Egress Windows: The Rule That Keeps a Basement Bedroom Legal

An egress window gives someone in a basement bedroom a second way out if the stairs are blocked by fire or smoke, and a way for firefighters to get in. Codes typically set a minimum clear opening size, a maximum sill height off the floor, and — where a window well is involved — a minimum amount of clearance so the window can actually be opened wide enough to climb through.

All of those numbers work together; meeting the opening area alone while the sill sits too high, or the window well is too shallow, still fails the requirement. It's a common trip-up in basement renovations where a window looks "big enough" by eye but doesn't actually satisfy every dimension at once.