193B—5.4(544A) Exceptions matrix. The following matrix is compiled to illustrate the exceptions outlined in Iowa Code section 544A.18. The laws and rules governing the practice of engineering are not illustrated herein.

BUILDINGS
NEW CONSTRUCTION	
Building Use Type	Description	Architect Required	Architect May Not Be Required	
Agricultural use	Including grain elevators and feed mills	 	X	
Churches and
accessory buildings
whether attached
or separate	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
	Any number of stories in height, greater than 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
	More than two stories in height	X	 	
Commercial use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
	One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
	Two stories in height, up to a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
	Two stories in height, greater than 6,000 square feet of gross floor area	X	 	
	More than two stories in height	X	 	
Detached
residential
use	One, two or three stories in height, containing 12 or fewer family dwelling units	 	X	
	More than 12 family dwelling units	X	 	
	More than three stories in height	X	 	
	Outbuildings in connection with detached residential buildings	 	X	
Educational use	 	X	 	
Hazardous use	 	X	 	
Industrial use	 	X	 	
Institutional use	 	X	 	
Light industrial use	 	 	X	
Places of assembly	 	X	 	
Warehouse use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
	One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
	More than one story in height	X	 	
Factory-built buildings	Any height and size, if certified by a professional engineer licensed under Iowa Code chapter 542B	 	X	
	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
	One or two stories in height, greater than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
	More than two stories in height	X	 	
	More than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	

ALTERATIONS
TO EXISTING BUILDINGS	
Alteration Type	Description	Architect
Required	Architect
May
Not Be
Required	
Structural alterations to exempt buildings	Modifications that change the structural members, means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns	 	X	
Structural alterations to nonexempt buildings	Modifications that change the structural members, means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns	X	 	
Nonstructural alteration	That does not modify means of egress, handicap accessible path, fire resistivity or other life safety concerns	 	X	
	That maintains the previous type of use	 	X	
Nonstructural alteration that changes the use of the building from any other use to:	A place of assembly of people or public gathering	X	 	
	Educational use	X	 	
	Hazardous use	X	 	
	Residential use exempted	and is one, two or three stories in height and contains not more than 12 family dwelling units	 	X	
	Residential use not exempted otherwise	and is more than three stories in height	X	 	
		and containing more than 12 family dwelling units	X	 	
Nonstructural alterations that change the use of the building from industrial or warehouse to:	Commercial or
office use	and is one story in height and not greater than a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		and is one story in height and greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		and is two stories in height and not greater than a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		and is two stories in height and greater than 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		and is more than two stories in height	X	 	
		and is greater than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area	X	 	
Nonstructural alterations to:	Agricultural use	Including grain elevators and feed mills	 	X	
	Churches and accessory building uses	One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		Any number of stories in height, greater than 2,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		More than two stories in height	X	 	
	Commercial use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		Two stories in height, up to a maximum of 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		Two stories in height, greater than 6,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		More than two stories in height	X	 	
	Detached residential buildings	One, two or three stories in height, containing 12 or fewer family dwelling units	 	X	
		More than 12 family dwelling units	X	 	
		More than three stories in height	X	 	
		Outbuildings in connection with detached residential buildings	 	X	
	Educational use	 	X	 	
	Hazardous use	 	X	 	
	Industrial use	 	X	 	
	Institutional use	 	X	 	
	Light industrial use	 	 	X	
	Places of assembly	 	X	 	
	Warehouse use	One story in height, up to a maximum of 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	 	X	
		One story in height, greater than 10,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		More than one story in height	X	 	
	Factory-built buildings	Any height and size if entire building is certified by a professional engineer licensed under Iowa Code chapter 542B	 	X	
		One or two stories in height, up to a maximum of 20,000 square feet of gross floor area	 	X	
		One or two stories in height, greater than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
		More than two stories in height	X	 	
		More than 20,000 square feet in gross floor area	X	 	
[ARC 7760C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]