Most attached garages have a ceiling secured to the bottom chord of the roof trusses or ceiling rafters, and the ceiling must minimum be 1/2” drywall or equivalent. If there is no ceiling and the roof structure is exposed in the garage, then the wall separating the garage from the dwelling must be 1/2” drywall or equivalent and extend up to the underside of the roof sheathing. Any attic access opening panels must also be 1/2” drywall or equivalent. These requirements do not apply to detached garages. When there is a living area (habitable space) above the garage, including at a detached garage, the ceiling requirement ramps up to 5/8” Type X fire-rated drywall.

    This is part of multiple requirements for “Dwelling-Garage Separation” for an attached garage in the International Residential Code (IRC) and the Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC). While not called a “fire rating,” the specs are intended to create a fire barrier to reduce the spread of a fire from an attached garage to the living area of a home. To learn about the other garage fire separation requirements, go to our blog post What are the code requirements for fire separation between an attached garage and the house?

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Here’s links to a collection of some of our other blog posts about GARAGES AND CARPORTS:  

• What is the difference between a carport and a garage? 

• Why is my garage ceiling sagging? 

• Why are there score line grooves in the concrete floor of the garage? 

• What are the common problems when a homeowner converts a garage to conditioned living space, such as a family room?
 
 • What are the code requirements for fire separation between an attached garage and the house?

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• Does an attached garage that is only used for storage or as a workshop, and not for parking a car, still have to comply with building code requirements for a garage?

• How far apart should electric receptacle outlets be placed in a garage? 

• Why if the garage door track a white tube? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?  

• What does a home inspector check on an electric garage door? 

• Can the a garage door header bracket and torsion springs be mounted through drywall? 

• How can I tell if cracks in the garage floor are a problem or not? 

• Is tempered/safety glass required by the building code for windows and doors? 

• Why can't I use my home's central air conditioning system to cool the garage? 

• What is the unusual garage door opener mounted on the wall above the door and marked "Wayne Dalton”?

• When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required in the garage?

• Why are most pull-down attic ladders not approved by building code for installation in a garage? 

• Is the wood anchor pad for a garage door rail and torsion spring supposed to be nailed or bolted to the wall? 

• Is a ceiling receptacle outlet for a garage door opener required to be GFCI protected? 

     Visit our STRUCTURE AND ROOMS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.