| Primary value | 30 m |
| Applies to | Residential apartments · Hostels · Lodging houses |
| Exceptions | Sprinklered buildings → 45 m permitted |
| Educational, business, mercantile, industrial → 22.5 m | |
| Assembly buildings (cinema, auditorium) → 22.5 m | |
| Residential (Lodging Houses, Dormitories) → 22.5 m | |
| Dead-end corridor limit (most occupancies) → 6 m (per NBC 2016, Part 4, Cl 4.5.2) | |
| Industrial (Low/Moderate Hazard) → 45 m | |
| Measured as | Walking distance along the natural travel path from the most remote point in any room to the nearest fire-rated exit door. |
| Source | NBC 2016 — Part 4, Table 7 ✓ Verified |
Travel distance is a critical life safety parameter defined by the NBC to ensure occupants can reach a protected exit before being incapacitated by smoke, heat, or toxic gases. The specified distances are based on the building's use and expected fire growth rate. Sprinklers increase the permissible distance by actively suppressing the fire, providing more time for evacuation.
Architects measure the travel distance from the most remote point of any habitable room to the door of the nearest fire-rated staircase or exit. If this distance exceeds the limit, the floor plan must be revised, often by adding another staircase. In high-rise or large-footprint buildings, installing a sprinkler system is a common design strategy to use the 50% distance increase, optimizing floor space and staircase costs.