The Ontario Building Code | Maximum Vertical Rise of Stair Flights and Required Landings
3.4.6.3. Maximum Vertical Rise of Stair Flights and Required Landings
(1) No flight of stairs shall have a vertical rise of more than 3.7 m between floors or landings, except that a flight of stairs serving as an exit in a Group B, Division 2 or 3 occupancyshall have a vertical rise not more than 2.4 m between floors or landings.
(2) Except as provided by Sentence (3), a landing shall be provided,
(a) at the top and bottom of each flight of interior and exterior stairs,
(b) at the top and bottom of every section of ramp,
(c) where a doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway opens onto a stair or ramp,
(d) where a ramp opens onto a stair, and
(e) where a stair opens onto a ramp.
(3) A landing may be omitted at the bottom of an exterior stair or ramp, provided there is no gate, door or fixed obstruction within the lesser of,
(a) the width of the stair or ramp, or
(b) 1 100 mm.
In Plain Language
No flight of stairs can rise more than 3.7 m between landings without an intermediate landing, giving occupants a resting point and limiting the consequences of a fall on a long, uninterrupted flight.
This is a plain-language summary of the 2012/2017 Ontario Building Code text above, for general understanding only and not a substitute for the Code. Always confirm current requirements against the 2024 edition (O.Reg. 163/24) or a qualified professional before construction.