# Residential building codes

> Detached houses in Vietnam are designed under national technical regulations (QCVN, mandatory) and national standards (TCVN, voluntary unless a regulation refers to them). The table below summarises the key requirements for stairs, clear heights, guards, ventilation and balconies, with the document, clause and review date.

## Vietnam — detached houses and townhouses

| Item | Requirement | Document · clause |
|---|---|---|
| Stair flight, detached house | Width ≥ 700 mm | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.11 |
| Steps | Tread ≥ 250 mm; riser 50–220 mm (preferably ≤ 190 mm); 550 mm ≤ 2h + b ≤ 700 mm | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.11 |
| Stairs in a townhouse | Escape stair width ≥ 900 mm; tread ≥ 250 mm, riser ≤ 190 mm | TCVN 9411:2012, clause 6.3.5.1 |
| Headroom over stairs | ≥ 2000 mm, measured vertically from the nosing or landing | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.11 |
| Guards on open sides of stairs and landings | Height ≥ 900 mm; gaps ≤ 100 mm | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.11 |
| Clear room height | Living rooms ≥ 2600 mm; kitchens and bathrooms ≥ 2300 mm | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.9 |
| Wet-area floors | No standing water; fall ≥ 2 % to the drain | TCVN 13967:2024, clause 5.13 |
| Deep townhouses | Deeper than 18 m must provide ventilation and daylight: open court, light well or skylight | TCVN 9411:2012, clause 5.1.2 |
| Walls on the plot boundary | No doors, windows or vents; openings only where the wall is ≥ 2 m from the boundary | TCVN 9411:2012, clause 6.4.3.1 |
| Street-front balconies, townhouse | Projection by street width: under 5 m: none; 5–7 m: 0.5 m; 7–12 m: 0.9 m; 12–15 m: 1.2 m; over 15 m: 1.4 m (1.2 m if the pavement is under 3 m) | TCVN 9411:2012, clause 6.4.4.2, Table 2 |
| Underside of balconies | ≥ 3.5 m above the pavement | TCVN 9411:2012, clause 6.4.4.3 |
| Windows for daylight | Window area 1/8 to 1/5 of floor area (recommended) | TCVN 4451:2012, clause 7.3.3 |

QCVN are mandatory technical regulations; TCVN are voluntary standards unless a law or regulation refers to them. The detailed zoning plan of an area may be stricter — check it before applying for a permit.

## Documents referenced

- **QCVN 01:2021/BXD**: Construction planning — building coverage, setbacks and heights by plot and street.
- **QCVN 06:2022/BXD (Amendment 1:2023)**: Fire safety for buildings — escape routes, stairs, stairwells.
- **TCVN 13967:2024**: Detached houses — design requirements: stairs, heights, bathrooms, ventilation.
- **TCVN 9411:2012**: Townhouses — design: ventilation of deep houses, boundary walls, balconies.
- **TCVN 4451:2012**: Housing — basic design principles: daylight, ventilation, room layout.

## Codes of other countries

Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong — Coming soon.

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Original page: https://myhomecheck.ai/learn/building-codes  
Other languages: [Tiếng Việt](https://myhomecheck.ai/vi/tri-thuc/quy-chuan/index.md) · [中文](https://myhomecheck.ai/zh/learn/building-codes/index.md)  
Updated: 2026-10-21