BC Glass Railing Code: Guard Heights and Requirements

Planning a glass railing in British Columbia? Guards (railings) are regulated by the BC Building Code, and getting the height, spacing and glass type right keeps your project safe and inspection-ready. Here's a plain-language overview. For code-compliant, pre-cut tempered glass, request a quote.

When is a guard required?

A guard is generally required wherever there's a drop of more than 600 mm (about 24 inches) - decks, balconies, landings, stairs and raised walkways.

Guard height

Typical minimum guard heights are 900 mm (about 36 inches) for lower decks, and 1070 mm (about 42 inches) where the walking surface is more than 1.8 m above the ground below. Stairs have their own handrail-height rules.

Openings and glass

• Guard openings generally must not allow a 100 mm (4 inch) sphere to pass through.
• Glass used in guards must be safety glass - tempered or laminated - to the required thickness for the span and mounting.

Codes are updated periodically and municipalities can add local amendments, so always confirm exact requirements against the current BC Building Code and your local building authority before ordering.

Mountwest supplies tempered glass railing panels cut to spec and built to meet Canadian building-code standards, shipped across Western Canada. Get code-ready glass railing pricing.