What is the minimum ceiling height in an unfinished basement?
An unfinished basement requires a clear height of 2.0 m.
Conditions and exceptions
- Measured to the lowest projection below the joists.
- Finishing the space raises the requirement to the habitable-room height.
- Ducts and beams commonly govern in a retrofit.
Where this comes from
National Building Code of Canada — Part 9
This page states the requirement and points you to the publisher. It does not reproduce the code text — read the provision itself at the official source below.
Read the official text at NRC — Codes Canada publications →Verify this against the code edition actually adopted where you are building. Provinces, territories, and municipalities amend on their own schedules, and where the governing document and this page disagree, the governing document controls. This is not legal, engineering, or permitting advice. Last reviewed 2026-08-12.
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