Ref: IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES (PD 1096) | 2005 REVISED EDITION

SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts

1. Minimum sizes of courts and yards and their least dimensions shall be governed by the use, type of construction, and height of the building as provided hereunder, provided that the minimum horizontal dimension of said courts and yards shall be not less than 2.00 meters. All inner courts shall be connected to a street or yard, either by a passageway with a minimum width of 1.20 meters or by a door through a room or rooms.

2. The required open space shall be located totally or distributed anywhere within the lot in such a manner as to provide maximum light and ventilation into the building. (Figures VIII.12. through VIII.15.)

3. YARD – the required open space left between the outermost face of the building/structure and the property lines, e.g., front, rear, right and left side yards. The width of the yard is the setback. Yards prescribed for Commercial, Industrial, Institutional and Recreational Buildings are shown in Table VIII.3. hereafter.

4. The setback requirements in Table VIII.3. above are for newly-developed thoroughfares. For highly built-up urban areas with duly established lines and grades reflecting therein proposed road widening and elevation, the requirements in Table VIII.3. above may not be imposed and the face of the building may abut on the side and/or rear property lines provided that all the requirements on open space, window opening, artificial ventilation, if any, and firewalls (Rule VII) are first fully complied with.

5. Every court shall have a width of not less than 2.00 meters for one (1) or two (2) storey buildings. However, if the court is treated as a yard or vice versa, this may be reduced to not less than 1.50 meters in cluster living units such as quadruplexes, rowhouses and the like, with adjacent courts with an area of not less than 3.00 sq. meters. Provided further, that the separation walls or fences, if any, shall not be higher than 2.00 meters. Irregularly–shaped lots such as triangular lots and the like, whose courts may be also triangular in shape may be exempted from having a minimum width of not less than what is required in Table VIII.3. and as shown in Figures VIII.16., VIII.17., VIII.18. and VIII.19.

6. For buildings of more than two (2) storeys in height, the minimum width of the rear or side court shall be increased at the rate of 300 millimeters for each additional storey up to the fourteenth (14th) storey (Figure VIII.20. showing incremental setbacks). For buildings exceeding fourteen (14) storeys in height, the required width of the court shall be computed on the basis of fourteen (14) storeys.

7. Uncovered Driveways, Access Roads and Parking Spaces may be considered part of the open space provided that they are open and unobstructed from the ground upward as in courts and yards.

8. A carport shall not be considered part of the Total Open Space within Lot (TOSL) particularly if it is entirely roofed or roofed with overhangs. In such a case, it must be counted as an integral component of the Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF).

9. A front yard may be partly paved/hardscaped (converted into a courtyard) to serve as a carport but only for a basic R-2 or basic R-3 or R-4 (individual lot) use or occupancy, i.e., all for single-family dwelling units only. All other uses/occupancies shall not be allowed to use the front yard for a carport nor for parking.

10. For Basic R-3, abutments on two sides and rear property lines may be allowed provided the following requirements are first complied with: a. Open space as prescribed in Reference Table for Maximum PSO, TOSL, and Table VIII.2. of this Rule are satisfied. b. Window opening as prescribed in Section 808 of this Rule are satisfied. c. Firewall with a minimum of two-hour fire-resistive rating constructed with a minimum height clearance of 400 millimeters above the roof. (Figure VIII.21)

11. In case of conflict in the provisions on lighting and ventilation under this Rule or under the Code, the more stringent restrictions must prevail.