Utah Egress Window Requirements: Code, Sizes, and Installation

If you are replacing bedroom windows in your Utah home, there is one non-negotiable requirement that overrides all style and budget preferences: egress compliance. Utah building code requires every bedroom to have at least one window large enough for an occupant to escape through in an emergency and for a firefighter to enter. This is not optional, not a guideline, and not something your installer can talk you out of.

This guide covers exactly what Utah's egress code requires, how different window styles measure up, and what you need to know before signing a window replacement contract.

What Is an Egress Window?

An egress window is a window specifically sized and positioned to serve as an emergency escape route. The word "egress" simply means "a way out." Building codes across the United States require egress windows in sleeping rooms because bedroom fires are the leading cause of home fire fatalities, and a functional escape window can be the difference between life and death.

Utah adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) with state-specific amendments managed through the Utah Construction Code. The egress requirements are found in IRC Section R310, and they apply uniformly across all Utah jurisdictions -- Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, St. George, and every municipality in between follow the same minimums.

Utah Egress Code Requirements

Here are the specific numbers. These are minimums, not recommendations -- every measurement must be met simultaneously.

Clear opening dimensions

• Minimum clear opening area: 5.7 square feet (820 square inches). For windows at grade level (ground floor), the minimum is 5.0 square feet.
• Minimum clear opening height: 24 inches
• Minimum clear opening width: 20 inches
• Maximum sill height: 44 inches from the finished floor to the bottom of the clear opening

The "clear opening" is the usable space when the window is fully open -- not the frame size, not the glass size, but the actual opening a person could climb through. This distinction matters because the frame, sash, and hardware all reduce the clear opening from the overall window dimensions.

What these numbers mean in practice

A window that measures 36 inches wide by 24 inches tall in the rough opening might have a clear opening of only 32 by 20 inches once the frame, sash, and hardware are accounted for. That gives you 640 square inches of clear opening -- which falls short of the 820-square-inch minimum. This is the most common way homeowners end up with non-compliant windows: they assume the labeled window size equals the clear opening, but it does not.

Always ask your window installer for the clear opening dimensions of the specific window unit, not just the nominal size. Reputable manufacturers publish clear opening specifications for every window model.

Operational requirements

The egress window must be operable from the inside without tools, keys, or special knowledge. A child or elderly person must be able to open it. This means no windows that require a key to unlock, no windows painted shut, and no windows blocked by security bars without a quick-release mechanism.

Which Rooms Need Egress Windows?

Required: all bedrooms

Every room designated as a bedroom in your home's floor plan must have at least one egress-compliant window. This includes:

• Master bedrooms
• Secondary bedrooms
• Basement bedrooms (finished or being finished)
• Bonus rooms used as sleeping spaces
• Any room that was marketed, permitted, or assessed as a bedroom

Not required: other habitable rooms

Living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, home offices, and bathrooms are not required to have egress windows. They may have other code requirements (ventilation, tempered glass near wet areas), but egress is specific to sleeping rooms and certain basement habitable spaces.

The basement exception

Utah code requires egress windows in all habitable basement rooms, not just basement bedrooms, if the basement lacks two independent means of escape. In practice, most finished basements have stairway access to an upper floor and a single egress window, which satisfies the code. If your basement is unfinished and used only for storage or utilities, egress windows are not required -- but they become required the moment you finish the space for habitable use.

Window Style and Egress Compliance

Not all window styles are equally good at meeting egress requirements. The critical factor is how much of the window's total area actually opens.

Casement windows: best for egress

Casement windows open 100% of the window area. A casement window that measures 24 by 36 inches in clear opening gives you the full 864 square inches -- comfortably above the 820-square-inch minimum. This makes casement windows the easiest style to size for egress compliance, and they are the preferred choice for basement egress installations where the rough opening is often the minimum practical size.

Double-hung windows: compliance depends on size

Double-hung windows only open about 50% of their total area (one sash at a time). To get 5.7 square feet of clear opening from a double-hung window, you need a significantly larger window overall. A double-hung window typically needs to be at least 36 inches wide and 54 inches tall to meet egress requirements, though exact dimensions vary by manufacturer.

The good news is that most standard bedroom double-hung windows in Utah homes built after 1990 were sized with egress in mind. If you are doing a like-for-like replacement with the same size double-hung, the new window will almost certainly meet egress requirements. The risk is when homeowners try to downsize a window opening or install a specialty shape that reduces the clear opening.

For a full comparison of double-hung and casement window performance, including how they compare on energy efficiency, ventilation, and cleaning, see our detailed guide.

Sliding windows: need to be large

Like double-hung windows, sliding windows only open 50% of their total area. You need a larger unit to meet egress minimums. Sliding windows are more common in basements than bedrooms, and they can work for egress if properly sized.

