leaf and soft cover; CD-ROM 2006; on-line subscriptions 2009)
• Additional documents were published:
  • User's Guide - NBC 2005: Structural Commentaries (Part 4 of Division B) -- 2006
  • User's Guide - NBC 2005: Application and Intent Statements -- 2006

2010

• National Building Code of Canada 2010 (loose-leaf and soft cover; downloadable PDF; on-line subscriptions)
• Additional documents were published:
  • User's Guide - NBC 2010: Structural Commentaries (Part 4 of Division B) -- 2011