Awning and hopper windows: rarely egress-compliant

Awning windows (hinged at the top, opening outward) and hopper windows (hinged at the bottom, opening inward) rarely meet egress requirements because their opening geometry restricts the clear passage. These styles are better suited for utility rooms, basements without sleeping use, and bathrooms.

Basement Egress Windows

Basement egress windows are the most complex and expensive egress installations because they typically require cutting through the foundation wall and installing a window well.

Window well requirements

When a basement egress window opens into a below-grade space (below the surrounding soil level), Utah code requires a window well with the following minimums:

• Minimum area: 9 square feet (measured at the bottom of the well)
• Minimum projection from the wall: 36 inches
• Ladder or steps required if the window well is deeper than 44 inches from the bottom of the well to grade

The window well must be kept clear of debris, snow, and stored items at all times. A window well cover is permitted as long as it can be opened from inside without tools.

Installation considerations

Basement egress window installation is not a simple window swap -- it is a construction project. The process involves cutting the foundation wall (concrete block or poured concrete), installing a steel or concrete header above the opening, setting the window frame with proper waterproofing, excavating for the window well, installing the well liner, and ensuring proper drainage.

This work requires a building permit in every Utah jurisdiction and will be inspected before it can be closed up. Budget $2,500-$5,000 per basement egress window, including the well, depending on foundation type and soil conditions. For more details on the full scope of basement window work, see our basement window replacement guide.

Common Egress Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: assuming frame size equals clear opening

The labeled size of a window (such as "3050" for 36x60 inches) is the frame dimension, not the clear opening. The actual clear opening is always smaller because the frame, sash, and hardware occupy space. Always confirm the clear opening specification with your installer before ordering.

Mistake 2: replacing with a smaller window

If your current bedroom window meets egress requirements, replacing it with a smaller window violates code -- even if the new window looks similar. This happens most often when homeowners switch from a traditional double-hung to a smaller, more energy-efficient unit without checking the clear opening dimensions.

Mistake 3: blocking the window with furniture

An egress window that is blocked by a bed, dresser, or bookshelf is technically non-compliant. While this is not something a building inspector typically checks after initial occupancy, it is a real safety issue. Keep the path to every bedroom egress window clear.

Mistake 4: ignoring sill height

The maximum sill height of 44 inches from the finished floor is frequently overlooked in basement renovations. If you raise the basement floor level (by adding a subfloor system or thick flooring), you reduce the distance from floor to sill. Verify sill height after flooring is installed, not before.

Mistake 5: skipping permits for basement egress

Installing a new basement egress window without a permit is a liability issue. If a fire occurs and the window fails, if you try to sell the home and the inspection reveals unpermitted work, or if your homeowner's insurance investigates a claim, an unpermitted egress installation creates serious problems. Always pull the permit.

Permits, Inspections, and Enforcement

When you need a permit

In most Utah municipalities, a like-for-like window replacement (same size, same location) does not require a building permit. However, you need a permit when:

• Installing a new window opening in an existing wall
• Enlarging an existing window opening
• Installing a basement egress window (always requires a permit)
• Converting a room to a bedroom that previously lacked an egress window

The inspection process

For permitted egress window work, expect two inspections: a rough-in inspection (after the opening is cut and framed, before the window is installed) and a final inspection (after the window is installed and the well is complete, if applicable). The inspector will measure the clear opening, verify sill height, check operational ease, and confirm the window well meets code.

What happens if your windows are not egress-compliant

Non-compliant bedroom windows are most commonly flagged during real estate transactions. Utah home inspectors routinely check bedroom egress, and a failed egress finding can delay or derail a home sale. The buyer may demand a price reduction, require the windows be replaced before closing, or walk away entirely.

If you are planning to sell your home in the next few years, verify that every bedroom window meets current egress requirements now -- before the issue surfaces during a time-pressured transaction.

Working with Your Window Installer

When getting quotes for bedroom window replacements, ask these specific questions:

"What is the clear opening of the window you are proposing?" If the installer cannot tell you the exact clear opening dimensions in inches, they have not checked egress compliance. This is a basic requirement for any bedroom window installation.

"Will this window meet IRC R310 egress requirements?" A qualified installer will know this code section by heart. If they seem unfamiliar with it, consider another installer.

"Do I need a permit for this work?" An honest installer will tell you when a permit is required, even though the permitting process adds time to the project. An installer who suggests skipping the permit is cutting corners you cannot afford.

For bedroom windows on upper floors, also discuss whether the window style you choose -- double-hung or casement -- affects both egress compliance and practical concerns like cleaning and maintenance. The right choice balances code compliance with day-to-day livability.

Getting egress right is not complicated, but it is not something to leave to assumption. Measure, verify, and document -- your family's safety depends on it, and your home's value does too.